In a year-end poll, Donald Trump and Barack Obama were tied for being the “most admired” men in the country. How does this happen and what does it say about us, the American people?
All tagged Politics
Regarding Stefan Roots’ opinion piece of January 3: a perspective from our neighboring town to the south is refreshing, but criticism of a proposed sale of the Chester Water Authority to help alleviate financial problems is unfair. Chester has many ills rooted in multiple causes going back decades under both Republican and Democratic administrations. While I agree that extended one-party rule is unhealthy for democracy, this is not the cause of Chester’s problems.
Former mayors endorse former mayor
As mayors and former mayors of communities in Delaware County, we write to urge everyone to vote for former Swarthmore Mayor Rick Lowe to serve as a judge on the Court of Common Pleas in Delaware County. We believe that Rick possesses all the personal and professional qualifications needed to be an exceptional judge.
Paying the cost to be the boss?
President Trump recently pontificated about how his critics were using “the phony emoluments” clause as a cudgel to hammer him. In fact the emoluments clause just happens to be embedded in the United States Constitution. By extension, the President is also questioning the legitimacy and the wisdom of our republic’s founding governing charter. At the same time that he is debasing the Constitution, he is spreading the message that being the President has “cost” him two to five billion dollars in lost income over the past three years.
A choice in PA-05
A terrific man from Folcroft named Joe Billie is running for the PA-05 seat next year. He is a Navy veteran, a 30-year volunteer fireman, and a longtime employee of Scott Paper. He is a true Delaware County man, and he believes in the Constitution.
Vote on November 5
Tuesday, November 5 is Municipal Election Day when voters cast their ballots for an array of county, township, borough, and judicial offices. Municipal elections have traditionally low turnout, and this is a shame because those we elect make important decisions that affect our everyday lives, on matters like police and fire protection, zoning, building codes, parks and open space, waste disposal, public education, and how we pay for it all.
On Saturday, President Trump abruptly canceled secret peace talks scheduled at Camp David with Afghan leaders and Taliban insurgents. Assuming these talks were even a “real” thing and not simply another presidential fabrication, Trump acted swiftly, trying to show strength. But, what is the president’s strategy? Or is this simply one more example of how truly transactional this President is?
On higher education
Solving the problem of ever-spiraling college tuition may not require either Jim Riviello’s or Mary Gay Scanlon’s solutions. Rather, can we now question why college tuition has spiraled this high and whether all the expenses are necessary?
I watched Robert Mueller answer questions about the Mueller report on TV last Wednesday: not fun, not comfortable, not entertaining. I almost shut it off a few times; that’s when my inner voice kicked in with “If he can sit there, after two long years and take it, so can I.”
‘Corruption tax?’
Here we are in midsummer, when Republicans think nobody is paying attention. What better time for Delco’s Republican machine to concoct yet another scheme to enrich party insiders and donors at the expense of Delaware County taxpayers?
Has anyone read [U.S. Representative] Mary Gay Scanlon’s newsletter this week? She is backing reforms for student financing of higher education costs.
With good reason and understandable indignation, Rob Dreyfus reminds us that 20-plus Democratic candidates only “tinker” with our problems (Swarthmorean, July 12). With understandable indignation and some reasoning, Jim Riviello tells us that career politicians are con men and snake oil salesmen (Swarthmorean, June 21). Joshua Kalla and Ethan Porter tell us that highly detailed public opinion surveys suggest that “An overwhelming majority of legislators [are] uninterested in learning about their constituents’ views” (New York Times, July 12).
The fabric of our society in the United States is being tested as it has not been, arguably, since the Civil War. We are not facing the prospect of states seceding or of an armed conflict (yet), but we are facing a real threat and challenge to our way of life and to the successful functioning of our democratic republic.
I chortled, more chuckled when I read Jim Riviello’s letter (Swarthmorean, June 21). I thought: “Whoa, that is some fine ironic writing. We all know that no Swarthmore residents including the June 21 letter writer could, in actuality, possibly support a racist and misogynist President.”
Enough with the Trump bashing. It’s the Republicans in Congress who are going along with him - because of the tax cuts for the rich and his Supreme Court choices -who should be pilloried.
With his support for President Trump, reader Jim Riviello clearly presents an example of the ideological polarity that is dividing us. Describing all career politicians as con men and snake oil salesmen is a cry for protection in a world seen as dangerous and competitive.
Thank you for publishing Jim Riviello’s letter. The problems he cites are ones that many of us can agree with; however, we diverge on the possible solutions.
In response to last week’s Trump-bashing letter: We live in an oligarchy, run by career politicians bought by the multi-nation corporations, globalists, and PACs that control them. We will NEVER take back our country, freedom, and live by the constitution until we take back our federal government, then dismantle it back only to its Constitutional responsibilities and give power back to the States, where we citizens can more effectively oversee and participate in our republic.
It has become much more obvious that our President, Donald J. Trump, is a flimflam man, who everyday creates his own false narrative to feed his megalomanical ego. The startling, yet sad, realization is that the president does not really care about solving issues or closing deals. He cares only about creating a sense of movement, of action, of appearing strong, not weak. The incredible thing is not that two-thirds of the public believe he is lying about his achievements, but that it is not one hundred who believe this.
Over this past weekend, once again, President Donald Trump took to Twitter to bash the memory of Senator John McCain. To hear Trump, a putative draft dodger who never served in the military, disrespect a man who was a genuine war hero and life-long public servant is simply beyond the pale of human decency.