Letters to the Editor | Jan. 11, 2023

The Republican Party has ceded any pretense of representing democracy, law, and order. Apparently, only one GOP House member, Pennsylvania’s Brian Fitzpatrick, responded to an invitation by Democrats to attend a ceremony held at the foot of the U.S. Capitol to honor the intrepid police officers who risked life and limb during the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection. Those terrorists, brandishing weapons and incited by Donald Trump, violently attempted to interfere with the certification of a valid and fair election that expressed the will of the voting public. They assaulted Washington’s finest, injuring many and worse. Each and every apathetic Republican not attending this ceremony, perhaps fearing primary payback by the malignant Mar-a-Lago maestro (who hunkered down in his bunker, gleefully watching while the catastrophic insurrection played on), ought to hang his or her head in shame. How dare Republicans so disrespect the men and women in blue, who helped save the soul of the American Experiment, the bodies of legislators and their staffs, and a vice president threatened with lynching.

Lawrence Uniglicht, Galloway

A recent op-ed about the plight of low-income homeowners incorrectly stated that Philadelphia Housing Development Corp.’s Basic Systems Repair Program has “a current waitlist 8,000 houses long and it can take up to four years to receive any attention.” A subsequent clarification stated there are “700 homes in need of service, most of which have been pending for less than six months.” To be clearer: PHDC is now accepting applications for the home repair program, and there is no wait list. Paying for basic repairs, such as new heaters and roofs, keeps Philadelphia residents in their homes, reducing blight and the need to perform expensive house rehabs later. Renovations, rather than demolition and new construction, improve our environment and keep the fabric of our community intact. The home repair program is a commonsense solution to gentrification.

Ken Weinstein, chair, Philadelphia Housing Development Corp.

On behalf of the more than 5,500 hardworking members of IBEW Local 98, I want to congratulate the Philadelphia Eagles on winning the NFC East and clinching the NFC’s No. 1 seed with an amazing 14-win regular season. What many television viewers in the Greater Philadelphia region may not realize is that the thrilling TV broadcasts of every Eagles home game at Lincoln Financial Field are brought to them, in part, by the superbly trained, highly skilled technicians and electricians of IBEW Local 98. For the upcoming playoff clashes at the Linc, there may be as many as 75 IBEW members working the sidelines, ensuring viewers’ enjoyment of the games. Fly, Eagles, fly, on the road to victory!

Mark Lynch Jr., business manager, IBEW Local 98, Philadelphia

According to Sunday’s Inquirer, the GOP-controlled House wants to end the runaway spending of the Biden administration. No mention of the trillions of dollars added to the deficit under George W. Bush and Donald Trump. The new Congress ignores the elephant in the room: Trump’s taxes and millions who file fraudulent taxes or file no taxes at all. Estimates range as high as $1 trillion in federal income taxes that go uncollected yearly. Many Republicans claim to be people of faith, but they seem to have forgotten two of the 10 Commandments: Thou shall not steal, and thou shall not bear false witness.

Joel H. Beldner, Glenmoore

Two things happened recently: Republicans took over the U.S. House of Representatives, and a bill passed in Congress prior to the Republican takeover called the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which benefits Medicare recipients with a Part D plan who use insulin. They will not have to pay more than $35 a month for insulin. Sadly, every Republican in Congress voted no on this bill. Every single Republican. Adding insult to injury, the bill, as originally written, called for every insulin-dependent American to benefit from this bill — those on private insurance as well as Medicare. Guess who voted that down? Most Senate Republicans. Apparently, Republicans want to guarantee Big Pharma profits rather than help Americans pay for their insulin. Predictably, the Republican House said one of their top priorities in 2023 is to weaken or even repeal the IRA (there are other terrific gains in the IRA, not just the help given to insulin-dependent Medicare recipients). So what to do about this? Call or write your congressperson. Tell them you want the IRA expanded and strengthened. The great work that brought us the first steps of the IRA needs to continue so Americans can afford their medicine.

Claire Gawinowicz, Oreland

The first glimmer we noted here in Pennsylvania was Gov.-elect Josh Shapiro’s formation of a bipartisan advisory council. Next to appear was the shocking election of a Democrat, Mark Rozzi, as the new state House speaker. He says that he will register as an independent and not caucus with either party. Last week, it was announced that Democrat Shapiro has nominated Republican Al Schmidt to be his administration’s secretary of state, whose job would be to oversee elections. Schmidt evoked both great fury and gratitude for his heroic efforts to withstand Republican challenges to the 2020 presidential election. Nationally, independents are forming a political party called “Forward.” Voters who identify as independent now outnumber those who identify as either Democrat or Republican. The expected presidential candidates for both the Republican and Democratic Parties have a lot of detractors. Is it time to elect an independent as president?

Norma Van Dyke, Philadelphia

The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected state limits on guns. These same right-wing jurists also sanctify business rights, equating corporations with human beings under the Bill of Rights. Yet Atlanta prosecutors cannot prevent a man with armor, an AR-15, and four pistols from entering a local supermarket? Since a majority of Americans favor sane gun laws, here’s an easy way to show the Supreme Court’s majority our power: Anyone opposing rampant gun-toting should cease patronizing any business that allows armed people on their premises. The pro-gun court says businesses can bar guns, so insist that any restaurant, coffee shop, bigbox store, etc., you patronize install a metal detector and post signs prohibiting armed customers if they want your business. Watch how fast gun carrying in public disappears when gun owners have to leave their weapons at home to shop or eat out.

Dave Lindorff, Maple Glen

Area school districts have had disparate responses to the triple epidemic that has overwhelmed pediatric care facilities. Philadelphia and Camden school superintendents reinstituted mask mandates for two weeks following winter break. Since October, some physician parents in Lower Merion have expressed concern that many students and staff are falling ill with viral respiratory diseases. School administrators replied that such illnesses are common in the fall, stating, “Currently, our absence rate is typical for this time of year.” Asked recently to substantiate that assertion, they indicated it would take 30 days to fulfill a request for past and current attendance data. Lower Merion, Philadelphia, and Camden residents mingle throughout the region. Currently, COVID-19 hospitalization rates are similar in Montgomery County and Philadelphia. Yet the Lower Merion School District has not taken adequate steps to prevent illness among students and staff and to preserve valuable in-person learning.

Elizabeth B. Rappaport, MD, Merion Station

While I’m not sure that the failure to elect a House speaker warrants consecutive positioning on the front page above the fold, it could be said that the House being left “unable to do business” was a good thing. After the fateful passage of the massive pork-laden $1.7 trillion omnibus bill, it might be best to take a breather and figure out where that money is going to come from.

Stephen Hanover, Doylestown

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