Letters to the Editor | Sept. 5, 2024

Columnist Kyle Sammin appears not to understand the constitutional role of the vice president. In his usual negativity toward the Democratic administration, he berates Kamala Harris for policies that were not her responsibility. He seems to not realize that it’s the president, not the vice president, who makes policy. He should know that Harris is not an incumbent policymaker. There are only two roles the VP has in the Constitution: to replace a president who is unable to fulfill their role and to break a tie vote in the Senate. All other VP duties are delegated by the president, and this varies from one administration to another. Certainly, the VP may have input on policy formulation, but the president has the sole responsibility and authority for all policies. Sammin’s screed against Harris is clearly partisan and should be rejected as such.

Paul Selbst, Philadelphia

Kyle Sammin’s recent column makes me wonder if he has been asleep for the past eight years. He distills Kamala Harris’ message as, “Donald Trump is weird and mean, and I’m cool and nice.” Has Sammin really not noticed Trump’s insurrection, criminal convictions, sexual assault liability, civil frauds, retribution threats, authoritarian instincts, disrespect for norms, indecency, repeated chaos, and divisiveness? “Weird and mean” seems like a tame characterization for all that. We could really use some niceness and normalcy going forward. Also, Sammin holds Harris responsible for whatever he doesn’t like about Joe Biden’s policies. Maybe Sammin can give us an example of a VP who shaped presidential policy?

Bill Strong, Wayne

Countless demonstrators have voiced their anger at Israel’s incursion into Gaza and the many innocent civilians killed and wounded there since Hamas’ brutal Oct. 7 attack. There certainly are grounds for sympathizing with those losses and voicing opposition to them. But what about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and its continuing targeting of hospitals, residences, and civilian shelters, where thousands of noncombatants have died or been maimed? Why does that seem to go unnoticed by those same demonstrators? Innocent victims are innocent victims wherever they may be. Unfortunately, throughout history, Jews have been scapegoated and targeted by double standards not applied to other people or nations. That conduct is glaringly apparent in these two current situations.

Ben Zuckerman, Philadelphia

Championship eating contests — stuffing one’s face with massive amounts of food — is a disgraceful, bizarre form of entertainment. Around the world, people born into wretched, impoverished circumstances barely survive or die due to malnutrition; meanwhile, we cheer on contestants who eat until they puke.

This sort of barbaric so-called entertainment represents some of the worst in mankind. It shows a cold indifference to those suffering from food insecurity at home and abroad. Starvation, when at a distance, has little, if any, effect on folks living relatively comfy and cushy lives, the vast majority of whom remain unaware that such entitlement is nothing more than a roll of the dice, that their parents or caregivers were born of sufficient means rather than destitute, bereft of government subsidies or protections. Out of sight, out of mind. Let’s hope the exponentially emerging climate crisis — rising global temperatures transforming rich farmland into barren desiccated fields, ravaging the oceans, creating more and more pockets of starving human beings — is ameliorated by an enlightened mankind before it is too late.

Lawrence Uniglicht, Galloway, lrunig@gmail.com

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