Thanks to GOP, his choices are clear
To the Times:
Well, the Republicans have simplified my life. I’ll simply vote for Democrats for every office on Nov. 6. No need to sort through the propaganda from individual candidates.
Here’s why: Control of both houses of Congress, and at the state level both houses of the Pennsylvania General Assembly and governorship, are at stake. Even though some Republicans have played a constructive role at the state level – for example, supporting limited measures for gun control – a more critical issue is who actually gets to set the agenda in Washington and Harrisburg.
Am I being partisan and divisive? Not really, just responding to the tone set by the Republican leadership over the past two years. Partisan and divisive started with the Republican Senate’s refusal for a year even to give the President’s nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court a hearing, let alone a vote. Contrast this with the rush to install Bret Kavanaugh in the vacant seat, despite serious issues regarding his fitness. Add to that gerrymandering and setting up restrictions designed to keep low-income and minority citizens from voting.
Partisan and divisive – deliberately so – has been Trump’s consistent theme, compliantly accepted by Republican senators and representatives. Anybody who does not go along with that extreme rightwing agenda is labeled partisan and divisive.
So thank you, Republicans, for making my choices in November a little easier. I have little else to thank you for. Will Richan, Chester To the Times: President Trump recently tweeted the following startling revelation, that he and North Korea dictator Kim Jong-un are “in love’” Yes, in love! Kim, Trump said, had written him beautiful letters. Not sure if Trump was referring to the calligraphic penmanship or the sentiment expressed, but, the result is a “bromance” that has now evolved into a manly love.
A love between a ruthless dictator and a man who covets and admires the power he wields. It seems clear that Kim is playing his patsy like a fiddle. By appealing to Trump’s megalomaniacal narcissism, Kim is able to defang Trump while he secures valuable time to further North Korea’s nuclear program and delay any meaningful progress toward denuclearization. While Trump continues to openly admire strongmen around the world like Kim, Philippine’s Duterte, Turkey’s Erdogan and Russia’s Putin he is openly dismissive of our longtime Western allies.
The president is upending the geopolitical alliances we have carefully crafted since the end of World War II. The same alliances that have kept Europe war-free for almost the past 75 years and if you look at the long-term trend lines, brought us an era of great economic growth and prosperity. The consequences of this behavior on our long-term security is unknown. But, the president still has two long years in office-buckleup, the ride could get very bumpy.
Ken Derow, Swarthmore