Letters: Vote as if your future depends on it; ‘Silent majority’ on wrong side of history

Vote as if your future depends on it

There will continue to be increasing scrutiny of the United States Postal Service in the run-up to the November presidential election. Our democracy and inherent right to vote without concern of outside interference by any one person, political party or foreign nation is now threatened by the president himself.

As low poll numbers continue to set off fire alarms within the GOP Re-election Committee, the president has painted yet another false narrative of election fraud for his rationale of withholding critical operational funding for the USPS. He has without concern for the consequences of this action, potentially placed tens of thousands of American lives at risk during an incompetently managed pandemic. It’s another illustration of gross negligence and his being unfit for office.

In a fair and responsible world, our government leaders — both state and federal — would and should extend whatever push back is necessary to free up the financial resources to support the USPS in this historic moment. Whether they can or will remains doubtful.

Regardless of residence, party affiliation, race, all Pennsylvanians deserve access to a safe and responsible election platform. It’s also a moment where “We the people ...” may be compelled to collectively act to keep our democracy within the guardrails established by our Founding Fathers as clearly our elected officials cannot.

This election and your vote — by whatever means necessary — will impact the commonwealth and the nation for the next generation. Vote with the belief that your future depends on it ... as it clearly does.

Waltz will make education a priority

Please join me in voting for Joe Waltz, candidate for state representative in the 76th House District of Pennsylvania. Waltz is committed to working to improve area infrastructure, bringing jobs to our area, helping veterans access health care at an affordable price, and he has a firm commitment to education.

Waltz has been endorsed by the Pennsylvania State Education Association. He understands the needs of our schools, but also understands the challenges faced by taxpayers. My husband and I were involved in education for 27 years. Education is in our blood. We want education to be a priority on the agenda of our governing body.

It is evident that education has not been a priority of our current representative. She voted no to expanding tax credit education scholarships. She voted no to the state budget for the fiscal year, 2019-20, which provided $46.74 billion to the basic education funding to school districts. It also included Read to Learn Block Grants, pre-K Counts, personnel development for special education, school improvement grants, Head Start, safe school initiatives and special education for exceptional children.

Our current representative said that she would strengthen schools, cut property taxes, create retraining programs for the unemployed, and, she would eliminate common core and PSSA testing. Did she keep any of these promises? Waltz will work with other legislators to improve our educational system. Vote for Waltz so that we will have someone in Harrisburg who will make education a priority.

‘Silent majority’ on wrong side of history

I had to laugh at Richard Sodergren’s defense of the “silent majority” in Thursday’s newspaper. The silent majority has been on the wrong side of every step forward this country has taken in the past 250 years.

The silent majority was silent when the British imposed taxation without representation. The silent majority sat on the sidelines, silently, while women fought for 70 years to get the right to vote. The silent majority was silent when police set dogs on Black protesters, and when the National Guard had to protect the right of Black children to go to school.

It was silent when Russia interfered in the 2016 election, and it was silent again when President Donald Trump tear-gassed protesters so he could hold a Bible upside-down outside a church in 2020.

But the really good news is this: The silent majority is not even a majority. The Democratic candidate has won the national popular vote in six of the past seven national elections. No wonder the Republican Party is trying to sabotage our right to vote.