Letters to the Editor | Oct. 7, 2026

“A republic, if you can keep it.” Those are the words of Benjamin Franklin when asked what form of government we had at the outset of our independence. It appears that after 250 years, we have lost our grip on that admirable form of government.

In his second term, Donald Trump has acted as a dictator and taken measures to ensure he can remain in power for as long as he chooses. Trump has demonstrated his willingness to take any measures to hold onto power. His attempts to control the vote have largely failed, so his only recourse may be violence, and — as he demonstrated on Jan. 6, 2021, he is certainly willing to resort to that. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is among the groups that are available — and most likely all-too willing — to assist him.

The entire Republican Party has bought into Trump’s fantasy of a corrupt election system and cannot be relied on to stop his illegal actions. Unfortunately, the safeguards the nation’s founders built into our systems are not strong enough to withstand an assault by a large group of legislators who are only concerned with their wealth and fame and are willing to ignore the interests of the country. What can be done to hold on to our republic? Will it die at the hands of a greedy few?

William J. Owens, Hammonton

How interesting that Will Bunch devoted a recent column to questioning President Donald Trump’s state of mind. This is the same columnist who basically disregarded Joe Biden’s total lack of cognitive awareness and his willingness to allow others to run the country in his stead. It is typical of almost every column about the White House written by Mr. Bunch and Trudy Rubin. They generate a steady stream of Chicken Little doomsday predictions from virtually every Trump issue.

There are certainly issues that warrant criticism of Trump, but here are just a few of the major accomplishments in Trump’s second term that should merit consideration for their columns:

Is it unreasonable to expect newspaper columnists to address issues on both sides of the political spectrum? So far it would seem that way when it comes to Rubin and Bunch.

Mark Fenstermaker, Warminster, markfense@gmail.com

The Inquirer provided online readers with a recent Washington Post story headlined: “At every turn, Trump’s ideas for aiding U.S. consumers run into resistance.” Please! His proposals are not “ideas for aiding consumers.” They are transparently self-serving political Band-Aids to help Republicans avoid Armageddon in the midterm elections. Consumers are hurting because he started a pointless war that has driven up gas prices at the same time he has slapped costly tariffs on any country that displeases him. Trump’s “ideas” are calculated diversions to help him avoid responsibility for the brutal damage he himself has inflicted on voters.

The article makes Trump sound like a well-meaning politician thwarted by circumstances beyond his control. His propagandists couldn’t have written a better headline for him. It’s an example of what The Inquirer’s Will Bunch criticized in his recent column — treating our unhinged, out-of-control president as if he were just another sane and sober leader. For the love of democracy, and to keep the respect of your reality-based readers, please do not “sanewash” your coverage of Trump.

Matt Zencey, West Chester, mzencey@hotmail.com

The writer is a former editor at The Inquirer.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has a dangerous new rule beginning Oct. 22 that will threaten the healthcare of millions of Americans. The rule, “Indefinite Suspension of the De Minimis Exemption for Mail Shipments,” will effectively end Americans’ ability to personally import their prescription medicines.

Importing prescription drugs from licensed international pharmacies is the only lifeline for seniors on limited incomes, people with high-deductible health plans, and the uninsured. That’s why CBP and the FDA have allowed it for decades. Due to the much lower cost of medications in Canada and other countries, imported medicine is their only option.

Many imported drugs can be less than half the U.S. price. These necessary medicines prevent blood clots, treat diabetes, and much more. This CBP rule will cut off access to the only affordable prescription drugs for millions, and that will lead to unnecessary harm and preventable deaths.

If this rule isn’t stopped, I won’t be able to afford my required medication. I take an Advair Diskus inhaler, which is crucial for controlling my asthma. I cannot afford Advair in the U.S., where it costs approximately $315 to $500 per inhaler. Even the generic is around the same price. I have been purchasing my inhalers from Canada, which costs $100 for a three-month supply, but this will soon be cut off.

I ask readers to immediately call or write our senators and U.S. representatives and demand they stop CBP from implementing any rulemaking that restricts Americans from importing personal-use prescription drugs from licensed pharmacies in Canada or other countries.

Carlene Barrow, Sicklerville

Regarding your recent article about the Delaware County nurse who was arrested by immigration enforcement officers during a visit to Disneyland, I do not know Monica Ryadi; however, as a physician in practice for 30 years, I can unequivocally say that our nurses are among the best of us. There are many stressful and taxing jobs, but few exceed what we ask of our nurses. Early shifts, late shifts, more patients, never-ending documentation, the risk of exposure to contagious disease, and no room for a bad day or human error.

The horror inflicted by Donald Trump and his administration must end. Forgetting for a moment Ms. Ryadi’s clear legal status and her altruistic job, no one living and behaving legally in this country should be subject to random seizure and detainment. Let alone the threat of deportation to a random, often war-torn, nation.

More people must speak up and demand that this government-sponsored terror stop. Will they wait until it is their friend, their neighbor, or their nurse who has disappeared? How many more orphaned American-born children must we create? How much more fear do we have to cause in the lives of millions of dedicated and hardworking people? I, for one, demand no more.

John Butler, Huntingdon Valley

Tom Gralish’s photo essay about the closing of the Academy of Natural Sciences museum landed like a Leonard Cohen requiem enhanced by visuals. It is an indictment of civic failure wrapped in poetry.

Beholding these dinosaur fossils as a child of Philadelphia forever shaped and supercharged my imagination. During my days as director of public relations for PNC Financial, I reveled in how our guests and dignitaries from foreign countries marveled at the space and the collection when we held our many and various special events there.

This institution is one of our city’s secular cathedrals. To shutter or destroy the building will stand as one of Philadelphia’s greatest civic sacrileges.

Thank you for this important ode.

Susan Schaefer, Philadelphia

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