Letters to the Editor | Nov. 7, 2024

Donald Trump rewrote the book.

He remade the party.

He redrew the map.

America, make way for our golden age.

Lisa Patricelli Fetzer, Bensalem

You said Hillary Clinton was corrupt, so we got an honest candidate. You said Joe Biden was too old and out of touch, so we got a younger and more popular candidate. You said prices were too high, so we had the best inflation recovery rate in the entire world. You said we didn’t believe in law and order, so we got a former prosecutor to run. You have no more excuses. Just admit you hate women and hate democracy. You’ve got your king now, you’ve got your violence and subjugation now, you’ve got your perfect conception of Wild West, Gilded Age, Mussolini Christian thugdom. But don’t try to tell us it was our errors and our fault. You’re out of excuses for that.

Stephen Gliatto, Plymouth Meeting

In 1930, my grandfather was a young politician with an idealistic love of his country. By 1933, he was forced to flee that country amid political persecution. The country’s newly elected leader — a convicted criminal — was hell-bent on destroying his political enemies. By 1938, my grandfather, grandmother, and father were all stripped of their citizenship. They were lucky to escape to America and build new lives. They have all since passed away, and I am sadly glad they are not here to witness the state of our nation.

Stefan Keller, Huntingdon Valley

The Democratic Party establishment continues to be oblivious to kitchen-table economic concerns and to Israeli policy. Here in Philly, we’re seeing the tone-deafness of Democrats by ramming an unwanted arena down our throats. Joe Biden’s ignoring the skyrocketing cost of groceries was also a huge mistake for Kamala Harris, as was ignoring the many young voters and Arab Americans who oppose U.S. support of Israel’s war in Gaza. Ballots are still being counted, but it looks like Harris underperformed Biden in 2020 in many counties in the commonwealth. The party needs to fire Philadelphia Democratic City Committee Chairman Bob Brady. We also need new Democratic Party establishment leadership in Harrisburg and Washington. They all need to be replaced with leaders who actually listen to the people here in Philadelphia and beyond every day, not just during major elections.

Stan Horwitz, Philadelphia

After the election results, there’s sure to be a lot of finger-pointing, but no one can deny that Donald Trump managed to connect with voters in a way few others have. Democrats, as well-intentioned as we are, are clearly struggling to make our message resonate widely enough. We know our policies are solid, the legislation we pass brings real improvements, and historically, we leave the economy in better shape than when we arrived. But somehow, that message isn’t landing. How is it that a deeply flawed candidate can convince voters he’ll do more for them than we’ve proven we can? Voters aren’t buying what we’re selling, and our good intentions alone won’t bridge the gap. It’s time for Democratic leaders to take a hard look at how we’re perceived and find a better way to show voters that what we stand for truly aligns with their interests.

Andrew Freedman, Philadelphia, andrewfreedman828@gmail.com

Join the conversation: Send letters to letters@inquirer.com. Limit length to 200 words and include home address and day and evening phone number. Letters run in The Inquirer six days a week on the editorial pages and online.