To the Editor:
The editorial last week voiced hopes that President-elect Biden displays the courage and stamina to resist the pressure from the radical wing of the Democrat party. Amen to that!
I pray that Biden shows immensely more courage and stamina when dealing with the far-left factions of his party than the Republicans (save Mitt Romney) have done towards President Trump when he said or did something they didn’t condone. The Republicans refused to utter even minute criticism of the president for fear of becoming a target of his recurrent barrages of disparagement. Being the subject of one of the president’s incessant tweets, regardless of how far-fetched the charges, would attract vitriol from the president’s base and the loss of their support come reelection time. We can’t have that!
Since when has stepping on a fellow party member’s toes, in order to do what’s right for the country, become sacrosanct? Oh yeah, ever since raising money for one’s reelection campaign became the number one objective of all our elected officials. It seems our senators’ and representatives’ idea of public service is spelled job-for-life. Oh, how I miss the common sense thinking and political maneuverings of Senators John McCain, Chuck Hagel, Paul Wellstone and Bob Kerry. Include Representative John Kasich in this group. The term public service meant just that to these guys.
Let us hope that early January finds the Republicans retaining their Senate majority if for no other reason than to curtail any radical left-wing policies the new administration and House of Representatives try to enact. Between the coronavirus, the wobbly economy, a volatile atmosphere of social unrest and a nation of deteriorating infrastructure begging for attention, the new administration and Congress have plenty to keep them busy. Tinkering with the capitalism that has served us very well for centuries need not be added to an already overcrowded list.
Patrick J. Leslie
