Letters:
When Rep. Joe Sestak addressed the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the group was working with the FBI, a pretty good credential for a congressman to base a decision on whether to accept an invitation to speak to its local chapter.
Candidates must speak to all groups
When Rep. Joe Sestak addressed the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the group was working with the FBI, a pretty good credential for a congressman to base a decision on whether to accept an invitation to speak to its local chapter.
As an elected official, Sestak represents everyone in his district, including people with whom he may disagree. It is a sign of his maturity that he is willing to listen to everyone. I have seen him tell a pro-Palestinian constituent that he would continue to support Israel - not a typical vote-getting political move.
If more of us would stop to listen and to respect our fellow citizens with whom we may disagree, our society would be stronger. Preaching only to the choir is not a way to move America out of its partisan hysteria. Our elected officials must be free to speak where and to whom they will.
Kenneth Gorelick
Newtown Square
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CAIR articles were self-serving
As a Jewish, somewhat left-of-center Democrat who is very supportive of Israel, I was most interested in your coverage of the Sestak-Council on American-Islamic Relations issue ("Sestak and CAIR: Scandal or silly season?," Thursday). However, I am no more enlightened now than I was before reading the material. The well-written piece from CAIR gave the CAIR perspective of itself, and the Benyamin Korn piece came from a strong supporter of Sarah Palin. Certainly, no one supporting Palin would have a remote interest in voting for Joe Sestak (especially against Pat Toomey), no matter what his position was on Israel.
The Inquirer would better serve its readers by providing analysis of important issues as opposed to self-serving opinion.
Claire Newman
Elkins Park
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Progressing backward
I am trying to comprehend the notion of a "dangerous progressive," which was Sen. Jeff Sessions' description of Elena Kagan. By definition,
progressive
is incremental motion forward. The Alabama senator obviously doesn't like the status quo, so presumably he favors motion in another direction.
If he wants a regressive Supreme Court justice, he should say so. How far back do you want to go, Sen. Sessions? To 1950, before the civil rights movement? To 1900, before women had the vote? To 1850, before the Emancipation Proclamation? Tell us what you really mean, Sen. Sessions. Don't hide behind a code that twists the meaning of a perfectly respectable word.
Dale Kinney
Bala Cynwyd
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Disclose Act would violate rights
Your editorial badly misstates the intent and effect of the Disclose Act ("Secret Santas playing politics," Thursday).
The bill was completely unnecessary because current law already requires disclosure of contributions made to fund advertisements. What Disclose would have done was forced citizen groups like the Sierra Club and National Right to Life to reveal all of their donors above a rather low level, including donors who gave not to fund advertisements but because they support other work by the group, or who simply gave to support the general fund of the group.
The bill perversely would have required donors to film stand-by-your-ad statements stating that they approved of the ad, even if they had nothing to do with it or even opposed it!
The bill also tilted in favor of unions, traditional allies of the Democrats, while prohibiting any political speech by thousands of corporations. The Senate was right to reject this unconstitutional and partisan assault on the First Amendment.
Sean Parnell
President
Center for Competitive Politics
Alexandria, Va.
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Make cuts in DROP
How interesting that City Finance Director Rob Dubow was quick to direct his ire at contentions in the Paul Davies column regarding a lack of budget cuts ("Philadelphia has made deep cuts in spending," letter, Thursday).
I can't help but wonder if Dubow will express similar outrage over Ralph Cipriano's recent column about Philadelphia's shameful and outrageous DROP program - the one that permits elected officials to become set for life, simply by "retiring" for one day.
This sham - pointed out in Cipriano's piece - has been lauded by Mayor Nutter as a "good management tool." That pathetic response only establishes that the mayor - normally a clear-thinking individual - has abandoned that normalcy to become a management tool himself.
Stephen R. Schwartz
Medford
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Blame business for immigrants
The right question is not being asked about immigration. How long have the immigration laws been in effect, and why doesn't the federal government enforce these laws? Could the reason be that illegal immigrants are, and have been, hired widely by businesses? This cheap labor has become so ingrained in commerce that a great force interdicts against any change. This is morally reprehensible.
Richard Lamb
Kennett Square