Letters to the editor
An affront to democracy
I assume that we would all agree that if a businessperson went to a legislator and promised to vote for them if the legislator would vote in favor of a bill that would profit the businessperson this would constitute bribery and would be against the law. I know this happens all the time, but it is not quite as obvious as coming out in the media and saying, “This is what I want and this is what I will pay to make it happen.”
Compare that to a president who went to the voters and promised them money to vote in a manner that benefited him/her. In my view the businessperson and the president are both guilty of bribery and should be held accountable. The current president has done just that, and doubled-down on the offer.
I know this “promise” is supposed to go through Congress before it can take place, but I believe that the president will simply sign an order that says this payment must be made and not bother with Congress. This would naturally result in court cases and appeals, as is par for the course.
I am concerned that there has not been an uproar from both sides of the aisle over this blatant attempt to bribe the voters in November. Anyone running for office, or currently in office, who does not stand up and say this is an affront to our democracy is guilty, in my opinion, of abetting in a criminal act and should be held accountable as well.
Stanley Myers
Washington
Owning mistakes
I looked away when he mocked a disabled reporter, insulted John McCain for being captured, called Mexicans rapists, called for a Muslim ban, the Access Hollywood tape, attacked a Gold Star family, sided with Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, separated families at the border, told congresswomen to go back, first impeachment over Ukraine, cleared Lafayette Square, told Proud Boys to stand back and stand by, denied the 2020 election, told us to fight like hell on Jan. 6 and second impeachment, kept classified documents at Mar-a-Lago, 34 felony convictions, was found liable for sexual abuse in the E. Jean Carroll case, bombed Iran in Midnight Hammer, and attacked California sending troops to Los Angeles.
At some point loyalty becomes complicity. The best thing to do when you are wrong is admit fault. I was wrong.
I cannot in good faith vote Republican this midterm. If we don’t try to fix it now and pull the reins back on Donald Trump in Congress, we will pay dearly in the next presidential election and for years after.
We have to get the party back to what it was before MAGA – about government and character, not conspiracy and grievance.
I am doing this to show my children and grandchildren I made mistakes defending Trump, but the right thing is to admit when you are wrong and try to make it right.
Mark Richard Charles
Washington
Vaccinate everyone
Not so very long ago, it was mandatory for children to be inoculated against childhood diseases. Measles, mumps, and rubella was one of them.
But some politician decided they were no longer necessary.
Even worse is the fact that decades went by without parents of young children deciding that letting their children be exposed to the diseases was better than getting them the shots.
Those decades passed without much of a problem until our borders were opened and millions of people from other countries were allowed into our country, along with any and all diseases they might be carrying.
Now we have measles breaking out all over our country, including people dying from the disease, and it seems no one knows how to do anything about it.
How about we start giving people those shots again, as soon as possible, with no exemptions?
Clyde Brautigam
Canonsburg
Choose democracy
Donald Trump screams that “the Smithsonian is “out of control.” Of course, that’s true from his perspective. It’s not under his control.
This election we will choose between measles and polio (almost eliminated for 30 years, but now’s your chance); masked, armed, government thugs with a quota of arrests to meet; a Trump-chosen war that won’t get us back to where we were before he started it; the terrible destruction of our country’s reputation as the home of the free and the hope of the world, and, of course, high prices from the war and the tariffs; or we will choose fairly sane, normal, boring Democrats with a bunch of different opinions, but who do agree that our Constitution and laws should be followed. Incredibly, people are saying it could be close! The leaders Trump envies/admires are Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, and, even Kim Jong Un. Yet, Trump tries to say that Democrats are the ones who want a dictator? Haven’t we had enough chaotic diversions, lies, and people who frantically protect rich, powerful child molesters? This election, choose democracy and the rule of law for a change!
Gerard Weiss
Upper St. Clair