Letters, July 26: Liberal Democrats and Democrats turned Republican

Posted 7/25/18

Dems should beware of catering to progressive minority

I have recently moved here from Ann Arbor Michigan for an academic position. I feel right at home in Mt. Airy and Chestnut Hill. I was …

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Letters, July 26: Liberal Democrats and Democrats turned Republican

Posted

Dems should beware of catering to progressive minority

I have recently moved here from Ann Arbor Michigan for an academic position. I feel right at home in Mt. Airy and Chestnut Hill. I was involved politically in Michigan and once I am more settled, I hope to do the same in this community. I read the recent story about Neighborhood Networks and affiliated progressive organizations that want to elect "good Democrats” [Northwest Philly follows national trend: Progressives reshaping Democratic Party,” July 12].

I would caution these people from wanting 100% adherence to their philosophy from candidates. The reason we have a Trump presidency and the next Supreme Court Justice is named Kavenaugh is because enough progressives either voted for Jill Stein or refused to vote for Hillary Clinton. This is why we lost Michigan and Pennsylvania. The emphasis on political purity as well as identity politics has caused us to be estranged from the great middle of this country. People fail to acknowledge that Ocasio-Cortez's victory was accomplished with just 12 percent of the vote. It’s hardly a mandate for change. I have colleagues in that district and I am told her victory had little or nothing to do with ideology, more so with her ethnicity, gender and youth.

Too many politicians including the Mayor of Philadelphia seem too intent on satisfying a small number of activists with a perfect scorecard rather than taking into account the many core beliefs to the majority of voters.

I am very concerned about the future of our country and the Democratic Party when I read about the Democratic Socialists and the progressive agenda. Let’s keep our eye on the ball to nominate an electable Democrat that all will be able to support.

Robert Rosen

Chestnut Hill

 

Joined Republican party to avoid Democratic closed mindedness

I often get asked by my Democrat friends why I left the Democratic party and registered as a Republican. After all, I was a fuzzy-eared liberal while a student at Penn State in the late 1960s, and even went to Washington DC with a group of students to protest the Vietnam War. The deaths at Kent State happened during my senior year, and I, like many others, wore a black arm band to honor those who died. I even voted for Jimmy Carter (admittedly, a most regrettable decision).

I made the switch to the Republican party when Ronald Reagan was running for his first term as president. His positive tone and his belief in the greatness of America rang true for me. Optimism prevailed over pessimism.

I just read a story about Kevin Nicholson who, like me, was born into a family of liberal Democrats. Mr. Nicholson, a decorated Marine Corp veteran, is currently running as a Republican for the US Senate in Wisconsin. He has been shunned by family, including his mother, who is actively supporting his Democratic opponent.

My family dynamics are similar. Both of my parents were “liberal” Jews who consistently voted for any Democratic, regardless of qualifications. My mother (who has since passed away), told me she voted for Sen. McCain when he ran for President, but (forgive me Mom), I think she lied just to appease me. My brother and sister-in-law did not speak to me for about a year after the 2016 election.

Discussions about politics were and still are not permitted — ever. Several individuals who I actually once considered to be friends no longer speak to or interact with me. Those who do, do so reluctantly, but never about things that matter. There seems to be an unwritten, even unspoken rule that precludes introducing politics into any discussion, at least when I am in theroom.

As a law student in the late 1970s, I was taught and trained to analyze all issues and arguments that could be raised based on a given set of facts. In fact, we were tested and graded based on our ability to recognize and articulate any and all such arguments, regardless of personal views. That is the basis of good trial advocacy.

Over the years, and much more so since 2016, I have come to realize that the Democratic party  is not the party of tolerance. It is not the party of  acceptance. It is not the party of open minds. It has, in my experience, become the party of intolerance. It is the party of closed doors but open borders. It is the party of identity politics.  It openly advocates for policies that encourage dependency on government and discourage and even destroy individual initiative and opportunity.

The term "Liberal" to describe the Democrat party is a misnomer, as that term implies someone with an open mind who is open to and interested in respectfully discussing opposing views. Today's Democratic party and its so-called leaders only want to shut down any narrative that differs from their own. The only market place of ideas are for those that fit the narrative and talking points.

There are other examples of Democrat hypocrisy that I could mention. However, I instead choose to focus on, and believe in, the infinite human capacity to succeed in this, the best country in the world.

I predict that my letter will generate some mean spirited, sarcastic and perhaps even nasty replies. If I am correct, it will prove my point. If I am not, then maybe there is still hope for civility and respectful dialogue and debate in this community and society.

Sharon Reiss

Mt Airy

 

GOP Senators agree Trump is shameful

Last week, Justin Baxter wrote a letter to the editor congratulating David Banov on his July 5 letter to the editor, “Trump Critics Miss His Accomplishments.” Mr. Baxter states that, “it takes real courage to buck the very popular tide of rampant, almost hysterical Trump bashing.”

I would argue that those who are “bashing” Mr. Trump are not doing so because it’s the “in” thing to do, as Mr. Baxter suggested; they are doing so because they love their country and are horrified by a president who exhibits outward hostility toward our democracy, our democratic institutions and our allies.

An important note here is that it’s far from just Democrats and liberals who are speaking out. Many Republicans and conservative columnists are also sounding the alarm just as forcefully. Here is just a smattering of comments made by Republicans on Mr. Trump’s recent visit to Helsinki:

“Over the course of my career as an undercover officer in the C.I.A., I saw Russian intelligence manipulate many people. I never thought I would see the day when an American president would be one of them.” — Will Hurd, former C.I.A. officer, Republican Congressman from the 23rd District of Texas

“Today’s press conference in Helsinki was one of the most disgraceful performances by an American president in memory. The damage inflicted by President Trump’s naiveté, egotism, false equivalence and sympathy for autocrats is difficult to calculate. But it is clear that the summit in Helsinki was a tragic mistake. President Trump proved not only unable but also unwilling to stand up to Putin. He and Putin seemed to be speaking from the same script as the president made a conscious choice to defend a tyrant against the fair questions of a free press and to grant Putin an uncontested platform to spew propaganda and lies to the world.” — Republican Senator John McCain

“I never thought I would see the day when our American president would stand on the stage with the Russian President and place blame on the U.S. for Russian aggression.” — Republican Senator Jeff Flake

“We shall learn from special counsel Robert S. Mueller III’s investigation whether in 2016 there was collusion with Russia by members of the Trump campaign. The world, however, saw in Helsinki something more grave — ongoing collusion between Trump, now in power, and Russia. The collusion is in what Trump says (refusing to back the U.S. intelligence agencies) and in what evidently went unsaid (such as: You ought to stop disrupting Ukraine, downing civilian airliners, attempting to assassinate people abroad using poisons and so on and on).” — Conservative columnist George F. Will

Mr. Baxter concludes his letter by saying that he respects the office of the president and that those who are unhappy about the current president need to “get over it.” I’m thankful that so many citizens are not heeding his advice.

Lynn Selhat

Chestnut Hill

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