Being anti-Trump makes you pro-Sessions | Readers respond

I never thought I would say this, but I now officially support Attorney General Jeff Sessions keeping his job ("Sessions says he plans to stay on," Friday). Though I am not a fan of Sessions, I am even less a fan of President Trump and am supportive of anything that will reveal the truth about Russian interference in the election.

How does keeping Sessions in office help to do this? Sessions has recused himself from overseeing the Russian-Trump investigation headed by special counsel Robert Mueller. If Sessions is fired or resigns, Trump will undoubtedly insert a loyalist in the AG job, one who will readily oust Mueller at the first suggestion by the president.

We cannot let Trump subvert the rule of law or the U.S. Constitution. No president is above the law. The president, as much as any citizen, must be held accountable for his actions. The Russia-Trump investigation must be allowed to run its course.

Sessions may play a pivotal role in securing justice for the American people.

— Ken Derow, Swarthmore

President Trump is anti-American by his actions with respect to Russia ("Give Trump his due," Monday). I am a U.S. Air Force veteran, and I am way more patriotic than Trump.

What accomplishments can we give him praise for? I would like to know what they are.

His own words over the last 18 months prove that he is an unabashed liar. He has promised many things that he just has not lived up to. Isn't it curious that in running a populist campaign, the majority of his cabinet are multimillionaires? That after criticism of his opponent for connections with Goldman Sachs, yet several of his cabinet members and advisers are from that Wall Street investment firm?

Before anyone accuses anti-Trump people of falsehoods and being anti-American, I suggest he or she look in the mirror.

— James Stevens, West Chester, dansteve@mac.com

I have one question for our president: If he and his associates are not guilty of anything ("Trump denounces 'illegal leaks' on probe," Sunday), why this intense insistence on his right to pardon himself and everyone connected to him?

— Marlene Lieber, Medford

Columnist Michael Smerconish referred to former White House press secretary Sean Spicer as "always a gentleman" ("A chat with Sean Spicer right before his exit," Saturday), and I have no doubt that's true.

I've always felt kind of sorry for Spicer, as he labored to provide excuses and 180-perspectives for an administration that, thus far, has failed to uphold the most basic elements of its job for the American people. In fact, I'm actually surprised that it took Spicer this long to resign. Now, maybe, he can get a good night's sleep.

— Judy Sloss, Glenside, jsloss@comcast.net

On June 30, the Pennsylvania House passed a $32 billion budget for 2017-18, but we have not completed the revenue bills to support that spending and bridge a $2 billion budget gap ("Budget still isn't balanced," Thursday).

With Standard & Poor's threatening Pennsylvania with another credit downgrade, negotiations blew up last week. House Speaker Mike Turzai proposed closing the gap with a "no-new-taxes plan."

We learned the outline of that plan in a four-hour caucus Saturday: borrow more than $1.5 billion from the Pennsylvania's share of the tobacco settlement agreement; raid other restricted accounts of more than $650 million; and claim $50 million in liquor revenue.

The speaker's rationale: "I can assure you there are very few, if any, tax votes in the House on either the Republican or the Democratic side."

Not so. More than 70 percent of Pennsylvanians support a tax on Marcellus Shale. Nine House Republicans have authored severance tax plans, and 10 Democrats have sponsored proposals, including my House Bill 1624.
So, I offer this suggestion: Let us vote.

If the speaker thinks there is not a will for taxes, including a shale tax, he should not be afraid to bring one of those bills for a vote. Let the people see where their representatives fall on the issue: place a reasonable tax on our precious resource, or dig our hole deeper through borrowing — saddling future residents with the tab.

I urge the speaker to return to the table and in good faith negotiate a responsible revenue plan we can be proud of.

— Madeleine Dean, state representative, 153rd District, Abington, RepDean@pahouse.net

I thank Marybeth Hagan for writing the beautiful commentary about how her Aunt Sue died with love of family and with dignity ("Death with dignity, in embrace of family, faith," Sunday). I especially liked the last sentence: "God's fingerprints where all over it."

I can relate, since my wife died of cancer at the age of 51. She also died with dignity, love, and respect. She died on God's terms. She experienced peacefulness because she knew she was getting close to meeting her creator face-to-face. She did not need to make a choice when she wanted to die, because she knew the author of all life is the only one who can take it.

— John J. Donohue, Newtown Square