Next Walmart belongs in Des Moines. Walmart is planning another store in Ankeny. Hey, Walmart executives: Have you ever considered east Des Moines for a store? We lost our Kmart and Gordmans and have no close retail stores. Come on, Walmart, give Des Moines a break. Judy Avritt, Des Moines

Slimming government is a contradiction. Many state legal functions have been relegated to private concerns as a solution to reducing state government. Two cases in point: A private contractor manages the accounting for private school financing. And the massive work needed to account for the Medicaid program is accomplished at a sizable private expense. No doubt there are others as well. Private business requires a profit. Not so with the government. A litany of legislation has reduced the ability of local governments to even function properly. The Legislature only meets for part of the year and of course our local governments work 24/7 for their constituents. No doubt there are instances where state mandates can benefit, but on the other hand, it’s not always a cure. The main concern for legislators is not being challenged with compromise. It’s only with compromise that both sides can finally come to a workable agreement on issues. Money drifts from one side or the other and causes an imbalance. Regardless of party affiliation, it is the duty of representative government to be "representative." There was a time we accomplished this on our own without going outside. Slimming down government is an oximoron. The legislative power base is out of sync with the people. John Carver, Decorah

Trump can’t run again. Just ignore him, please. With President Donald Trump 100 days into his second term, I am reminded what has helped me cope with his weakly articulated agenda. Trump is a lame duck. He will be gone in less than four years, so why are we taking him so seriously? All I hear is quack quack quack every time he speaks. The beauty of a lame-duck presidency is that Congress does not have to follow his lead. They can just say that’s nice and go a different direction with a plan that is best for the country. (They can really do this any time if they just wake up.) After a while maybe we all will only hear quack quack quack when Trump speaks. Joe Romano, Johnston

Toilet paper tax break isn’t much of a windfall. Trying to decide what to do with my "windfall" tax savings from the Iowa toilet paper sales-tax-exemption bill. That reduces the taxes on 3,200,000 Iowans by a total of $7 million to $9 million or about $2.50 for each of us. I could invest it, but at my age it doesn’t have that much time for it to grow. I could spend it on a gallon of gas or a large-size candy bar, but I don’t want to increase my footprint, carbon or actual. I could use it to cover my house taxes for a couple of hours. I could donate it to Americans for term limits. All of this decision making has me feeling a little queasy. Maybe I better wait a year to see if I really save $2.50 on my toilet paper expenditures before I decide. Mike Rowley, Clive

SAVE Act is an attack on women’s voting rights. The U.S. Senate will soon vote on a law called the SAVE Act. As I see it, the law is meant to Stop American Voters Everywhere, by significantly reducing access to voting by requiring only very limited methods of registering to vote. You might think you vote regularly, so you’re already registered. But if you move you will have to re-register. If you marry and change your name you will have to re-register. In some places if you don’t vote in an election or two, you will have to re-register. More: SAVE Act makes it harder for Republicans to vote, too. Think they know that? | Opinion This law basically eliminates online registration, the ability to register by mail, and the ability of states to link voter registration to state programs such as renewing drivers’ licenses. How? By requiring that you show in person either a passport (which fewer than half of us own) or a birth certificate and the documentation that shows how your name has changed over time. As a thrice-married woman who’s changed her name twice, the documentation showing why my full birth name differs from my current ID would be difficult, time-consuming, and who knows how expensive to obtain. Getting a new passport costs $165 (not including the cost of photos) as well as time. While the pretend motive for this law is election integrity, the alarists have never proved wide-spread voter fraud. The obvious motive is to exclude voters. Who is most likely to be disenfranchised? Married women who have changed their names and the larger half of us who do not have passports and don’t have the means to get one. Sue Ravenscroft, Ames

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Trump 2028? He can’t run again; just ignore him.