Letters: Preserve America’s rule of law; Thompson’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ vote not surprising

Preserve America’s rule of law

Yesterday, my grandson asked me if we lived in a corrupt country. I replied that national corruption is tracked independently by Transparency.org. Every year, top “honest” nations and regions are Scandinavia, the UK, Singapore and most European countries. The U.S. is up there, too. So far.

At the bottom, in Russia, you get “telephone justice.” If you go to court, judges are assigned. They negotiate the outcome in advance based on your wealth, connections and who’s paid what to whom. Calls are made. Then, a quick trial and your sentence.

Here in the U.S., what I consider “the body” remains pretty firm. I respect cops, zoning officials and the law — more importantly, I trust them. But “the head” is rotten. The corruption of a president defying everyone that stands between him and what he wants (a big parade, a big jet) is taking a toll. As they say, “the fish rots from the head.” Federal and state judges, so far, have defended our Constitution, but find it harder every week as corruption is ignored or winked at.

What can you, as one person, do? Consider for a moment that we’re a basically good and honest country. Call or email Senators Dave McCormick and John Fetterman, or your Congressperson, today. Tell them that we’re still respected as a country of laws, and we want to stay that way. Help preserve America’s rule of law, Mr. or Ms. Representative. Follow the Constitution. Don’t let the rot proceed.

Thompson’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ vote not surprising

No one in PA-15 should be surprised to learn that GT voted for Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill.”

No one who has followed GT’s voting record should be surprised to learn that, once again, he voted against the best interests of his constituents. No one should be surprised to learn that, once again, he voted in his own self-interests (remaining in the good graces of the GOP) instead of for what’s best for PA-15.

I wonder if Republican voters will be surprised when they, their family members and/or neighbors lose SNAP and health care benefits — or when their small rural health care centers close and they must travel hours for competent care.

Certainly, some of the 8.6 million losing health care and 3 million losing SNAP benefits are in PA-15. How many of them voted for GT, I wonder.

Will they be surprised, or care, when the national debt increases again, this time by $3.8 trillion over 10 years — and their children and grandchildren are burdened with the debt?

Will they be surprised to learn that the rich are getting richer on the backs of the poor?

If the bill were so beautiful, why was it passed under the cover of darkness?

GT will tout the few benefits in the bill; no tax on tips or overtime among them, but the overwhelming burden will fall on his constituents while the rich continue to laugh all the way to the bank — or to their yachts and vacation homes.

Wake up, PA-15!

Are we great yet?

Despite what Donald Trump thinks, this is a great country. And we’ve accomplished great things while being positive and uplifting about it.

We built an education system that is the envy of the world. Public K-12 education and our colleges and world-class research universities provide a better life for all.

We joined the freedom-loving international community to create alliances to check the spread of totalitarianism and its Soviet sponsor.

We launched a space program that reaches for the stars while providing benefits for all on Earth. We funded science and the arts.

We created a social safety net to provide health care and basic services for millions of our people.

We supported freedom of the press and freedom to criticize our leaders without fear.

We followed our Constitution, accepted rule of law, and viewed an independent judiciary as fundamental.

And we weren’t vindictive bullies when doing any of this.

Donald Trump and his flag-waving Republican toadies are determined to take this country down rather than build us up. They want to destroy the very things that pushed us toward greatness.

It’s difficult to name any actions Trump and today’s Republicans have taken to bring us together, build us up, support all our people, stand with our allies, or promote democracy.

Government by slogan doesn’t make us great. We’ll be great again when Trump and the MAGA Republicans are gone, and we have a chance to recover from the damage they have done.