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A dark day
The events that occurred at the U.S. Capitol building on Jan. 6 are horribly frightening for our country.
A “peaceful transfer of power” is something that has separated the United States from non-democratic, developing countries and has paved the way for our dominance on the global stage. Now, we can’t claim that for our country.
Hundreds of President Donald Trump’s supporters storming the Capitol and interfering with the constitutional process of confirming the results of a democratic election is the exact opposite of democracy. Stealing art from the walls of the nation’s capitol, waving the Confederate flag outside the doors of the Senate chamber, pulling out guns in the nation’s most important legislative building and sacking the offices of Congress members is not representative of American democracy.
There can no longer be the idea of “American exceptionalism” — not after Wednesday. This day will go down in world history infamously as a dark period for democracy globally. One can only hope that within the next two weeks preceding the presidential inauguration peace and healing can ensue.
Mira Harvey
Glendale
Invoke the 25th Amendment
Invoke the 25th Amendment of the Constitution!
Relieve President Donald Trump of all presidential responsibilities now through the end of this presidency. Allow Vice President Mike Pence to assure and facilitate a peaceful transition of presidential power now through the Jan. 20 inauguration.
Remove Trump to a neutral location ASAP so the White House is available for the transition. Require a media blackout of all Trump communications and lock his Twitter account through the end of this presidency. Give Pence the responsibility to relay communications from Trump, if they are appropriate.
There should be no question that encouraging violence to bypass the constitutional transition of the presidency is not acceptable. It is time to end the chaos from this White House.
John Hempstead
La Crosse we should hold everyone accountable for their actions. That includes mobs who storm federal buildings, and unruly looters who destroy property, and folks who use insider information to make stock decisions, and police who use excessive force, and officials of both political parties who break the law.
Those latter two groups swear an oath to uphold the Constitution, so we should actually hold them to an even higher standard and be more outraged at their crimes.
Most of all, let’s not repeat Jan. 6.
John Miceli
Johnson’s many mistakes
The editorial on regarding Sen. Ron Johnson’s behavior was spot on, and I totally agree with the Editorial Board’s conclusions (“Johnson stunt for Trump makes his unfit for Senate,” Jan. 6).
Johnson (who doesn’t deserve the title of senator in my mind) is not being positive or constructive in representing the people of Wisconsin, and it’s alarming that he and others continue to increase their support for a clearly unstable president.
Thank you for calling out Johnson as well as the sadly focused, poorly led Wisconsin legislature which also is not working for Wisconsin overall, just those powerful, influential supporters with their personal self-fulfilling agendas.
The Republican Party needs to expel those who threaten our democracy, or form a new party to represent their agenda.
Good women and men of both parties, stand up, speak out and positively lead to create a greater good for all Americans, those whose ancestors came here long ago and those coming here now.
Dave Patrick
Ron Johnson is an embarrassment
I’m very disturbed by the antics of Sen. Ron Johnson and, in particular, his decision to object to the Electoral College results naming Joe Biden as president (“Johnson to object to election results,” Jan. 3).
How dare he try and negate my vote! Has he no shame? No decency? Why is he trying to turn our great American democracy into some kind of banana republic?
He should resign his position as a United States senator. He has betrayed his oath of office to honor and uphold the Constitution, and he is an embarrassment to the people of Wisconsin.
(Editor’s note: Johnson changed his mind and voted Wednesday against motions to challenge election results in two states).
Leo Ries
Oshkosh declared himself a presidential candidate.
Be wary of and don’t fall for the conspiracy theories and lies they and our Republican state legislators will spout in trying to place more burdens on people who are trying to exercise their right and duty to vote. Be aware of how they will continue to gerrymander this state to stay in office. That is what they are concerned about instead of the truth and the constitutions of the United States and Wisconsin.
Joan Arnold U.S. Army, Retired
Rudolph
Evers: Explain slow vaccine rollout
We have listened to Gov. Tony Evers tell us to wear masks to stop the spread of COVID-19 in order to get our economy back up and running.
The time has come for all of us to ask him to tell us why we are so far behind in vaccinating people and what specifically is his plan so that we can start mass vaccinations. It has been close to a month now, and we still have not even been able to vaccinate all of the first responders.
At this rate, it will be summer before we even get all of the 65 and older group vaccinated. This is unacceptable.
John Jackson
What’s the vaccine plan?
Having contacted my city of Milwaukee alderman concerning the city’s Health Department plan for the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccines, I am disturbed by the answer, which was there is no easily stated plan.
For 10 months, like a lot of people, I followed recommended guidelines by the state for wearing masks, social distancing, using sanitizers and washing my hands frequently. Also, in the beginning, I self-quarantined for months not going anywhere. I jokingly told friends that my car was getting three weeks to the gallon.
I know many people who followed those guidelines. Now with vaccines available, I find it hypocritical that politicians spent all this time encouraging people not to wear masks because it was taking their freedom away, calling COVID-19 a hoax, encouraged businesses and their customers to get out and support those businesses and followed the lead of President Donald Trump of ridiculing the medical profession for being alarmists as cases of the virus skyrocketed. In this time, more than 355,000 Americans died.
The disturbing part of this is these same anti-maskers, COVID-19 deniers and Trump supporters have inserted themselves to be first in line for the vaccines.
Hypocrisy at its best.
Gregory F. Johnson the damage he has done to someone’s life.
As for the Attorney General Josh Kaul, I believe he “passed the buck” when he handed the case over to former Madison Police Chief Noble Wray. When Janet Reno was Attorney General of the United States she had a sign on her desk, “the buck stops right here.” And why did it take five months to come to a conclusion in this tragic case?
Wisconsin used to be a progressive state, but no more. At least there is a glimmer of hope on the Wisconsin Supreme Court with Brian Hagedorn.
Maureen Burke
Poor Ted Adams and his wife — living in Minneapolis, hunkering down during the pandemic — can’t go to their Palm Desert, Calif., vacation home, have to put off purchasing new furniture and, oh dear, a new Mercedes Benz. The poor guy’s wavering about these purchases, putting them off until he’s vaccinated (“Vaccines could resurrect a hobbled U.S. economy, Jan. 3).
We have people in Milwaukee who are reading this article with no jobs, no homes, eviction around the corner, going to food pantries to feed their kids and themselves, waiting for unemployment checks for months, no means of transportation, home schooling without proper equipment, taking care of sick and disabled family members.
And the Journal Sentinel prints an article on the economy about poor Adams’ woes?
What’s wrong with this picture?
Dona Finco
Muskego