Letters: Ensuring democracy’s survival; A year later, Thompson must come clean
Ensuring democracy’s survival
It’s impossible to overstate the dangerous political situation we face, both nationally and here in Pennsylvania.
Coupled with blatant gerrymandering that allows Republicans to virtually guarantee their reelection, Republican-led states have proposed or implemented voting legislation that makes it harder for Americans to vote, and easier to cast doubt on future elections that don’t go their way.
In 2021 alone, 19 states passed 34 laws that restrict voting rights — and Republican legislators are just getting started. Fueled by Trump’s Big Lie, 49 states have drafted more than 440 bills this legislative session, implementing electoral changes that no longer meet the minimum conditions for free and fair elections.
Federal voting rights legislation is absolutely essential to protecting American democracy and it won’t pass if voters don’t push for it. If it’s not in early 2022, it may be too late. Call Senator Pat Toomey today and tell him to pass the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act now!
The threat is so grave that it warrants changing the Senate filibuster rule in order to see that voting rights legislation passes.
In addition to voting rights, women’s rights, climate action, sensible gun legislation, the future of the courts, and so much more will be on the ballot this next November.
The question is this: Will citizens have a say in these important issues, or will our legislators, and those with access to them, determine the rules and the rulers? In other words, will American democracy survive?
A year later, Thompson must come clean
December 7, 1941. 9/11. January 6.
These are dates that changed America.
On the first two, foreign enemies attacked us on our soil.
January 6, 2021, was different. The U.S. Capitol — the symbol of our democracy — was attacked by Americans, our own citizens, many of them waving or wearing our flag. How did it happen?
It didn’t “just happen.” The January 6 insurrection was conceived, planned and orchestrated at the top levels of the Trump White House. There can be no doubt Trump gave the green light to his henchmen to activate the plan and carry it out.
In 2016 Trump won honestly through the Electoral College, despite receiving fewer votes. He didn’t complain.
But in 2020, after losing both the popular and electoral vote, Trump’s only way to stay in office was to steal the election — and to do that he needed Republican Representatives in Congress to deny the Electoral College votes as certified by the individual states.
This brings us to our own Representative, Glenn Thompson, who is one of 139 Republicans in Congress, eight from Pennsylvania, who lied, fueled the insurrection, and then voted to cover it up.
A year later, and we still don’t know why Thompson did it, despite zero evidence of serious election fraud or irregularities. Was he threatened or bribed? If so, by whom? Is he so weak he’s afraid of Donald Trump?
After a full year, it’s time for Glenn Thompson to man up, come clean, and tell us why he tried to destroy our democracy.
Benninghoff stands in way of gift ban
Kerry Benninghoff, Pennsylvania House’s Majority Leader, is now the only person standing in the way of the bipartisan and extremely popular gift ban bill for our legislators. This important anti-corruption measure was approved in October 2021, when the House State Government Committee approved House Bill 1009 out of committee. This bill restricts lobbyist gifts to legislators, and while it still permits businesses and individuals to provide gifts; however, this bill would be a good start to removing corruption from our government. As the Majority Leader, Benninghoff sets the agenda for the House by deciding on which bills can make it to the floor for discussion, debate and votes. By willfully ignoring this legislation, Benninghoff is the person preventing any gift ban from being placed on legislators.
This is a pattern for Benninghoff. In the 2019-2020 session a stronger gift ban bill (House Bill 1945) was put forth and passed in committee, only to fail to be brought up for discussion on the House Floor. During this time, Benninghoff was the Majority Whip and failed to use his influence to get that bill onto the floor to reduce the threat of political corruption.
Do people have faith in Benninghoff’s ability as Majority Leader to get the job done? If Benninghoff has the political will to take some potential corruption out of Pennsylvanian politics, then he would bring forth this bill and set it on the agenda because that is his job. Why won’t Benninghoff work against political corruption?