Letters to the Editor | Sept. 16, 2024

As an American, I believe in free speech, democracy, and the Constitution. I also believe in the two-party political system that allows us to choose who we vote for and what we believe in. The problem in this country is that now it seems we have three parties: the Democrats, the Republicans, and the Trump party. If Republicans like Dick Cheney, former vice president of the United States, and his daughter Liz Cheney, former member of the U.S. House of Representatives, have endorsed Kamala Harris, what does that mean for the Republican Party? Other Republicans supporting Harris include former U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger and former Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan. The GOP is falling apart because of one man. If the true Republicans want to keep their party relevant and meaningful, they need to get together and remember what the Republican Party stood for before Donald Trump entered the picture.

Christine Mayes, Glenside

Donald Trump is now proposing a 20% tariff on imported goods from China if he is elected president. He said the revenue from the tariff would be used for income tax cuts. First, let’s be clear, the importing country (not the exporting country) pays the tariff. So, in the end, I’d just be getting my money back. Second, the tariff will lead to inflation on these imported goods (I estimate about 20%). Third, the tariff will not change purchasing behavior unless the total cost of the imported item is greater than an equivalent American product. Fourth, there are better ways for the government to help American companies. Tax breaks, subsidies, cheap energy, regulation changes, and access to capital would all help American companies be more competitive. Bottom line, broad tariffs do not work. If you need evidence of this, google “Herbert Hoover tariffs Great Depression.”

Scott Schleifer, Jacksonville, Fla.

As Philadelphia’s urban landscape rapidly evolves, North Broad Street stands out as a beacon of opportunity and growth. For businesses considering their next move, North Broad Street isn’t just another location — it’s a strategic choice with unparalleled potential. For the Philadelphia Police Department’s forensics lab, the location is not only logical, but it could be the best decision it makes this year.

Not only is 401 N. Broad St. directly across from police headquarters, but it is also the only location being considered that currently has active state-of-the-art lab space. A forensics lab there can be delivered more quickly, less expensively, and more efficiently than other locations being considered. The 401 building also stands as a beacon of innovation and progress in Philadelphia, embodying the spirit of creativity, technology, and science at the heart of North Broad’s Tech District. Spanning an impressive 1.3 million square feet, this historic structure has been meticulously transformed into a cutting-edge facility that includes high-tech data centers, laboratories, and office spaces.

North Broad Street’s revitalization is accompanied by a supportive ecosystem designed to foster business success. Located within the North Broad Special Service District, the community is working together to transform the corridor from an auto-oriented drive-through to a pedestrian-friendly, successful, vibrant, highly desirable, diverse, mixed-use community. North Broad Street offers a unique blend of opportunity, connectivity, and community spirit that is hard to match. As the area continues to grow and evolve, so, too, will the businesses and institutions that locate here. By choosing 401, the forensics lab is not just selecting a location — it is aligning itself with a burgeoning success story.

Shalimar Thomas, executive director, North Broad Renaissance

I saw an article reporting on the especially fervent Sunday prayers in Georgia after the mass shooting at a high school near Atlanta that was carried out by a 14-year-old. While I’m sure those shown in the accompanying photo are upset, I can’t help but wonder, what is the content of their prayers? Are they beseeching God to change their neighbors’ hearts and minds? Are they hoping teachers could be armed? I hope that instead of praying, people will open their eyes and realize the only way to curtail rampant gun violence is to curtail rampant gun sales.

Americans are about 4% of the world’s population, yet we own 42% of the world’s guns. No other nation has anywhere near the number of mass shootings we have. More than 80% of Americans, including responsible gun owners, want mandatory comprehensive background checks before any gun purchase. Mandatory locks and other safety measures are also constitutional. I pray that Georgians who bemoan horrific gun violence will vote for every Democrat up and down their ballot, who will support these commonsense gun safety measures to protect our children, teachers, food shoppers, moviegoers, and, yes, church attendees.

Phyllis Rubin, Wynnewood

The recent school shooting in Georgia was the 45th school shooting so far this year. The main motivator behind school shootings is not mental illness, it’s anger. People with mental illness cannot organize, plan, and execute the way school shooters do. I am a psychologist who specializes in anger problems, and for the past 15 years, I have been writing to principals, governors, and administrators requesting that we start anger regulation training in all our schools, from kindergarten through 12th grade. There is no way to regulate all the guns in this country, but we can teach students how to regulate their anger. Anger makes a person attack or shun and causes self-righteousness, meaning you think you have the right to do whatever you plan to do. Please join and urge our administrators to enforce anger regulation training in all our schools to stop this senseless, horrifying American tragedy.

Ronald J. Coughlin, Mercerville

If the Kamala Harris campaign managed to deduce how best to flummox Donald Trump during the debate, what are the chances foreign adversaries, from Russia to North Korea, to China and Iran, now know how to manipulate this person — if they hadn’t already pegged Trump’s Achilles’ heel?

Richard W. Holmes, Huntingdon Valley

During Tuesday’s debate, Donald Trump spouted his usual lies, one of which is that the current inflation is the worst ever. This bout of inflation peaked at 8% and is currently at about 3%. In the past, we have had annual inflation rates as high as 18%, with several years in the 12%-13% range. Current inflation was not caused by the Biden administration’s “wasteful spending.” During the COVID-19 pandemic, both the Trump and Biden administrations injected substantial funds into the economy to keep businesses afloat and provide income to the unemployed to prevent a recession. This policy was successful.

When the pandemic was brought under control, people who had not been spending money used these savings to make up for lost time. Supply-chain disruptions occurred, limiting the supply of goods available, resulting in higher prices. Then the war in Ukraine began, causing food shortages. The inflation was worldwide, but the U.S. has fared better than most industrialized nations.

Recent administration financial initiatives have not contributed to inflation. The Chips Act is an attempt to make us self-sufficient in computer chips. The Inflation Reduction Act will fix our long-neglected infrastructure. Most of the spending authorized by these initiatives has not yet occurred. When the money is spent, the U.S. will be much better off. Kamala Harris is forward-thinking. Trump is a liar.

David C. Harrison, Philadelphia

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