Letters to the Editor | Feb. 9, 2025

Vladimir Putin, wanted by the International Criminal Court, is waging a war to grab and annex Ukraine. Benjamin Netanyahu, wanted by the International Criminal Court, wants to annex Gaza and the West Bank. Donald Trump, a convicted criminal, wants to outdo them both when he says he wants to control Greenland, the Panama Canal, Canada, and now Gaza. For the sake of sanity and peace in the world, one hopes these autocrats will fail in their endeavors.

Edgars Nilenders, Rockledge

A recent article on France’s new government cites “crushing debt,” which is estimated at a “staggering” 112% of gross domestic product. The article suggests that this could even threaten the stability of all countries that use the Euro. Meanwhile, our own debt-to-GDP ratio is 123% and headed upward. Predictably, our two major parties merely view this as an opportunity to make political hay by blaming the other for causing the problem. They are both partly correct, but neither party has had the courage to put forth a realistic proposal (as opposed to, say, Elon Musk’s slash-and-burn crusade) to fix it. The cost to service our debt now exceeds our enormous military budget. What will it take to incent our elected officials to set the political games and culture wars aside, for just a while, and do their jobs?

Jim Lundberg, Quakertown

The Inquirer article about Immigration and Customs Enforcement rounding up employees at a car wash quotes owner Jeffrey Lee as saying: “No one ever thought that this would happen. I thought that the administration was going after violent criminals, but these people are innocent, honest, hardworking people.” That’s not strictly true. Lots and lots of people expected exactly this. It’s what Donald Trump promised. We told you, over and over, as loud as we could, and you ignored us because you thought the convicted criminal with a long history of lying, cheating contractors, stealing money from charity, declaring bankruptcy, and sexual harassment (proven in court) was some kind of financial genius and hero for the common man, a shining beacon of truth who would make everything better. Those who supported Trump and are now shocked at what’s happening are getting their payback for their credulity. Unfortunately, so are the rest of us.

Andre Guirard, Lafayette, La.

It’s time for one of our elected representatives to find a way to issue an arrest warrant for Elon Musk. Just as the Watergate burglars were arrested, Musk should be arrested for his likely illegal and unlawful access to our federal payroll system. Add in the fact that Musk is unelected, and has been in regular contact with Vladimir Putin, and it’s easy to see the damage Musk can do to our national security and to our citizens unless he is stopped before he does irreparable harm.

John Heath, Bellmawr

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