Letters to the Editor | Oct. 7, 2024

I have a question for those college students considering not voting: How does not voting advance the causes you are interested in, especially if one of those causes is the plight of Palestinian civilians? Either Kamala Harris or Donald Trump is going to be our next president, and not voting for Harris is equivalent to embracing Trump. Do you believe Trump will offer Gaza more support than Joe Biden has, or than Harris would? There is no reason to believe Palestinians would be better off with a Trump administration, and there are lots of reasons to believe they would be worse off. Recall that Benjamin Netanyahu said Trump was the “greatest friend that Israel has ever had in the White House.” So, I ask again: How does not voting, specifically not voting for Harris, advance your interests?

Bob Leipold, West Chester, rjleipold@verizon.net

It’s surprising to see how little attention is being paid by the media and the Harris-Walz campaign to the accomplishments of the current administration. It’s as if nothing happened over the past three-and-a-half years that the candidates could be proud of, and so the Trump-Vance campaign gets away with claims that Joe Biden’s has been a do-nothing presidency. This despite the facts of this administration’s successes: violent crime is down, unemployment is down, inflation and interest rates are down, illegal border crossings are down, financial markets are up, and infrastructure renewal and clean energy are booming. Why isn’t there more talk by Democrats and in the media about these successes? Why aren’t they described as a platform for building the future? Time for Democrats to get over any unwarranted embarrassment about the past four years.

Charles Day, Philadelphia

As a Philadelphia public school teacher, I’m disappointed that David P. Hardy’s answer to public education is privatization. Thirty-four students crowd into my classroom, which our window air-conditioning unit can’t cool down on a hot day, and I’m lucky to teach at one of the best schools in the district. What we need is investment, not disinvestment — such a tired idea peddled by “free-market” groups like Hardy’s Commonwealth Foundation.

This week, my 11th graders will begin to study Poverty, by America, a book by Princeton sociologist Matthew Desmond. He clearly explains the “self-reinforcing dynamic” of disinvestment driven by the wealthy who see fit to starve the public sector: “As public housing, public education, and public transportation become poorer, they become increasingly, then almost exclusively, used only by the poor themselves. People then begin to denigrate the public sector altogether, as if it were rotten at the root and not something the rich had found it in their interest to destroy.” Public schools aren’t rotten at the root. Those who seek to undermine them are.

Kurt Ostrow, Philadelphia

Thank you to SaraKay Smullens for her powerful letter in The Inquirer. Her call for a better America — one that truly serves our children — resonates deeply. Vice President Kamala Harris’ debate performance showcased her resolve, vision, and sense of humor. Like Smullens, I was heartened to see Americans witness Harris’ steady leadership, compassionate spirit, and profound sense of the irony of Donald Trump’s candidacy of self.

I was moved by Smullens’ reference to my father, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, and how he inspired her social work. Her lifelong service to the people of Philadelphia embodies his values — and her indomitable spirit. She is a champion for the voiceless and an aid to those in need. I am grateful for her friendship and her thoughtful presence when I was struggling to find my way as an assistant district attorney in Philly. This is the most important election in my lifetime. We have the chance to elect Harris, who will fight for a just, inclusive, healthy, and vibrant future. Thank you for all that you are doing.

Matthew Maxwell Taylor Kennedy, Los Angeles

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