Poltical discourse turns sour on national, local levels
Re: Kim McGahey’s Jan 31 letter, “Big government wins again in Summit County.”
I read Mr. McGahey’s recent letter regarding Elisabeth Lawrence’s recent appointment to the Board of County Commissioners with sadness, concern and, frankly, shock. His letter was filled with bitterness, sarcasm, viciousness and, yes, hate. This is a perfect example, on the grassroots level, of the terrible sickness that has befallen our great country in recent years.
Our political scene is almost totally disfunctional because we can’t seem to speak to one another in a spirit of the greater good, respect and compromise. There certainly is no need for the viciousness, sarcasm, and personal attack displayed in Mr. McGahey’s letter. We, as Americans, can certainly disagree respectfully over politics, personalities and anything else. That’s what free speech and being an American is all about.
I know Elisabeth. She is a charming, friendly person, one who is also very competent, intelligent, responsible and experienced. I think she’ll do an excellent job as a commissioner, but, if she does not, or if one simply doesn’t like her politics and perspectives for whatever reason, we can express our opinion of her in two years with our vote, not bitter letters to the editor. We can have respectful and polite conversations with her to impart other ideas to her. It needn’t include the invective of Mr. McGahey’s letter.
In conclusion, I think that, if I were a member of the Summit County Republicans (which I am not), I would be pretty upset by being included, by implication, in Mr. McGahey’s comments as chairman of the group.
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Rick Hague
Breckenridge
The guillotine comes for a governor
It’s time for a history lesson. Before our very eyes, 2019 America is living through a replay of the French Revolution.
In 1789, those who were perceived as radicals took control. Having gained control, the revolutionary fervor did not wane. It fed upon itself. The radicals began looking around for new targets, and they found them among their own. Those who were not seen as pure enough were attacked and, with unrestrained glee, led to the guillotine. The latest modern example can be found in Virginia Governor Ralph Northup. After advocating infanticide in the form of fourth trimester abortion, he has been found guilty of not being radical enough and is being led to the political guillotine.
Are Northup’s prior actions objectionable? Absolutely. Now, a cautionary note. Each and every person reading this is guilty of something they would not want made public. Those who say otherwise are sanctimonious liars. In this poisonous atmosphere, all of us are targets. There are no exceptions. I hope you enjoyed the lesson. Any questions?
John Howell
Silverthorne
Traffic worsens across the county
We’ve all watched, over the last several years, as even summer weekday traffic looks like winter traffic and winter traffic looks like last weekend. And our town leaders want to put a parking garage near the town core? I’ve wondered whether those decision makers even live here. Have they not experienced it everyday? Finally I get it. They paid “experts” hundreds of thousands of dollars for advice and they indeed don’t live here.
Put that garage out Airport Road and add free and frequent public transportation.
David Gray MD
Breckenridge