To the editor: As an independent who has never voted for President Trump, I humbly suggest that the thought process behind Jackie Calmes’ column, “Washington is having a ‘break glass’ moment. Where are the emergency responders?” is part of the problem.
Democrats are all but impotent, not only because they are poor messengers, but primarily due to their far-from-the-American-center message. Unable to turn down the noise from their far-left wing and tack to the center (à la Bill Clinton), the Democrats are lost in the wilderness with historically low approval ratings.
Furthermore, the news media forgot that their job is to cast a critical eye on both parties, not just one. While being properly critical of Trump, they essentially provided cover for a president no longer fit for office. The respect they once had from the public may be lost for good.
Calling the owner of the Washington Post a “MAGA-friendly billionaire” and complaining over his opinion pages’ new focus on “free markets and personal liberties” makes clear that something is wrong. The vast majority of the electorate across all parties agrees that this is what America is all about, and the recent election bears that out.
Dennis Gimian, Irvine
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To the editor: As a lifelong Democrat, I am fed up with whiny members of Congress wringing their hands about how powerless they are.
Get a spine. Take a page from the Republican playbook and flood the media (blogs, podcasts, Fox News, CNN and so forth) with on-message spokespersons saying, “Yes, Trump gets things done, but this is how, and these are the consequences to you voters.” Even some Republican voters admit he is a horrible person, so forget that message.
Mark Kelly, Adam Schiff, Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and others — where are you? We need strong, united leadership, not a bunch of hapless whiners.
Barbara Gilmore, Thousand Oaks
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To the editor: My first reaction to Calmes’ piece was that there’s no one currently under the glass to counter Trump’s demolition of the Constitution.
Personally, I feel betrayed — by the enfeebled former President Biden for trying to run again, his wife, Jill Biden, for not correcting him, the Democratic Party for enabling this nonsense and others who failed the country.
Calmes suggests that the voter is the ultimate influence under the glass. She assumes that we are still a democracy.
Are we? A large section of the electorate lives in a deluded cesspool of lies. As Calmes points out, “We Americans no longer share a reality.” Elections are becoming a census of those who respect truth versus those who relish lies and conspiracy fantasies.
Truth tellers need a champion. Who will step up?
Merrill Anderson, Laguna Beach
