Letters to the Editor | Oct. 8, 2025

We need to be perfectly clear: The GOP has the votes to fund the government. What about the filibuster, you say? Good question, but irrelevant, as the GOP has already chosen to weaken the filibuster when it serves them, as have the Democrats. Democrats got rid of it for lower-level judges and executive branch confirmations. Republicans did it for U.S. Supreme Court nominees. Both parties have limited the power of the filibuster when it suited them. There is nothing preventing Republicans from eliminating the filibuster on a simple majority up-or-down vote, and then funding the government on a simple up-or-down vote. This is all performative, as are the completely illegally implemented raids to deport people — but don’t get me started.

Bart Woolery, Santa Barbara, Calif.

The Inquirer’s recent editorial on the government shutdown was the absolute best assessment I have seen in the media of what’s happening in Washington right now.

As the headline noted, no one wins with a government shutdown, especially this time around. However, it should be acknowledged that, as Americans, we must also take into consideration that while these government shutdowns are always highly negative, they will end relatively quickly, and life will go on despite the unpleasant interruptions of life they cause for so many of our citizens. In addition, we should feel fortunate in light of the fact that some government shutdowns in fragile democracies or nondemocratic nations can last several weeks or even months, creating the most severe human hardships, to say the least.

Ed DePhillips, Jersey City, N.J.

Like many alumni, I implore the administration at the University of Pennsylvania: Please do not sign President Donald Trump’s compact.

Penn must not turn over key decisions regarding admissions, governance, free speech, and grading standards to the government.

Far too many corporations and law firms have already caved to Trump, which clearly emboldens him to go further with his government takeover of private organizations.

Penn should see this as much as anyone. The university’s leadership has already caved to Trump once and struck a “deal” that included them apologizing for doing nothing more than following NCAA policy.

Once you give your lunch money to the bully, the bully comes back asking for more and more. And now he’s coming back to Penn for Round Two, attempting to further erode the university’s independence.

I believe I speak for most alumni: Don’t cave this time. I, for one, know I will never donate another penny to the university’s bloated endowment if you cave.

Scott Applebaum, University of Pennsylvania, Class of ‘88, Philadelphia

If I could say anything to the generals who had to sit there last week and be lectured by the defense secretary and the president, I would say: Thank you for your service. Thank you for graciously putting up with that meeting in Quantico, Va. Thank you for not giving in with your applause. Thank you for showing restraint, as your intelligence was insulted over and over again by your leaders. I am sorry and embarrassed that you had to endure the rhetoric of unqualified people. Your honor shows and has become an inspiration to me.

It is my hope that your silence in that moment reflects your dedication to your oath to uphold the Constitution and honor our nation. Our troops are not a tool for a tyrant to use however he chooses.

My hope is that you have not been swayed by the rhetoric and lies intended to further divide our country to enable an unstable cadre of Americans to wreak havoc.

I respect your intelligence. In fact, I believe you are our best hope for a rational response to what is clearly an un-American, authoritarian takeover by the regime currently in charge of your service.

I trust you will put country above party, Constitution above dictatorship, and humanism above barbarism. Millions of Americans stand with you now.

This is a crucial moment in our collective history, but for you, especially, it seems your life’s work is on the line. Know that the majority of kind, concerned, true-blooded American citizens will be with you. We understand your position, but we expect you to decline breaking the law, committing murder, and participating in the loss of democracy in any way.

I hope you have a plan. I hope you have discussed this among yourselves. I hope you stand with the truth and act in a way that will land you on the right side of history. It will be your choice how to write the ending to this horrible chapter in the American story.

We declared our independence from a king, and won a war over it. We chose to live up to the most beautiful words ever written, “All [human beings] are created equal,” and won the Civil War over them. When we saw threats to democracy in Europe and Asia, we fought two world wars, and freedom prevailed again.

Later, when freedoms in our country were challenged, we chose civility over bigotry and created the Civil Rights Act. With every challenge, our country has maintained our democracy.

Now, we are faced with our most critical trial — stopping the current administration from leading us into an authoritarian dictatorship.

You are left with a terrible choice. You could follow blindly and be in the same seat as those tried in Nuremberg, or you can be the heroes who save this great nation from destroying itself, as is apparently the plan, from within.

M. Frank Burkhauser, Woodbury, sotawithin@aol.com

During the presidential campaign of 2024, candidate Donald Trump professed no knowledge of Project 2025, the plan coauthored by White House budget director Russell Vought to turn the United States into a theocratic autocracy. Of his many proposals for dismantling the current structure of government, the targeting of the Affordable Care Act, a.k.a. Obamacare, promised to impact millions of Americans’ accessibility to health insurance. This was completely predictable, but was cynically accepted by the designers of Project 2025 as collateral damage for people who would be blindsided by the effects, but would be left unaware of the source of their financial and physical pain.

Now the country is facing a reckoning of the consequences of this invidious plan, which Democrats are trying to prevent by insisting that help for purchasing medical insurance not expire before signing on to a budget. In stark contrast, the president, his administration, and a compliant GOP are embracing the full implementation of the proposal, regardless of the pain and damage it will inflict on millions of American citizens and taxpayers who took candidate Trump at his word. This damage will come as a shock, and it will be real, but the identity of the GOP administrators of this blow to health and living is crystal clear. Democrats are right to stand firm, support the will of the vast majority of Americans, and not let this travesty continue. I would hope that at least a few members of the GOP would listen to their conscience and join them.

Joe Sundeen, Yardley

Three hundred masked men with body armor and assault rifles drop from helicopters in the middle of the night. They break down doors, round up men, women, and children indiscriminately, and take them away. This was not 1930s Germany, but Chicago in 2025. The White House would have you believe it’s OK because Chicago is a city led by a Democratic mayor in a state led by a Democratic governor. And apparently, this is also acceptable because a few of the people who were arrested were illegal immigrants. Stephen Miller and Pete Hegseth are managing their own, ever-growing Gestapo force — and there has been no formal objection from the Republican majority in either branch of Congress. This country is in serious trouble.

Larry Stroup, Warwick Township

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