Letters: Chief Justice has continued role with Trump; On minimum wage, legislators should listen to constituents
Chief Justice has continued role with Trump
You had to wonder what was going through the mind of Chief Justice John Roberts, looking down in the Senate chamber as he presided at the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump.
He listened as Republican senators (as had House Republicans earlier) effectively embraced Trump’s first ever claim by a president that in the Constitution “I have an Article 2, where I have the right to do whatever I want as president.”
Justice Roberts is a respected conservative and a student of the Constitution. As leader of the federal judiciary, now peopled at all levels with many new, carefully vetted Trumpist judges, no person in America will be more important in blocking his way than the chief justice if Trump is somehow reelected by popular vote or the Electoral College, and retains his loyal Senate majority and perhaps regains the House.
What direction on the law will he give as Trump continues to dismantle the Constitution’s checks and balances, scorns the separation of powers, and takes vengeance? Will Chief Justice Roberts say “NO”?
On minimum wage, legislators should listen to constituents
Recently, Gov. Tom Wolf proposed increasing the minimum wage yet again, with a gradual increase to $15 by 2026. It has not changed for over a decade, and many Pennsylvania workers are paid the federal minimum — $7.25
Some of our representatives, like Kerry Benninghoff, have fought against increasing the minimum wage. Last year, the Senate passed a measure that would increase the minimum wage to $9.50. House leadership (including Speaker Mike Turzai and Benninghoff, who serves as the Majority Whip) refused to vote on an increase to a measly $9.50. Meanwhile, many people in the Centre Region are paid too little to live on.
As a constituent, I’m tired of representatives that pay more attention to the Chamber of Commerce than to working families. Benninghoff has a reputation for fixing individual issues for constituents, but when it comes down to the big issues that impact all of us, he votes against his constituency. When is enough enough?
Time to support the elimination of gerrymandering
In these highly partisan times, do you feel like your elected representative doesn’t listen to you? Are you frustrated that your elected representative always tows the party line instead of thinking independently? Is your elected representative unwilling to set aside differences to work for reasonable compromise? Do you feel invisible because your elected representative doesn’t represent YOU? Then it’s time to support the elimination of gerrymandering.
An October Franklin & Marshall College survey indicated that 67% of Pennsylvanians, including majorities of Democrats, Republicans and independents, support redistricting reform. Why? Because allowing political parties to manipulate voting districts enables them to influence the outcome of elections. As a consequence, legislators can be more motivated to stay in the good graces of their party than in serving the interests of their constituents.
What, then, to do? We live in a democracy that was fought for. The rights we have were fought for. The lesson of history is that if we value having a voice in democracy then we must fight for it. Let your state representative and senator know that you want their support for House Bills 22 and 23 and Senate Bills 1022 and 1023, respectively, and keep asking them about it. Time is critical as these bills need to be passed by early summer.
We can’t reign in extreme partisanship without first ensuring that our elected leaders are responsible, first, to their constituents. To achieve this we need to act ... NOW! For more information from a reliable resource go to FairDistrictsPA.