National security is on everyone’s minds these days. Our country feels more vulnerable than ever because of the corona virus.

Closing “non-essential” businesses and cutting “non-essential” staff has led us to where we are now – waiting on recession.

The last thing we need is another feelgood piece of federal law intended to punish Russia that does nothing more than punish “essential” South Carolina businesses.

DASKA, is that bill. Sen. Lindsey Graham has supported efforts to punish Russian President Putin and Russia’s economy because of the interference in our 2016 elections. Unfortunately, this bill will actually target American businesses, many located right here in South Carolina, that do business in Russia or with Russian companies located in other countries.

The impact of this bill could be devastating for South Carolina’s economy.

Boeing is one such business. Already struggling this past year, now it will have to contend with the loss of further business in Russia and other countries.

Cargill, also located in South Carolina, could be hurt by DASKA’s effects. Think of all the small family-owned businesses in our state that depend on these two corporations for their well-being.

Sen. Graham needs to reconsider his sup port of this bill. At the very least, it needs to be fixed and cleaned up so that no South Carolina business will be impacted.

We don’t need to punish hard-working South Carolinians for the misdeeds of a Russian president.

Daniel J. Cassidy. Lexington

Winners & losers

Theoretically, natural gas can be captured from hydroelectric dams like those at Lake Murray. Vegetation in the bottom of the lake decomposes without oxygen, producing methane dissolved in the deep water.

This is the same “swamp gas” that bubbles up when you stir the muck in the bottom of a pond. The agitation of water passing through a turbine releases the methane.

Rather than seeing this as an opportunity, the environmental lobby is using this to condemn hydroelectric generation.

Politicians try to make winners out of losers. Wind, solar and electric vehicles are losers receiving subsidies and mandated use.

The minute these end so will the political contributions from the industry.

Winners have little incentive to indulge in the bribery of political donations. Politicians actually prefer the losers who

Politicians actually prefer the losers who depend on them for profits.

Jim Clarkson, Columbia