To the Editor:

The new Congress just kicked off, and already Republicans like Chuck Edwards in the House are betraying the voters. When they aren’t too busy fighting among themselves, the new MAGA leadership is pushing harmful policies like cutting Social Security and Medicare, giving tax breaks to the rich, gutting the office that oversees ethics requirements, and criminalizing women’s health care.

It’s also clear that Kevin McCarthy (and the right-wing extremists that he cut a deal with to become Speaker) will spend the next two years sabotaging President Biden rather than getting anything done. Americans deserve a Congress that works for us, not just for themselves and their wealthy cronies.

Betsy Swift, Sylva

Not enamored with new leadership

To the Editor:

I hope those who voted for our new sheriff and county commissioners are happy. I see trouble ahead.

The new sheriff didn’t have the guts to personally fire employees that he no longer wanted in his new administration. He went about it by inviting those he wanted to stay to his swearing in ceremony. If you didn’t get an invitation, well you knew your fate. And it came during the holiday season. A true leader would tell the employee in person.

Concerning the newly elected commissioners, some of them don’t seem too informed. One new commissioner questioned whether the school superintendent intended to use funding to put litter boxes in schools for students who identify as animals as the Transylvania County school board supposedly voted to. Surely he knows litter boxes in schools is a social media rumor and our neighbors in Transylvania did no such thing. Elected officials need to research issues and get their facts straight and not believe everything they hear.

The new commissioners also don’t seem to keep up with what the town of Sylva is doing. When town officials presented their request for a municipal grant to fund some new art projects, some commissioners seemed to think upgrading Bryson Park was more important. Yes, that is an important project, but the mudslide above it has affected the upgrades. The town now has over $5 million to address the mudslide and the park upgrades. It has been covered in local newspapers for quite a while now. Apparently, they don’t take the time to read about local issues. And then they go so far as to say that art projects need to be “family friendly.”

There are different kinds of family structures, and art means different things to different people. Apparently they want our town and county to exclude some.

Do we really want leaders like this? Think about it next election.

Betty Dishman, Sylva

To the Editor:

The other day I reread the Second Amendment: “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State …” Those words are the opening clause. I wondered why the word Militia was/is capitalized. What was meant by the words “well regulated?” What is the significance of the word “necessary?” What did the writers mean by “the security of a free State…?”

When I see a bumper sticker or window decal purporting to support the Second Amendment I wonder if the owner knows the first clause. Does he/she support the entire amendment or merely the second part “…the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed.”

Why has Congress never set up a “well regulated Militia”? If it was deemed “necessary” in 1791 why is it not still necessary? What “Arms” were citizens given the right to keep and bear? How could they have envisioned AK-47s and AR-15s that people currently have the right to keep and bear?

What would the constitutional framers say to those who have been murdered with rapid-fire weapons? To their parents who grieve? To relatives and friends? To you and me? Where would they see a line separating “the security of a free State” and the need for individual security to go to school or feel safe in a house of worship? Would they suggest we merely throw up our hands and claim there’s nothing we can do/we must protect the right to own any weapon?

Is it not high time we look at the Second Amendment and use the provision for a “well regulated Militia” to work for the security of all Americans? At the moment we seem hell bent on guaranteeing some the right to “keep and bear Arms” when that right clearly endangers others. Are we helpless? Let’s make the Second Amendment work in the 21st Century!

No, I am not suggesting that we confiscate people’s guns. I own five. None are rapid-fire. Yet, we could use the amendment itself to work for the security of all. We need a “well regulated Militia” in this century.

Dave Waldrop, Webster

Says Buchanan has right leadership tools

To the Editor:

Rick Buchanan, candidate for Jackson County sheriff has served under four different sheriffs during his career. Through those years he has gained workable knowledge of all duties and obligations of the office of sheriff.

Rick has the leadership skills and the ability to work with the citizens of Jackson County to arrive at solutions to the problems we face. The office of sheriff is “of the people and for the people.” As our sheriff, Rick will humbly serve the people with integrity.

I am expressing my support for him as our next sheriff of Jackson County. Rick became a member of my department in 1991, and has dedicated himself to serve the citizens of Jackson County as a sworn office for 31 years.

I am asking you to vote for Rick Buchanan on Tuesday, Nov. 8, to ensure the people of Jackson County continue to have the best possible leadership in the office of sheriff.

Bob Allen, Sylva

Allen is a former Jackson County sheriff.

Vote against election deniers, for democracy

To the Editor:

If Donald Trump is so smart, if he loves America as much as he claims, why did he not show us the “election flaws” in 2016? As you recall he won that hotly contested election. Yet, for the next three years he said and did nothing. He had the ideal position to analyze the process, identify flaws (and there are some) and recommend changes that would strengthen democracy.

Then as the 2020 election approached, he began his rant about the possibility of a rigged election, still with no suggestion of how to make it more secure. Does this sound patriotic to you? Is there any hint that Donald Trump was working for democracy?

Why no action to secure the election system in the face of an election which he lost massively? Here’s the simple yet dangerous truth: Donald Trump is the “hood ornament” of a national movement to re-write our Constitution in favor of the wealthiest individuals and businesses. There are various groups working relentlessly at this endeavor. They are right-leaning in political philosophy. Many at the worker level are your neighbors. Some know what the goal is. Others are merely loyal Republicans or independents who hope for the best for America.

Now, hope won’t save democracy. Americans need to study democracy and decide if they/we actually want to keep our form of government. If not, then vote however you want. If you do cherish democracy, then vote against election deniers. A big hint here – most of them are Republican. I doubt that there has ever been an election that was perfect. But near-perfect elections will uphold democracy. Merely harping about a few flaws is only meant to undermine the process.

Let’s identify the election deniers and vote against them. Vote for democracy!

Dave Waldrop, Webster

Cheri Beasley is the better choice

To the Editor:

Along with voters of both political parties, I am concerned with the future of democracy and the form of government that has given the citizens of our country freedoms and rights that are protected by the United States Constitution.

Many times, these rights are challenged, and at times they become clarified or in some cases seemingly expanded or diminished. Most recently, many women, in particular, have questioned their equality under the laws since the SCOTUS decision overturning Roe v. Wade. This decision has added to the partisan fray that has been explosive, unyielding and downright destructive over the last few elections. It seems our U.S. Congress has been paralyzed in its lawmaking duties and problem-solving role while wrestling with partisan nonsense. No one benefits from this, other than perhaps, the participants in the fray.

We are facing yet another election cycle that seems to be nothing but a repeat of accusations of leaning too this way, or too that way, with the intent to scare a voter into voting with fear, rather than making a rational, thoughtful decision on how to cast their votes.

We should be looking at policy preferences, ability to perform the job, and most important the willingness to do a job for all of their constituents. The U.S. Senate seat is a good example of the candidates that offer choices of voting out of fear versus voting to choose a candidate that will provide thoughtful, balanced input to legislation.

Cheri Beasley is a former N.C. Supreme Court Chief Justice. Sitting on the bench forces an individual to balance facts and law and reach a conclusion that is fair and just.

Contrast this to her irresponsible opponent who skipped U.S. Congress floor votes to attend a CPAC convention. Additionally, Beasley’s opponent is a member of the Freedom Caucus. This a tip-off that a vote for that candidate will be a continuation of the shenanigans that have been ongoing since the early days of Mark Meadows. And we now know where that led us.

So, instead it seems like voting for a candidate that took an oath to justice and had to balance the interests of divergent points of view would give North Carolina a voice of wisdom that could represent us to accomplish the legislating that needs to get done.

Pam Krauss, Webster

Al Platt will be terrific state representative for NC 119

To the Editor:

Al Platt will be a terrific N.C. 119 District representative. Al is an upstanding, respected and successful businessman, a family man and community advocate from Brevard.

If elected, Al will work hard to serve the needs of the people in Jackson, Transylvania and Swain counties. He will vote to expand Medicaid to help working families have healthcare while creating jobs and strengthening rural economies.

Al knows we don’t have a shortage of teachers, rather a shortage of people who are willing to be underpaid, overworked and disrespected. He knows how hard teachers work and how important they are to our children’s education.

He believes our climate is changing, that we still have a chance to change things and leave our planet better than we found it. Al believes our democracy is important!

Al’s opponent, incumbent Mike Clampitt, has proclaimed being a proud Oath Keeper for years. He only spoke out to say he didn’t condone the Oath Keeper participation in the Jan. 6, 2021 Insurrection after his name publicly appeared on a leaked Oath Keeper membership list in the fall of 2021. Clampitt is now saying he hasn’t been a dues-paying member of the group for several years. It seems to me being a member, at any point, of a group like the Oath Keepers that has consistently espoused extreme conspiratorial anti-government rhetoric since its founding should be disqualifying. Publicly distancing one’s self from the group only after a failed coup shouldn’t absolve them from the consequences of past membership.

Can we really trust Clampitt to uphold our fragile democracy? Vote for Democracy. Vote for Al Platt for NC House District 119.

Carolyn Cagle, Sylva

Democracy is a fragile thing

To the Editor:

In his Oct. 6 Opinion piece, “You’re not entitled to your own set of facts,” Tom Campbell wonders where the voices of the silent majority are. I think I’ll toss my voice into the ring.

The far right wing of the Republican party has always had more than its share of delusional people: anti-vaxers, hollow-earthers, people who think the Apollo moon landings were faked and those poor souls who believed that the world would end on a particular date at a particular time and sold all their possessions in anticipation.

With the rise of the internet, these kindred spirits found a home. We now have people who believe that the Democrats are running a ring devoted to the kidnapping, sexual abuse and cannibalization of children. Seriously, you can’t make this stuff up. Now, exactly the same kind of delusional thinking has arrived in the form of the Big Lie; the idea that Donald Trump actually won the 2020 election and had it stolen from him by a vast conspiracy.

This is now mainstream Republican thought and is being used vigorously by almost all candidates. This is terrifying. If they do well in the coming election, Republicans will see this as a viable strategy and we will never again witness the smooth transition of power that this country has been proud of. Every result the Republicans don’t approve of (those they lose) will be litigated to death.

I think most people believe that our democracy is a strong one, buttressed by our Constitution and the division of powers between the legislative, executive and judicial branches. This is far from the truth. Our democracy is a fragile thing. It is supported by the good will of men and women who put their country above their politics. Well, we just lost half of them.

John McMacken, Cullowhee

We can’t afford Scott’s proposal

To the Editor:

Sen. Rick Scott, R-Florida, chair of the Senate Republican Coordinating Committee who is responsible for electing Republican senators in 2022, came up with a Plan to Rescue America which seems to have a varying number of points. The presumption is that newly elected Republican senators will embrace and support his plan. His plan contains most of the MAGA talking points, a few I want to mention here.

On the one hand he wants to cut taxes on the people who are paying them, i.e. those making more than the standard deduction, which is a common Republican means to increase the debt. But his initial companion (since rescinded) proposal was to tax all those Americans making less than the standard deduction. That was somewhat watered down to encourage all Americans under 60 to work and pay taxes. Another one of his callous proposals is to put all laws on the chopping block every five years, including Social Security and Medicare, as a way to do away with them, another MAGA dream.

This would also put the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Safe Drinking Water Act and numerous other important statues at risk. In addition, he links conservative religious doctrine and science in a rather bizarre way. He would have children recite the Pledge of Allegiance, salute the flag, and learn that America is a great county, despite SCOTUS decisions that do not force these requirements. The Senator would eliminate diversity training and any recognition/acknowledgment of past wrongs based on race or other characteristics. All in all, a MAGA wish list.

I don’t know that Ted Budd has officially adopted or endorsed this plan, but the Senate Republican Coordinating Committee is expecting newly elected Republican senators to support it. We can’t afford this plan in North Carolina and the only way to stop it is to elect Cheri Beasley (D) as North Carolina’s next senator on Nov. 8.

Eric Myers, Sylva

Reader tells why he’s backing Buchanan

I want to share a personal story. I have a different perspective than a lot of people in Jackson County.

For many years I was an addict. I know the struggles of addiction and how much someone may want to get clean, but just can’t. I have been there. I was arrested many times and I remember being interviewed by Rick Buchanan very often. The one thing that sticks out in my mind is he always took the time to encourage me and offer help to me to stop using drugs. Rick was always compassionate even though he still had a job to do.

Rick understands the drug crisis in Jackson County and what must be done to fight this epidemic that has affected so many families. Rick Buchanan made a difference in my life and this is why he is my choice for sheriff.

Daniel Wallace, Sylva