October 4, 2018 500 AM
Dear editor, Democracy is in trouble. Just over two years ago Republican Mitch McConnell would not even allow a debate on a Supreme Court nominee. There is nothing democratic about that. Just last week Republican Chuck Grassley attempted to push a different Supreme Court nominee through his committee without any semblance of a meaningful debate. There is nothing democratic about that either. It’s worth noting that Grassley’s action clearly had the support of Texas Senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn, both members of Grassley’s committee. Let’s not forget that all elected government officials have sworn to uphold the Constitution of the United States. And that Constitution states the senate will “advise and consent” for various nominated government positions including judicial appointments. With regard to the Kavanaugh hearings, every Republican senator on the judiciary committee, including Cruz and Cornyn, has ignored the assault allegations against Kavanaugh, by four women at last count, in their effort to push through his nomination. As such they are all (with the possible exception of Jeff Flake) negligent regarding their obligation to “advise and consent” and are therefore in violation of their oath (my opinion) to uphold the Constitution and should not even be members of congress. Likewise, the Republican secretaries of state, legislatures, and governors of at least 22 states that in recent years have passed voter suppression laws, primarily targeting minorities, are all in violation of the Constitution’s voting rights amendments (my opinion) and should all be removed from office. Of course they claim the laws are merely to keep the elections honest, but we all know better. If any of these people truly believed in democracy and the Constitution they would find ways to help people vote rather than preventing them from voting. You know, Bill Clinton wasn’t a bad president, but, frankly, I was disgusted by his…extra curricular activities. Presidents, congressmen and women and many others are, or should be, role models for our kids. Clinton’s moral failings have now been superseded by the gross ethical failings of nearly every Republican in congress. If they are not railing against these Constitutional violations, then they are complicit. Are these really the people you want your kids looking up to? Yes, democracy is in trouble. My urging moderate Republicans to regain control of their party over a decade ago went unnoticed, but just last week Todd Jagger of Ft. Davis had a more current solution to the partisan divide. The title of his guest commentary – Beto O’Rourke can save the GOP – states the solution, but to understand why that is the solution I urge everyone to read his article. Twice.
Fred Gossien Terlingua
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Dear editor, Okay folks, I’m tired of listening to would be politicians exclaim “drain the swamp” as a way to clean up bad behavior in Washington, D.C. Mother nature designed swamps as functioning ecosystems full of flora and fauna. Remember the ivory-billed woodpecker, the “Lord God Bird”? It lived in a swamp and it’s now believed to be extinct. In fact, the land under Washington was a swamp. Then humans moved in and built all those big white buildings, some with domes on them, on top of the swamp. No, I think our real problem is the sewer system. For heaven’s sake Ghostbusters taught us that. Bad characters come out of the sewer so we need to seal up the sewer system. Maybe then some of the swamp would grow back. Maybe the ivory-billed woodpecker would reappear. “Lord God” wouldn’t that be a beautiful thing to see in Washington, D.C.?
Suzanne Dungan Marfa
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Dear editor, A Stain on Constitutional Due Process A 29-year career (retired) prosecutor’s perspective concerning the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing and testimonies of Dr. Christine Blasey Ford and Judge Brett Kavanaugh: “Hearing”? Withholding most of Kavanaugh’s writings; the President NOT calling for an FBI investigation learning of sexual allegations, fronting Sex Crimes Prosecutor, Rachael Mitchel to complete this Stalinist-era show trial undermining his accuser while providing fodder to Fox and fact-shy rightwing memes and more? Hardly! Mitchell’s questions were a technique exploiting normal fallibility of memory. Others were to create “reasonable doubt” buttressing GOPer talking points bringing Kavanaugh’s SCOTUS nomination to the Senate floor regardless of sexual allegations and documented voting record outside the American mainstream. For integrity’s sake should have retained a career defense attorney. Notice her Hannity-like “puff ball” questions to Kavanaugh? Also telling was his aggressive, bullying technique in the afternoon; akin to those saying he was just that when drunk! So too, Sen. Graham’s and Chairman Grassley’s ‘sobering’ rants. I was professionally embarrassed by Mitchell and for accepting a political “commission” directed by the GOP majority to do other than unravel what may have occurred. That observation has nothing to do with my political bent having prosecuted all political persuasions and backgrounds. It is easy to be impartial when having a fealty to our constitutional system and Cannon of Ethics. The nation watched a “How NOT To” spectacle. Color me angry about the GOP charade as a stain on basic notions of “due process (fundamental fairness)”!
Rev. Barry Abraham Zavah Alpine
