Sunday, July 1, 2018
Kochs continue assault on American democracy
The Koch Boys, Chuck and Dave, want to replace America’s democratic principle of majority rule with their plutocratic principle of domination by the wealthy minority. With the help of the Republicans in the House and Senate, the Kochs have used their enormous assets to mount an assault on American democracy. They have devoted themselves to keeping any interference by you, me and all other middle-class workers who want to make them pay their fair share of taxes and set rules on how they treat their employees.
They have set goals for themselves that will eliminate unions, suppress voting rights, eliminate the right of consumers, workers and others to sue corporations, pack courts with pro-corporate judges, kill all restrictions on political spending by corporations and the rich and gerrymandering of districts to favor their Republican servants. You can thank our corporate-owned Supreme Court for helping these anti-American plutocrats to do their dirty work against middle-class America. “Citizens United” was the worst decision ever by Supreme Court justices, they pretty much turned over America to the big corporations.
If we only had a government that cares about the poor, the handicapped, veterans, minorities and the middle-class in general, then people like the Kochs, the Waltons and other multi-billionaires would not be allowed to take over our government. The Kochs have a lot of billionaire allies who are willing to spend $400 million on upcoming elections this year. We have to fight back against the Kochs and anti-Americans just like them because if we don’t, then they will take over the government. Our Republican senators and representatives are in cahoots with them along with the Supreme Court. So, when you vote, “vote Democratic,” and remember the Republican candidates are bought and paid for with dirty Koch money.
Bud McKelvey, Hermitage, Pa.
After killings at Gazette, inaction no longer option
So here we go again – another mass shooting in Annapolis, Md. We know exactly what the response will be. Some will demand more gun restrictions, both ownership and sales. Some will argue for better mental-health care and monitoring. Still others will call for arming everyone so not just “bad guys” have guns.
And on and on with various arguments. And we also know too well that nothing will be done.
I have no idea which suggestion would work. But I do know, as we all do, that inaction won’t work. The definition of stupidity includes doing the same thing and expecting a different result. Or in these horrifying incidents, doing the same nothing.
Maybe all the arguments have merit. It’s time to find out.
In a short while, the next shooter will act, many will die, and here we will go again. Just as I am, millions are sick of this sequence.
We can’t stop every heinous act but with resolve we can make it extremely rare. Without meaningful action, someone reading this letter will soon be grieving the death of a loved one. Let us finally get off our collective posteriors, band together and do something to end this insanity.
Richard Fogo, Youngstown