Crossover vote in SC Democratic primary not necessarily bad | Letters
Some of this newspaper’s readers apparently think that everyone who votes in a primary held by a party to which they do not belong does so in order to pick the weakest candidate. As a longtime voter in South Carolina primaries, I have always voted in the primary of the party that seems most likely to win so my vote will count. If only one party holds a primary, I vote in that primary. My intent has always been to vote for the candidate who would do the best job if elected. I don’t think I am alone in this approach.
I urge voters to vote in the Democratic presidential primary on Feb. 29 and to select the person who they think would be the best president if elected.
Fran Holt
Hilton Head Island
Republicans seem to be happier people
I watched the opening of the Daytona 500. What a great show of Americana.
People of all economic levels were there, cheering our president as he and our beautiful first lady greeted the crowd and participants.
“America the Beautiful” sung by a local high school choir, our national anthem “The Star Spangled Banner” sung beautifully without the usual razzmatazz ending, by one of our wonderful woman in our great military. Let’s not forget the prayer by a local Baptist minister, a prayer for safety and good will. And, yes, military formation flyovers. We are a proud America, not an apologetic one, nor should we be.
When our flag was honored or our anthem sung, over 100,000 caps were removed and placed over American hearts.
I can’t imagines there was one Democrat in the crowd. It was not their kind of activity. As a matter of fact, they detest anything like it. Republicans and conservatives like fun, family, Americana events. Democrats like protests, waving protest and resist signs, mass marches for causes, whether real or imagined. They express themselves with words like failure, weakness, gloom, doom, impeachment, bombshell evidence (fake news), investigate, socialism and stop (fill in the blank, whatever is popular that week).
Republicans, on the other hand, use words like progress, better, success, great, strength, and patriotism.
Look at any news show with a panel of Republicans and Democrats. Do you notice the Republicans look happier, and are smiling, while the Democrats look like victims with frowns?
Michael McNally
Callawassie Island
With Eric Holder, Democrats didn’t care about the Constitution
It is so good to see the Democrats on the left have rediscovered the Constitution.
A true abuse of power and obstruction of government is serious, and we should consistently reject it.
Let’s go back to the days of a congressional investigation called “Fast & Furious.” You remember, dangerous automatic weapons were permitted to be sold to buyers acting on behalf of Mexican cartel members. Subsequently, the weapons were moved across the border, winding up in Mexico’s drug violence. It resulted in the killing of a U.S. peace officer (Brian Terry), among others.
As part of that investigation, Congress requested documents from the Justice Department. Some were never supplied to Congress. This led to Attorney General Eric Holder to become the first sitting member of a president’s cabinet in U.S. history to be held in contempt of Congress. Holder has also been described as President Barack Obama’s friend and close ally. Holder has publicly described himself as Obama’s “wing man.”
Shouldn’t Obama have pressured his appointee, cabinet member, and “wing man” to cooperate with Congress and honor the document request?
Was Obama guilty of abuse of power and obstruction of justice? Maybe he was just lucky it happened during a time when Democrats weren’t as concerned about the Constitution.
Richard Geraghty
Bluffton
America needs resisters at this time
After World War II ended, the heroes of the resistance forces were an embarrassing reminder to those who merely survived under Nazi rule. Rather than being celebrated for their efforts, they were too often treated as pariahs because they reminded others that they too could have done more. Many resisters no longer felt welcome in their home countries and emigrated to other countries. America welcomed many of them.
I believe that a bit of that discomfort has descended on our nation’s capital. Mitt Romney and Alexander Vindman to name just two who stood up and did what they felt was right and are now personas non grata there. Both are unwelcome where they worked. Both must fear for their futures.
In this country, winning is the only thing that counts. Doing the right thing is rarely celebrated. We tell children they should be righteous. But our sports barely penalize cheaters. Courts merely shrug at injustices. Our leaders only blanch and look the other way.
Given our reliance on precedence, in custom and law, the impeachment proceedings toppled more than 240 years of tradition by which we have ruled ourselves. New standards will guide us as we move forward as a divided nation. The next president, from whichever party, will push those limits even further following in the footsteps of President Donald Trump and Rudy Giuliani.
At times like this I remember Al Capp and his sardonic world view and biting social commentary. He let us laugh at our self-made predicaments. No one is laughing now.
Stephen Newsom
Bluffton
Medicare will be next
In 2011, after the Affordable Care Act passed, the number of uninsured Americans fell 14% until the first quarter of 2017 when it began rising.
Insured Americans who avoided care because of cost, and who had no regular doctor, suffered the same fate. Clear trends in improving health care for our citizens came to a screeching halt by the failed attempt to repeal the ACA and executive actions. In the 2019 federal budgets, cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security were proposed, but not granted by Congress. President Donald Trump has said this again recently. But at the State of the Union he proclaimed no cuts to Medicare Medicaid. Which one was the lie?
We’ve seen this GOP movie before. Cut taxes for corporations and the 1%, then when the promise that the tax cuts will pay for themselves becomes a trillion dollar annual deficit, the fantasy becomes clear. Rather than wipe out tax cuts for the rich, GOP will cut your Medicare benefits.
About 47% of Hilton Head Island residents are over 65, and the promises of never cutting Medicare or Medicaid have become lies.
Oh, and that preexisting condition protection that’s in ACA? Trump is currently in court trying to reverse it, repeal ACA, and any other protection provided by the law. You can vote against your personal best interest or wake up and protect your Medicare. Republicans are covering all angles to steal your health care.
John MacLaurin
Hilton Head Island
Slow down; pay attention
“Pay Attention” was the title of my pastor’s recent sermon, based on Genesis 28:10-16.
I find practical meaning and application to my life when a sermon can effectively apply scripture to our everyday challenges. For me, this sermon nailed it.
Such interpretations as, “God’s world surrounds you; he will be with you wherever you go; don’t be too busy to pay attention; what encouragement can each of us share with one another” and “be present to the present,” reminds us to really listen and respond in a positive, helpful way to life around us.
I was reminded that paying attention allows us the opportunity to question what really matters in our lives. Why are we here? What will be my legacy and yours? In the book, “What Matters,” authors Cam Thornton and Rod Zeeb ask a few basic questions. What matters most in your life? What are your goals, your life’s mission? In hindsight, will you have led a fulfilling, purposeful life? How will you be remembered? How do you want to be remembered?
Simple but powerful, probing questions. However, answering them is more challenging. For me, the teaching moment was relating the expression, “pay attention,” to what really matters in one’s life. Be generous to each other.
It is never too late to affect our life’s story and legacy. We are writing our personal history at this very moment.
Slow down, pay attention, recognize what really matters and how we want to be remembered; it is in our hands.
Earle Everett
Moss Creek