Letters to the Editor | Jan. 6, 2023

The struggle to elect a House speaker has the GOP reaping what it has sown for over a decade. As its membership started including white supremacists who in 2008 balked at a Black man being nominated for president, GOP leadership ignored their racist response — with the notable exception of U.S. Sen. John McCain’s reply to a woman saying she couldn’t trust then-candidate Barack Obama, saying he was “an Arab.” “No, ma’am. He’s a decent family man, a citizen that I just happen to have disagreements with on fundamental issues,” the Arizona senator said. That turned out to be the exception that proves the rule of GOP acceptance of nonrational thinking. The election of Obama convinced tea partiers that white America was put at risk by Democrats. The tea party then morphed into the “anything goes to stop Democrats” Republicans, who in turn were accepted by traditional Republicans who espouse conservative principles of limited government, personal responsibility, and family values. They turned the party of Lincoln into the party of Trump. The House GOP’s current antipathy to conservative principles in favor of naked power extends far beyond the 20 “never Kevin McCarthy” cadre.

Wayne Williams, Malvern

It seems strange to me that Democrats would celebrate the GOP schism over Kevin McCarthy being voted House speaker. Do they fail to realize that the same forces that have divided the right have been equally effective at dividing and neutralizing the left? Pharma lobbyists have kept us paying higher prices for insulin and epinephrine than any other country in the world, despite two years of Democratic control. Financial industry lobbyists have kept intact laws that prevent many “white-collar” criminals from ever fearing actually going to jail. The renewable energy revolution feels no closer to happening now than it did in 2019 thanks to the power of unaccountable money in politics. When will Democrats look in the mirror long enough to stop laughing at their opponents’ misfortune? Will they ever realize that the power of unaccountable money in politics — which held up the speaker’s race — is the same power that rendered them impotent?

Nate Craig, Phoenixville, natecra@gmail.com

Do we have a House speaker yet? Regardless, what are the odds that 110 moderate Republicans and an equal number of like-minded Democrats would caucus for the purpose of governing the country? It would send a signal to the extremes currently dictating our political discourse and put them where they belong: out in the cold. This bipartisan caucus could elect a former moderate Republican legislator — the GOP won the House, so it should have the speakership — and while I don’t know enough to suggest someone, there are people such as former U.S. Sen. Jeff Flake or former U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, who have chosen principle over expediency in the past.

Jim Kempner, Holland

SEPTA’s meeting with the Roxborough community was a disaster because SEPTA, in keeping with its history, did not communicate with the community beforehand. There was some kind of reference to some virtual meetings, but who knows. This was real people expressing their concern with a bus “revolution” and how it might affect them. That word can stir many kinds of emotions. SEPTA is guilty of poor terminology at least. Read your paper. SEPTA had more than 100 meetings on the bloated King of Prussia rail project. We had one and it blew up in its face. Why the disparity between the suburbs and city folk? SEPTA’s facilitator lost control of the meeting early in the process, and his “out-of-town expert” only added fuel to the flame.

It is City Councilmember Curtis Jones Jr.’s responsibility to represent his constituents, and he more than rose to the occasion. It is not only the route changes but the lack of respect.

Chip Roller, Philadelphia

Jonathan Zimmerman concludes his opinion piece on George Santos and Judaism by declaring, “Jews don’t agree about anything, including what makes us Jewish in the first place. So let’s stop worrying about whether George Santos is.” Every Jewish person I know agrees that someone who falsely claims he is of Jewish heritage when he isn’t is a liar. In the case of the U.S. representative-elect, this is only one of his many lies and misrepresentations. Sadly, not only does Zimmerman consider this particular lie merely a “fib,” but worse, to make his argument he resorts to one of the most popular and offensive stereotypes about Jews, namely, that they cannot agree about anything.

Tom Goodman, Philadelphia

Jonathan Zimmerman’s explanation of why George Santos’ false claim that he is Jewish doesn’t bother him as it does others in the Jewish community is a mind-numbing tsunami of disconnected thoughts. Clearly, Zimmerman didn’t write Santos a $1,000 check, or he might feel differently. Santos didn’t use his fake Jewishness to sneak into a bar mitzvah. He claimed to be Jewish to tap Jewish Republicans for funds and get their political endorsement. Jews duped by Santos are rightfully outraged. Others are just annoyed that Santos used fake Jewishness for political expediency. Non-Jews that he conned in different ways are also angry. This has nothing to do with religion. Why doesn’t Zimmerman get that?

Nadine Bonner, Beit Shemesh, Israel

Civics and social studies teachers try to instill the democratic habits of civil debate, cooperation, inquiry, and empathy in their students. We want your kids to grow into productive citizens who strive to do the right thing, even when it’s not easy or convenient. We encourage conservative and liberal opinions in class discussion. However, policy changes enacted over the past few months by the Pennridge school board will work against those goals in Bucks County. Last month, it reduced the number of required social studies credits for high schoolers (from four to three), effective next school year. Worse yet, I find it appalling that teachers and staff are now required to remove flags and other objects of “advocacy” — symbols that convey support for “subversive” topics such as the Ukrainian people battling for their democracy and LGBTQ people who seek equal protection under the law. This misdirected policy is simply the latest example of school board members succumbing to the pressure of paranoid parents, who have been indoctrinated by Fox News to believe that teachers are on a crusade to turn their pupils into socialists. The kind of future we want to build starts in our classrooms, with respect for all opinions and backgrounds. Muzzling staff is not a good look.

Mike Hays, substitute teacher, Bridgeport

I fail to understand the brouhaha over the visit of an Israeli official to the Temple Mount. In 2022, over 50,000 Jews visited the site, considered the holiest place in Judaism. Should this official be denied that right? It is inscrutable that the U.S. and the European Union should see this as provocative. After the Six-Day War — as a peace-giving gesture — the administration of the Temple Mount was gifted to the Jordanians when Israel regained control of East Jerusalem. This made no sense, as Jordan invaded Israel in 1948 after Israel gained its independence and again in 1967. From 1948-1967, Jordan illegally occupied East Jerusalem and severely limited Christian rights. They forbade Jews from the Temple Mount and their cemetery at the Mount of Olives. Currently, the Jordanians forbid Jews and Christians from praying at the Temple Mount. Is this the discriminatory and racist status quo the U.S. and the EU want to preserve? It is hypocritical that the U.S. — a proponent of human rights — should urge Israel to give up the human rights of its own people and side with those who favor discrimination and religious supremacy.

Jack Butera, Philadelphia

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