Letters to the Editor | March 11, 2024

As an independent voter, I was pleasantly surprised to feel so energized after watching President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address. He was affable, sharp, respectful, and dare I say, presidential. Did nothing Biden said resonate with Republican members in attendance? Heckling, not clapping, and sitting stoically is childish. At least, in the moment, House Speaker Mike Johnson had the decency to try to appear attentive, despite calling Biden’s speech partisan afterward. Bravo, Mr. President!

K. Mayes, Philadelphia

Did you watch the State of the Union address? Did you see a president who energetically stood before Congress, the U.S. Supreme Court, and millions of Americans watching at home? Did you see a speech that was filled with real accomplishments, filled with real hope and promise — promise for more success built upon these many accomplishments? Did you see a group of legislators, many of whom were afraid to stand up, even when some of the remarks by President Joe Biden could be looked upon as being complimentary to their party?

This is what we are faced with. A faction of our government that is incapable of allowing bills to pass, even those initiated by their own party. GOP members failed to stand up at any time for our president, even for bipartisan accomplishments. They cannot stand up. They are afraid; afraid of the one man desperate for a victory, desperate to retain his grip on the freedom the courts may take away. Democrats should continue to stand up. If they don’t, who will? History will be written. Stand up in November. Let’s get it right again.

Philip A. Tegtmeier Sr., Honey Brook

Shame on Nikki Haley for not uniting with Republicans and endorsing former President Donald Trump. Besides being a sore loser, Haley joins the ranks of fellow fair-weather Republicans Chris Christie and Asa Hutchinson — who, like Haley, had pledged to support the GOP nominee should they not win the nomination. A promise that was essential for them to participate in the GOP presidential debates. As we can see, their word is meaningless — which may be one of the reasons why they are not the nominee. In the meantime, to much chagrin, the threesome may as well be the poster children illustrating why Democrats win more elections.

JoAnn Lee Frank, Clearwater, Fla.

The recent spate of gun violence on public transit further highlights the need for gun control. Universal background checks and assault weapon and bump stock bans are supported by most voters. Unfortunately, a minority continues to block these legislative efforts. Recently, State Sen. Kim Ward was interviewed on Inside Story on 6abc. She is the president pro tempore of a Pennsylvania Senate that prevents Philadelphia and other municipalities from enacting sensible gun control legislation. Not only that, but she also promotes the expansion of gun owner rights. I was shocked when host Tamala Edwards failed to ask any questions about gun control during the interview, instead focusing on a kumbaya moment of women’s power. Has the woke movement put us to sleep?

Angus R. Love, Narberth, anguslove76@gmail.com

In 1948, the Soviet Union blocked supplies and other aid from reaching the partitioned West Berlin in communist-controlled East Germany. In response, President Harry Truman authorized the Berlin Airlift to sustain the citizens of West Berlin. It lasted almost a year until the Soviet Union relented and allowed the resumption of aid over the roads and railways through East Germany. The United States’ current effort to supply starving Gazans by dropping MREs by parachute is not enough. The United States should replicate the Berlin Airlift by establishing an airfield in northern Gaza dedicated to landing planes loaded with humanitarian supplies. While this would entail putting “boots on the ground,” I have no doubt that neither Israel’s military nor Hamas’ fighters would intervene; the risk of American casualties would be naught. It’s time for the Biden administration to follow Truman’s lead and show the world that Americans will not tolerate the mass humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Taylor McCormick, Drexel Hill

It’s very clear that the primary system for choosing our presidential candidates is broken. This year, as with the previous few elections, we’re left to choose from only two people who are anointed by the party apparatus, and who are marginal candidates at best. We deserve better choices. The Democratic and Republican Parties should be required to promote at least three candidates each, and there should also be three candidates who are independents. All nine candidates should be on the ballot in November. Whoever wins the most votes is our president; the second-place finisher becomes the vice president. If we had a system of one-man, one-vote, we’d get better candidates and a more democratic outcome. A choice between a Democratic fossil and a Republican thug speaks very poorly of the state of politics in America. Independent-minded voters deserve better.

Brian Reilly, Medford

Why would the U.S. Supreme Court need to decide whether Donald Trump has absolute immunity when the Constitution is very clear that no one has such rights? The court’s delay in this decision will give Trump the opportunity to pardon himself on Day One if he wins reelection. A dark future: The court stops protecting the Constitution, the GOP is dead, a fascist Trumpian party is born. Take an oath to defend Trump, not the Constitution. To avoid this, we must vote for democracy. Vote out the fascists. Impeach appointed bad actors like the Supreme Court justices. We must have three strong branches of government, plus a free press. Facts are crucial for a healthy country, as are robust checks and balances.

Hank Schrandt, Newtown

The repetitive rhetoric of too many right-wing politicians and their media machine these days is filled with vitriolic messages such as: “These immigrants are all drug pushers, terrorists, and criminals and must be stopped. And they will take our jobs!” And so, thousands of immigrants fleeing from dictators, drug lords, rampant crime and violence, and economic disaster in their home countries are now being demonized.

It is indeed ironic that contrary to this anti-immigration propaganda, research has posited that the recent immigration wave has been a key factor in the current growth of the U.S. economy. More importantly, the idea of people seeking a new life is hardly new to our nation. Many millions of people have come here hoping for a better future and achieved success. As for the present, there are certainly better ways to handle illegal immigration rather than breaking up families, incarcerating hopeless people, or deporting individuals back to the places from which they fled. There are no easy answers. But less negativism, more strategic thinking, and much better planning by our government are what is needed now. Our nation’s incompetence regarding immigration continues to be motivated by political posturing rather than a quest for solutions. America can do and deserves better.

Joseph Batory, Philadelphia

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