I am a Democrat who actively campaigned door-to-door against Donald Trump. Like the president, I was born in Queens and I am entirely confident in my judgment that Donald J. Trump is a “bum.”
That not-so-technical term has great meaning where I grew up and sums up my belief that Trump is extraordinarily unqualified to be president and should not be re-elected.
That said, impeachment is an extraordinary measure to be used only in exceptional circumstances after careful deliberation.
While my current inference is that Trump is guilty of acts that warrant impeachment, I also believe that the Democratic House majority has yet to establish a complete factual basis for that inference. In particular, we have yet to hear from a number of principal witnesses, notably Don McGahn, Mike Pence, Mick Mulvaney, Rick Perry and Mike Pompeo, whose testimony is central to the inquiry.
While the administration has forbade those individuals from providing testimony, that doesn’t change the fact that their testimony is critical to establishing a basis for impeachment.
A full process in turn requires that courts rule on whether those individuals are required to testify before Congress, a time-consuming process that, for many of us, will be frustrating and perhaps politically unpalatable, particularly as the process could well extend beyond Election Day.
I believe, however, that a full process, in which both legislative and judicial branches play a significant role, is critical to achieving the national catharsis that should be a prerequisite to any impeachment vote.
Our democracy will be stronger if we allow that process to play out in full. While I certainly want to throw the bum out, I believe our republic will be stronger if we do so only after an excruciatingly fulsome process.
Moreover, I fear that a failure to complete that process will alienate a significant proportion of our fellow citizens, causing serious harm to the broader national consensus that is critical to successful operation of our precious and unique representative democracy.
RICK ELY
Hanover
George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley got it exactly right in his testimony on Wednesday. “I am concerned about lowering impeachment standards to fit a paucity of evidence and an abundance of anger.”
JEFF LEHMANN
Lyme Center
One may have to look in the mirror to see how we got to where we are today. The leader in the White House has made many offensive remarks in his tweets, has a large collection of offensive people who surround and serve him, and is supported by a party looking for its core values, which it seems to have misplaced.
Thus, attacks on people, good Americans, who serve and have served their country occur because of some small remark or action that may have been seen to be against the president. These are people who have faithfully served this country — under Democratic and Republican presidents — and now have their loyalty questioned.
To mention a few examples is just that, a few examples. The newspaper is not large enough to include them all. The late Sen. John McCain, the Kahns (a Gold Star family), Gen. Jim Mattis, Marie Yovanovitch, all loyal and patriotic Americans who have come under verbal attack or dismissal for their alleged lack of loyalty to this bully in charge.
Yet Stephen Miller, a white supremacist, is one example of an offensive servant who is kept on because he offends everyone except the party of the liar in charge, the Republican Party.
The party supports those who do the most offensive things unless they do what is not allowed, which is to question the not-so-serene highness.
So yes, look in the mirror and see if you are responsible for this increasing lack of democracy in this country.
As we squint toward dictatorship, it is past time to stop looking at ourselves and do something by supporting those who see what is happening and work for the election of some good people, in whatever party they show up. Save the government and the country.
SANDY STEPHEN
Braintree, Vt.
Dec. 21 is my birthday. It is the darkest day of the year. That says something about my karma. My Mom used to say, “but it gets lighter after that.” This December will be my 70th and I’ve learned a few things:
Love is the answer. Well, yeah, John and Jesus told us that.
Someone moved the floor. It used to be right under my feet. Not anymore.
When you get old you can get “crusty” so you have to review the first thing I said.
I was at my brother’s for Thanksgiving. He and his wife are staunch Republicans, and I noticed that the toilet paper came off the bottom of the roll. Now, I’m a flaming liberal and I have always had the paper come off the top of the roll. Do all Republicans have the paper come off the bottom?
I’m also outraged that putting on my socks is a major sporting event.
When my other brother died recently, after a courageous 25-month fight with glioblastoma, it changed me: I cry at tender moments in movies or on TV. I really want to be the best person I can be, and I fail every day. Do you hear me, Jesus? I have failed you. Forgive me.
I am reminded of something my brother said shortly before he died. He was still sharp but mostly silent, which, if you knew him, was not possible. My other brother, my sister, his son and my sister-in-law were in the room. As is my custom, I started a stream-of-consciousness monologue to fill the void of my big brother’s silence. At some point I realized I should stop talking. I could have said, “We love you and will always be there for you.” But I didn’t. I said, “If you want me to shut up, you can say ‘Matty, shut up.’ ”
My brother’s eyes opened wide. He smiled and said, “Matty, shut up.” He went back to his reveries and those were the last words he ever spoke to me.
Love one another.
MATT CARDILLO
Sharon