Letters: DMC emails show party's cavalier attitude

ISSUE | CAMPAIGN 2016

Emails show Dems' cavalier attitude

We see and hear from WikiLeaks-posted emails of the Democratic National Committee that the DNC's servers had been hacked, possibly by Russia ("Turmoil at the top," Monday). Yet Hillary Clinton has ignored and seems oblivious to evidence suggesting emails she so thoughtlessly and arrogantly sent from her unsecured private server while secretary of state may also be in the hands of hackers.

The American people have not been served well by her and her party's reckless behavior. What will she and the country do if and when WikiLeaks releases what could be extremely compromising and highly secret information?

|Barbara K. Clement, Berwyn

Out of proportion

The leaked Democratic National Committee emails are a tempest in a teapot, whether it was Russia or any other entity that leaked them. No one has indicated how many of the thousands were actually critical of Bernie Sanders or snarky comments about donors.

This was an annoyed bunch of staffers who resented the fact that Sanders, who had never been a Democrat, was using the party's infrastructure to advance his campaign. Along with his "bros," he refused to admit that he had lost the presidential nomination.

DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz should have reined them in rather than encourage them, but now she's finished.

Wouldn't we love to see the email from Donad Trump's campaign?

|Marlene Lieber, Medford

Revise system for picking candidates

We got what we deserved - the least popular presidential candidates in memory. Now we clamor for more democracy and openness in search of a miracle worker who promises to fix all our problems. Better yet (as in the GOP), let's choose someone outside the establishment with no experience.

Voters must have the final choice in November, but they should pick from candidates who can be effective once in office. We stand virtually alone in the world in how we nominate candidates, dismissing peer review in favor of a crazy primary system.

We need a radical change, something like the system of the late 18th century: senators, congress members, and governors of each party should caucus and pick their parties' candidates. Who better to nominate than those who must share the governing duty and whose political careers depend in large part on the success of their party's president?

|John R. Johannes, professor, political science, Villanova University, Newtown Square, john.johannes@villanova.edu

A victory for all women

Editorial writer Cynthia Burton's commentary quoted the motto of her grandmother's school, Mihi cura futuri, or "Mine is the care of the future," to lovingly tell of her family's pursuit of a college education ("Clinton nomination stands on shoulders of trailblazers," Sunday). Their story belongs to so many of us. It is so important for the younger generation, especially the young women, to know and understand the struggles that took place for women to go to college.

Part of this struggle for advancement of women was the struggle for universal suffrage - the right of women to vote. As with the struggle for college, this fight belongs to all of us.

When Hillary Rodham Clinton is nominated for the presidency this week in Philadelphia, she will be standing on our shoulders, the shoulders of your mother and my mother. My 94-year-old mother, Bessie Kalick, can hardly wait for Nov. 8 to cast her ballot to shatter that glass ceiling. Mihi cura futuri!

|Sheryl Kalick, Philadelphia

Voters must show up in November

Daniel Pipes' commentary was thoughtful and accurate in describing the many reasons a Donald Trump presidency would be a disaster for the United States and the world ("With Trump as nominee, it's time to quit the GOP," Friday). Pipes faltered in the last sentence, however, when he said he would vote for the Libertarian candidate for president, a write-in, or no one at all.

There is only one candidate who has a realistic chance of keeping Trump out of the White House. I am an independent voter, but I will be voting for the Democratic candidate for president.

I urge all voters who are appalled by the prospect of Trump as president to put aside party differences and vote for Hillary Clinton. Standing on the sidelines is not an option. Not voting for Clinton is a de facto vote for Trump.

|Thomas M. Reiff, Elkins Park