Call for decency in public life
Our country needs another Joseph Welch moment. Welch was the lawyer hired by the U.S. Army in 1954 to defend it against allegations of lax security at a top-secret Army facility. The charges were made by Sen. Joseph R. McCarthy during the Cold War’s “Red Scare” hearings. After being fed up with McCarthy’s attack on one of his attorneys, Welch confronted the senator: “Until this moment Senator, I think I have never really gauged your cruelty or your recklessness…You’ve done enough. Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?”
This exchange marked the beginning of the end of McCarthyism.
It’s been demonstrated time and again that Trump has no “sense of decency,” but it would be great if someone would stand up and pose Welch’s question directly to the president in public. I doubt any Republican could ever muster the courage to call out Trump’s erratic behavior, but maybe a patriot that’s had enough of a rogue president’s trampling on our democracy and Constitution would speak truth to power like Mr. Welch did.
It’s unlikely this scenario would ever occur, but one could always have hope.
Side note: Sen. McCarthy’s chief counsel during the hearings was Roy Cohn, who went on to become Donald Trump’s mentor, lawyer and fixer in the 1970s. The key advice Cohn gave Trump was, “attack, counterattack and never apologize.” Trump took Cohn’s advisement to heart and it helped make him the deeply flawed individual and failed leader he is today.
John Jesse, Glenwood Springs
Questions about airport expansion spending
In January 2026, the Garfield County commissioners approved applications for funding at the ironically named Rifle Garfield County Airport. It appears that the lack of a second (or is it a third) taxiway has created a “congestion problem” for the Richie-Riches waiting to get out of the airport. There also seems to be a problem with an FAA apron for parking and fueling and hanger access. The estimated cost of the two projects is in excess of $12 million. Some of which is to be paid by grants from the FAA, if they apply and receive them.
So here’s a question for Garfield County and especially City of Rifle residents. Is this how you want your tax dollars spent? Even if the FAA supplies some funds, it is still tax money. Do you understand that the airport provides very limited benefits to our area? The Richie-Riches are not eating in Rifle or Silt. They are not sleeping in Rifle or Silt. They are not filling their limos in Rifle or Silt. Yet Rifle and Silt are the recipients of toxic jet wash from takeoffs and landings. The noise pollution from the jets often makes it difficult to maintain a conversation until the jets have passed when taking off. I know this because my windows rattle from the noise. And even though we are in an “exceptional” drought situation, they are washing private jets with our precious water.
According to the Post Independent (4/17/26), “Commissioners approved a $2.8 million transfer from the general fund to the airport fund for the Taxiway Bravo construction project.” Why? What was estimated at $4 million, is now over $6 million. Samson, Will, and Jankovsky should be ashamed.
When I wrote that the airport was ironically named, I meant that sincerely. It should be called the Richie-Rich, or Aspen North Airport. Call the airport and see how many flights are available to us, the citizens of Garfield County. The answer is zero! Nil! Nada! The ultra-wealthy own the jets and the hangers. They could care less about us. Let them pay for their own expansions! Or better yet, send them back to Aspen and give us back our little airport.
Craig Chisesi, Rifle
Alpine Bank customers beware
I closed my checking account at Alpine Bank in Rifle Feb. 12 and on the 13th received a call from the Rifle Bank stating that I had tried to close out my account, but two transactions had went through for payment on the 13th. I told her. One was for over $400 which I disputed as well as the other one. I told her that I had closed my account. They did not return them as account closed they went ahead and processed them and charged me a $38 overdraft fee for each one of them. The company that charged me for over $400 never sent me any information that I owed that much. I received another call from the Glenwood bank asking about the charges I had disputed. Then in March when I did not receive my Social Security Check in the mail I went to the Bank in Rifle again to see if my account was ever closed, they said no because my Social Security payments were set up on Direct Deposit with them and I had to have an account with another bank before I could close my account. My main income is my Social Security which isn’t much. Because of the overdraft charges I had other items that were on Auto pay which I had given them my new bank information, but they sent it through Alpine Bank by mistake so I ended up with another $38 overdraft charge for two more transaction. That is a total of $152 overdraft charges and the charge for over $400. They took almost half of my Social Security.
Lana Keisel, Rifle
