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I hear it all the time. People tell me there is no difference between Democrat and Republican parties — they are both a bunch of crooks.
Well, I’ll concede the part about crooks, with LBJ being the Dem, and our current leader is the Publican.
Ah, but I have figured out an important difference. Since the time of FDR and Harry Truman, the Dems have tried to promote national health care. Since that same time, the Publicans have tried to prevent it.
What could be more important to the security of a nation than the health of its citizens? If that is the only difference, I’ll vote Democrat.
A third party is not an option. Our winner-take-all political system won’t allow a meaningful third party to form.
Our European cousins have a parliamentary system, where a third party gets a percentage of representatives according to the vote count.
In our current system, a third party vote is a total waste
As I see it, our only hope of the mess we are in now is to vote Democrat... and pray!
ROBERT FELDMANN
Arden, N.C.
Democrats need to get pragmatic about progressive ideals to win
Pragmatic politics must be the approach if the Democrats are to win North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District.
Progressive ideals and practical populism aren’t enough in a political landscape dominated by memes, misinformation and false choices.
That’s why it makes sense for Jamie Ager to sign on to “The Promise to America.” That’s the centrist-friendly pledge to bring “common-sense back to the Democratic Party.”
In short, any appeal to contemporary independents — familiar election determinants — has to be shorn of labels too easily misinterpreted by the too easily misinformed in today’s echo chambers.
Play up safety and a fair economy, which everybody favors, and play down socialism, which too many misunderstand — as if Sweden mirrored North Korea.
Ideological purity won’t win for the Democrats in District 11, even if they bring in another former NFL quarterback.
And, yes, it helps that Ager is no Graham Platner.
JOE O’NEILL
Asheville, N.C.
Who deserves a moment of silence? Earthquake victims
If a moment of silence is appropriate for Venezuelan earthquake victims, as has been done before World Cup soccer matches in the United States, it is also morally appropriate for civilians killed or wounded in Iran by U.S. and Israeli airstrikes.
Human suffering should not be acknowledged selectively or only when it is politically convenient.
A minute of silence is not an endorsement of any government or military.
It is a simple act of respect for ordinary people who have lost their lives, homes, and loved ones.
If we can pause for victims of a natural disaster, we can surely pause for civilians harmed by war.
To recognize grief in Venezuela while ignoring grief in Iran sends the wrong message.
It indicates that some lives are visible and others are not.
Moral consistency requires us to mourn civilian suffering wherever it occurs.
TERRY HANSEN
Grafton, Wisc.
Right-wing hate media insanity, lies against Dems, need
to be questioned
Last week, I picked up the Asheville Daily Planet (5-13-26) at the post office.Carl Mumpower, a practicing psychologist, writes a column called “The Candid Conservative” in which he describes the recent shooting at the White House Correspondents Dinner, saying, “Once again someone on the left is trying to kill someone with opposing views.”
He claims the Left is embracing hate, bias and violence.
He goes on to call the “current, liberal, progressive, socialist Democrat crusade” a doomed addiction.
He does admit “we have this unpleasant/productive gentleman in the White House.”
I totally agree with him on the “unpleasant” part, but calling Trump a “productive gentleman” is as far from the truth as the Earth is from Mars.
Mars is where Trump and his billionaire supporters belong.
Just to refresh our memories, Trump was stirring up racist hate before being president; his attacks on President Obama’s birth certificate, his “hang them” attack ads targeting the Central Park Five (black teenagers accused or rape) who were later exonerated after all served prison time, and the racial determination housing lawsuits against him for which he paid fines.
Once he became president, he openly embraced radical white nationalism.
In 2017, at the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Va., white supremacists marched, carrying tiki torches, chanting “Jews will not replace us.”
That day, Heather was murdered standing up to that hate when a white supremacist driver ran her over. And how did Trump respond?
“Very fine people on both sides.”
Recently, we had the murder of American citizens by ICE goons. Renee Good, a mother, and Alex Pretti, a veterans administration nurse.
Mr. Pretti was attempting to protect a woman that ICE agents were roughing up. He was legally carrying a gun which he never touched and, after he was disarmed, they repeatedly shot him to death.
By comparison in August 2020, a 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse drove to Kenosha, Wisc., where protests were taking place in the aftermath of the Mpls George Floyd killing and a Kenosha police shooting of seven shots in the back of Jacob Blake, paralyzing him as he was getting into the car with his three children.Kyle Rittenhouse came armed with an AR-15 rifle, which he pointed at and threatened protesters with.
He killed two people and injusted another when they tried to disarm him. The murdered were Joseph Rosen, father of two and Anthony Huber, also a father.Yet Kyle was acquitted in November of 2021 after going on trial.
He became a right-wing celebrity, appearing at Turning Point USA and on podcasts.President Trump met and photographed with him and had nice things to say.
Obviously, there is a huge double standard here. Kyle was so celebrated they had him speak at the Republican convention and he became a mascot for the Proud Boys.
But when Alex Pretti carries a gun legally, the president and his lackeys label him a domestic terrorist.
Right-wing hate media demonizes Democrats to the point that usually reasonable people get poisoned by it. We must confront those lies wherever we hear or see them.
JERRY BUECHLER
Port St. Lucie, Fla.
The convoluted world of 2026 empowers Lucifer
We live in a convoluted world riddled in exhibiting human ignorance, indifference and intolerance to others in a labyrinth of bewildering behaviors, obsessed with the individual’s obsession in selfish self-reflection in a complicated, intricately arranged state of affairs, confusing concepts, complex systems and differing political and religious practices and governmental bureaucracies leading to the eventual demise of humanity, despite technological promise.
God afforded humanity a guide book and suggestions in leading a spiritual Life in remarkable harmony with his worldly creations and the prolific abundance in love, kindness and understanding in life’s journey embraced by the everlasting light and love of Jesus Christ.
Though affording, as well, a stern warning that any deviation by adopting and engaging in any temptation or vile acts contrary to these teachings of God,
Jesus and the lack of respect for a woman who nurturde life in many ways forward, coupled with wilful inattentiveness to these disciplines he conveyed, would cause deviant behavior and a convoluted life wherein Lucifer seeks to enslave the individual in perpetuity.
May God continue to bless those in humanity who
CHRISTOPHER TINGUS
Nantucket, Mass.
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