Trump defends the Constitution

Re: “Why this Colorado Republican strategist will not vote for Trump,” July 8 commentary

Rory Carlin may be a Republican strategist, but he’s certainly no conservative, especially when it comes to considering the U.S. Constitution. In fact, in railing against President Donald Trump’s character, as he sees it, Carlin fails to make even a passing reference to the Constitution.

Trump, on the other hand, is the first president since Ronald Reagan to speak out strongly and effectively for the Constitution, within which “compassion” may lie implicitly, but nowhere is it mentioned in the document.

Apparently, Carlin expects Trump to make political decisions and develop policies based upon feelings, with little or no reliance on constitutional principles. Instead, Carlin’s go-to principle seems to be the “compassionate” conservatism that has brought not only the Republican Party low, but it has, over the decades, enabled the Democrats to bring the country even lower.

When emotions are allowed to supersede reason in decision making, things like adherence to standards are abandoned, allowing political correctness to grow in guiding policies that produce equal outcomes with little or no consideration of merit.

Carlin is evidently more concerned with his own perception of Trump’s character than he is with the actions of violent protesters who passionately strive to tear down America. One might even say he has compassion for them in their passion. Never mind that their passion abhors every founding principle in the Constitution.

Sam Thiessen, Parker

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I appreciated Rory Carlin’s commentary. I believe one of the most destructive things that has happened in the past three years is the divide that has warped both parties.

Rather than have men and women who work together and serve the public, we have factions (one of the Federalist founders’ worst nightmares) that pull the people in both parties — who were actually trying to govern — to issues that distract rather than solve problems.

During the debates prior to the 2016 election, and I watched as many as I could, it was glaringly obvious that the two parties were talking about problems so different that they seemed to be from two different planets. The core strengths of both parties have become lost because their agendas are paralyzed by these distractions.

I am a conservative Democrat, and I will vote for Joe Biden. However my biggest fear is that a Biden win might embolden the faction on the left. I think a perceived “mandate” for either party is a catastrophe. I want the Republican party to heal and to get back in the game because I believe the ideas of both parties are absolutely essential for democracy.

Only once we stop talking past each other will that happen again. I want politicians who will focus on solutions and ignore the distractions. We will never get elected officials who will do that until we, as constituents, value solutions over distractions.

Lattina Adams,