Shaking off Hillary euphoria

ISSUE | CLINTON

Euphoria vote

I would like a recent letter writer, or anyone else, to please let me know what Hillary Clinton has done to make her the most qualified presidential contender ("Clinton critics," April 27).

As first lady, her health-care program didn't work out. As a senator from New York - where my cat could be elected if running on the Democratic ticket - she didn't pass one piece of significant legislation. And as secretary of state, with the Russian reset, Iran nukes, and more, well, how's that working out?

Clinton hasn't administered one thing in her life and hardly seems qualified to run the entire nation. With all of the baggage, controversies, and distractions, she could be elected president only by ill-informed voters caught up in the euphoria of electing the first woman president.

|Richard S. Greco, Lansdale

ISSUE | CAREGIVERS

An aging concern

I hope the devastating story of Daequan Norman, who has cerebral palsy and was abandoned in a West Philadelphia park by his mother, is not normal treatment by parents of children who are helpless ("The demands on caregiver parents are relentless," April 27).

Daequan's problem was compounded by the fact that he reached the age of 21. When children with emotional, mental, and physical needs reach adulthood, government agencies wash their hands of the problem. Those parents who now have children in their teens face the trauma of realizing that their aging poses problems that will not only continue, but increase drastically.

My grandson is 18 and has a genetic disease causing emotional, physical, and neurological problems. Will the future see to his needs, or must his parents fight the education system and insurance companies to make sure his life will be all that it can be?

|Gloria Gelman, Philadelphia

ISSUE | GUN CONTROL

Straw-purchaser campaign more promising

A recent protest highlights the focus of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, which blames law-abiding retailers as opposed to seeking enforcement of straw-purchase laws ("Brady-backed protesters target Phila. gun shop," April 26). Since the firearms industry puts considerable effort into preventing straw purchases, it seems blatantly unfair to cover such a small demonstration while ignoring recent radio ads and billboards for the "Don't Lie for the Other Guy" program.

Crime guns are almost always stolen and resold illegally on the street, with only a fraction obtained through straw purchases. Nonetheless, in ongoing partnership with federal authorities, our organizaton works to help prevent those sales.

|Lawrence G. Keane, senior vice president and general counsel, National Shooting Sports Foundation, Newtown, Conn.

ISSUE | SCHOOL ACHIEVEMENT

Involved family best for classroom success

As a parent and public education advocate, I know the best outcomes for inner-city children are achieved by families that understand that navigating systems is as important as academic prowess. Baltimore rioted because its systems succeed in disenfranchising those they perceive as powerless. As a parent of a student at Central High School, I refuse to allow its systems to fail my child.

|Aissia Richardson, Philadelphia, arichardson.uptown@gmail.com

ISSUE | PRE-K FUNDING

Pa. should invest now rather than pay later

Last week, area prosecutors Seth Williams, Risa Ferman, Tom Hogan, and Jack Whelan released a report in support of Gov. Wolf's $120 million in added funding for high-quality pre-K programs. The district attorneys support pre-K for many reasons, but specifically as a way to mitigate challenges facing so many at-risk youths, reducing crime and subsequent corrections spending. Current funding levels reach a fraction of eligible kids.

The law enforcement leaders are part of the Pre-K for PA Campaign, which supports access to these programs for every 3- and 4-year-old in Pennsylvania. Business and civic leaders, retired military leaders, educators, early-childhood education providers, and especially parents are partners in this effort.

The campaign has documented why expanding pre-K access is essential to school readiness, crime prevention, workforce development, and future national security. That's what makes the $120 million state expansion of pre-K funding so important.

|Bruce Clash, state director, Fight Crime: Invest In Kids, Harrisburg, www.fightcrime.org/pa