Don’t Forget About the Body Politic
Assume we can accept definition of politics as activities associated with the governance of a country or other area, especially the debate, conflict or competition among individuals or parties having or hoping to achieve leadership and power (“Shocked, Shocked That This Is About Politics,” Oct. 4). In this case, as you say, we could write off everything about the Justice Brett Kavanaugh nomination as being about politics.
Unfortunately, relegating everything about such issues to politics hides the real politic. The leadership aspect of politics in America has disappeared. Our democracy is no more. We now live in a plutocracy — a country run by a relatively small group of wealthy individuals and large corporations who have poured tens of millions of untraceable dark money into “political” campaigns.
As a result, a frighteningly large number of elected officials are no longer beholden to the people, not just women, but all people who need to be heard and aren’t. They are beholden only to their donors and their own reelection. It is now all about power, and the grotesque abuse of power for the advantage of the economically and, hence, politically privileged — not for the people.
Worse, it has become a vicious, nasty game, not just unbecoming of judges, but also of our legislators. Money fuels the meanness. We the people are the losers.
Frank Friedman | Philadelphia
Wonder About the Party? Look to the Politicians
A recent letter writer’s assertion that Democrats are just as supportive of Israel as Republicans is laughable (“RJC Turns Israel Into a Partisan Issue,” Sept. 27). I ask my Jewish brethren to evaluate Israel-related partisanship by the deeds and words of individuals associated with each party: President Donald Trump, National Security Advisor John Bolton and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley — or former President Barrack Obama, Sen. Bob Casey and congressional hopeful Scott Wallace.
As to the assertion that the Republicans made the word liberal a slur, that is mixed up. Charles Krauthammer said, “If you’re not a liberal and you’re under 40, you have no heart, and if you’re not a conservative and you’re over 40, you have no brain.”
Jerome Cantor | Philadelphia
Jerome Cantor spells as poorly as he thinks: It is Barack Obama, not Barrack Obama. Barrack is the name of the local Hebrew academy.
Secondly, the writer detailed how the Republicans transformed Israel into a wedge issue; contra Cantor’s misrepresentation, he made no claim as to current percentage of support for Israel by each party.
Thirdly, the late Charles Krauthammer was himself a Republican.