A Tri-City Herald letter writer is concerned for the U.S. if Trump is elected in 2024 | Opinion

Still in danger of becoming fascist

In an interview with The Guardian published on Nov. 24, sociologist and activist Frances Fox Piven warned U.S. voters should stay vigilant after the midterms. She warned that Americans should not get too complacent about the midterm elections, when a widely-anticipated red wave for the Republican Party failed to materialize.

Piven told The Guardian, “The United States was well on the road to becoming a fascist country – and it still can become a fascist country.”

That the U.S. could come under fascist governance has been previously discussed, sometimes with reference to former President Donald Trump. Former Trump lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen warned in October that Trump is a standard bearer for corrupt dictator wannabes and a “poster boy for fascism.”

The concern that the U.S. could become a fascist country is also expressed by other academics.

In January, noted political scientist Thomas Homer-Dixon warned that American democracy could collapse if Trump wins in 2024. In an op-ed in The Globe and Mail, Homer-Dixon, who describes himself as a “scholar of violent conflict,” warned that the U.S. is becoming “increasingly ungovernable.” He also predicted that the U.S. could “descend into civil war” if it continues on its current path.

William Petrie, Richland

Whose God, whose church?

John Trumbo (12/21) tells us that, “The salvation of ourselves can be found in the words “Under God.”

We must “Turn toward the God of our forefathers.”

If he isn’t pandering to his base, and is correct, how do we do this?

Force people to go to church? Which church?

Use lie-detectors to weed out “unbelievers?”

Why does God tell different people, different things?

Look at all the different religions, denominations, churches, congregations.

Look at all the books written explaining God and books authored by Him.

Do ALL God(s)/Religions count?

Does “a belief in God” lead to peace, and enlightenment?

For our “God-fearing forefathers” often not.

Slavery existed for centuries. Jefferson had over a hundred (i.e., Sally Hemings), and once was told that Washington didn’t want him on his property.

Our forefathers didn’t always get along.

They fought over the Articles of Confederation, discarded them, then fought over the “Constitution,” barely finishing it. Fought in duels.

Women couldn’t vote, or own property. Native Americans were considered “savages,” then we massacred them. Fellow Americans were burned alive for being witches.

As hard as cooperation and compromise may be, I still think I prefer them to a theocracy, as did our forefathers.

D.L. (Andy Anderson), Richland

Special projects fill spending bill

Well they socked it to us again. More spending of taxpayer money for their special projects. They could not pass a bill without their special wish list attached. Like good OLD Nancy Pelosi getting a building named after her. She needs to take her big pension and health care back to San Francisco. Maybe she could find a nursing home with good OLD Biden. And the list of those projects in the $1.7 trillion is very interesting. These so-called government employees sure know how to get rich on our dollars.

Nancy Ballard, Richland

100 years ago, GOP progressive

One hundred years ago, Republicans in the U.S. House voted nine times before finally elevating Frederick H. Gillett to Speaker of the House.

The issue complicating Gillett’s election? A small group of Progressive Republican representative-elects were agitating for the majority to include their goals in the party platform: campaign finance reform; social insurance to provide for the elderly, the unemployed, and the disabled; an 8-hour workday; a minimum wage law; workers compensation; a federal securities commission; and an inheritance tax, among other issues. They also wanted America’s wild lands preserved for future generations.

Now, the small group opposing McCarthy is intent on reversing all of these policies. They’ve already succeeded in eliminating one of them.

Republicans are funny people.

Mark Sweeney, Richland