Letters to the Editor | Nov. 24, 2024

The House Committee on Ethics really needs to change its name, as I see nothing that remotely relates to the definition of ethics as moral principles that govern a person’s behavior or the conducting of an activity. To think that any Republican dissent on the committee regarding the release of the ethics report on Matt Gaetz could be a career-ending move (with Elon Musk waiting in the wings to facilitate) is incomprehensible and makes a mockery of our democracy. The Inquirer has been warning its readers for months about Donald Trump and the consequences of this election. Is this how we make America great again?

Joanne Puglia, Dresher

The United States is facing serious challenges with the next Donald Trump administration. The country could change so drastically that it may become almost unrecognizable in the next few years. Trump’s cabinet appointments lack required relevant experience and capability, raising serious concerns about qualified governance. It seems very clear Trump sought reelection not to serve the nation, but to shield himself from serious, looming legal troubles. That’s why he has nominated Matt Gaetz to be his attorney general. Trump’s track record as an insurrectionist, his criminality as a convicted felon, and his known immorality and corruption paint a troubling picture of what’s ahead for the U.S. and the entire world.

H. James Hulton III, North Wales

Will Bunch’s column regarding the president-elect’s attempt to create his own reality through the recent nominations of unqualified and/or borderline criminal candidates was thought provoking. Unfortunately for us, I believe Bunch is 100% correct. Additionally, I believe the future president is floating these nominations as trial balloons to determine who, if anyone, among more moderate members of his party are willing to resist him. At least no one had to be literally shot in the middle of Fifth Avenue to assess the breadth of his support.

Frank Scafuro, New Britain

A teen makes a bad choice and steals a car. Police catch him and he is convicted and sent to prison. After serving a prison term, he quickly learns his punishment is far from over because he can’t find a job paying a living wage regardless of his abilities due to his criminal record. Meanwhile in Philadelphia, convicted criminals who are connected to the city’s political machine have found taxpayer-funded jobs — at City Hall and the sheriff’s office — that provide enviable health-care packages and salaries up to $90,000, despite their criminal records and revolting personal histories. The article referencing this latest outrage is a very bitter pill to swallow but I thank The Inquirer’s Ryan W. Briggs and Max Marin for bold and praiseworthy reporting that makes clear how intolerably bad politics are.

Mark S. Smith, North Wales

Join the conversation: Send letters to letters@inquirer.com. Limit length to 200 words and include home address and day and evening phone number. Letters run in The Inquirer six days a week on the editorial pages and online.