Letters to the Editor | April 6, 2025

Kilmar Abrego Garcia. Remember his name. Even if you forget the fact he was legally allowed to be in the U.S., or that his wife and children are U.S. citizens, do remember he is now imprisoned in El Salvador. It is a fact he was kidnapped by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. It is a fact a federal court believed his life would be in danger if he returned to El Salvador. It is a fact the Trump administration has decided to abandon him, making no effort to secure his release. Perhaps it is concerned it will offend the El Salvadorian government. It’s OK to offend Europe, Canada, Mexico, and Greenland, but not OK to offend El Salvador to save a man’s life? An innocent man with a now helpless family. How low have we set the bar? Would it be different if he was the son of a deep-pocketed Donald Trump donor? Republicans, independents, and Democrats, it is time to take a stand, it is time to get involved. Get off your backside and start asking questions. The first being: Who will be next?

Philip A. Tegtmeier Sr., Honey Brook

Well, well, well. Elon Musk finally ran into something he could not buy: Wisconsinites. Apparently, they value the integrity of their votes more than the millions of dollars Musk waved under their noses. They saw through the ruse of his million-dollar “raffles” (one winner is chair of Wisconsin College Republicans) and declined to elect the GOP candidate for state Supreme Court — a 2020 election denier who promised that, if elected, he would be part of a “support network” for Donald Trump. Wisconsinites thought for themselves, voted their conscience, and protected the integrity of their highest court. I hope voters in other states are taking notice and will follow their example. Some things are priceless; no amount of money meets their value. Elections should be one of them.

Dale Kinney, Bala Cynwyd

The most remarkable thing about U.S. Sen. Cory Booker’s record-breaking 25-hour Senate speech wasn’t his stamina — it was his courage. Booker said what most members of Congress, including our own representatives, are afraid to say: that our democracy and economy are in grave danger. While others tremble to offer even mild criticism of the Trump administration, Booker boldly told the truth: “In just 71 days, the president of the United States has inflicted so much harm on Americans’ safety, financial stability, the core foundations of our democracy.”

For a full day, Booker described how the administration has attacked ordinary Americans while paving the way for tax cuts that overwhelmingly benefit billionaires. He cited cuts to Social Security, consumer protections, veterans’ services, public health, science, and education. The TikTok livestream of his speech got 350 million likes. Booker urged Americans to look at their own wallets. “Are you better off than you were 72 days ago economically?” he asked. “Ask your friends — are they better off economically? Prices are up, the stock market is down, the risk of recession is growing, consumer confidence is in the gutter.”

“These are not normal times in America,” Booker told viewers. “And they should not be treated as such in the United States Senate.” He’s right. Silence is complicity. It’s time for every senator — including our own Dave McCormick and John Fetterman — to find the courage to speak up.

Rick Thomas, Lewisburg

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