Debating the election results and the consequences
President Donald Trump keeps getting smaller and smaller. He is unwilling to turn over the keys to the White House.
Trump has strong-armed business opponents his whole life. Now he wants to strong-arm the American electorate. He is asking everyone who takes a breath to convert to the gospel of might, and leave behind the patriotic gospel of right. Not surprisingly, hirelings in his administration and cronies in the Congress “agree” with him.
America today is like Rome near its fall. Far too many of the citizenry are decadent, ignorant, and indifferent. The new Vandals and Goths — China and Russia — are biding their time at the margins, ready to pillage what is left of America.
Kimball Shinkoskey,
Woods Cross, Utah
Re: “Time to heal: Trump refuses to concede, first incumbent to lose since 1992,” Nov. 8 news story
The article states that as Trump was returning to the White House from his Virginia country club, his motorcade was met with “a cacophony of shouts, taunts and unfriendly hand gestures.” This from the loving, all-inclusive Biden supporters who are going to heal the divided country. Really?
Daniel J. Stewart, Lakewood
As a former immigrant and U.S. citizen observing the seemingly tireless efforts of our president to curtail the results of our election, it occurs to me that maybe if Trump had exerted half that effort toward the curtailment of our coronavirus pandemic, which has killed 240,000 (and counting) of American citizens, maybe, just maybe, we could all be a bit further along the way to truly “making America great again.” After all, voter suppression is the ultimate voter fraud. Every citizen must vote and every citizen’s vote must count and be counted. Otherwise, how can America call itself a democracy?
Leslie A. Howitt, Fort Collins
I had the honor to serve as a Douglas County Election Judge in this last election. It was my first time and I wanted to witness the process from behind the curtain. The rigorous processes included multiple safety checks and bipartisan involvement. I now have a clear understanding of how secure each and every vote is, and can say with total confidence that Colorado voters have nothing to fear regarding voter fraud. I’ve learned that Colorado has one the most secure, easy to use, and efficient voter systems in the country.
I find disturbing those who don’t understand the systems to protect their ballot shout fraud because they didn’t get the outcome they wanted from this election. Frankly, if there was going to be widespread voter fraud, it would have extended beyond the presidency and into state and local races too.
The only crime committed within this election has been wholesale voter suppression and the use of gerrymandering. After four years of hate, divisiveness and lies, we have an opportunity to begin to heal our nation, and ensure everyone who is eligible to vote can. Let’s celebrate and unite to regain America’s respect and leadership around the world.
Carol Sorensen, Lone Tree
I am surprised, but not surprised by the negative reactions from those who quite obviously do not or will not support Biden’s election, pointing to 2016 and trashing the rest of us with accusations of not accepting that election .Let me say, I voted for Biden, voted for Hillary Clinton, and felt electing Trump was a mistake (and said so at the time). 2016 did not go as I had hoped. However, I did want Trump to succeed in the Oval Office, because if he does, we do as a country. I just happen to also feel he did not succeed, for several reasons I will not go into here. My right and duty as a citizen and as a voter is to speak my mind, which I and 75 million others have. You need to accept that. End of story.
Gary Rauchenecker, Golden
Democrats, liberals and progressives were shocked when Donald Trump won a majority in the Electoral College in 2016, but they respected democracy and didn’t seek to cast doubt on the legitimacy of the vote. Hillary Clinton didn’t refuse to concede the election. She didn’t make baseless claims about non-existent fraud. Despite Trump’s unsupported charges of “irregularities” and frivolous lawsuits, Republicans and conservatives should now show the same respect for democracy that their opponents demonstrated four years ago. With few exceptions (e.g., Mitt Romney and George W. Bush), their actions since the election have shown only contempt for democracy and a willingness to cling to power at any cost.
Mark Vanderbrook, Morrison
Re: “Wait for the review,” Nov. 11 letter to the editor
The author compares the 2020 presidential election to a football game needing a replay review. President Trump’s lawsuits are not a “replay review.” They are an outright attempt to change the rules of the game just because he doesn’t like the score. The judges will continue to throw these lawsuits out because an election is determined by the people, not by the courts.
Warren Seyfert, Castle Pines
High-speed rail on Front Range? Who’s on board?
Re: “The need for speed,” Nov. 8 commentary
The commentary presented an inaccurate assessment of both Front Range passenger rail and the Southwest Chief & Front Range Passenger Rail Commission, which, teamed with the Colorado Department of Transportation, is framing up a Front Range passenger rail product for the public’s consideration. Having served on the commission for three years, I believe I can offer some perspective.
As Andy Bosselman says in his column, a commission survey in 2019 showed “overwhelming public support” for Front Range passenger rail. He didn’t report that 81% of respondents support regularly scheduled service between Fort Collins and Pueblo, and, 61% of respondents would support an unspecified sales tax increase to fund the project.
Bosselman is advised to read Colorado Senate Bill 153: the 2017 legislation creating the commission and its assignment. Per the legislation, stations are required in Fort Collins, Loveland, Longmont, Boulder, Denver, Castle Rock, Colorado Springs and Pueblo. Bypassing any of these communities is not an option. Connecting these stations with fast, reliable, consistent and comfortable service meeting the public’s needs, integrated with other public transit options at each stop, is not “wimpy commuter” service.
The assertion that sharing tracks with freight trains “would severely slow passenger trains” is misleading. Just check the ridership, on-time performance and numbers of trains run on similar shared passenger and freight regional rail corridors coast-to-coast today.
Labeling the commission as manifesting a “can’t do attitude” is insulting when describing a group of unpaid industry professionals, planners and community leaders who have stepped forward to provide their expertise.
Peter J. Rickershauser, Denver
I agree there needs to be a high-speed rail service for Colorado. When RTD Fastracks begin expanding the light rail, I knew it wouldn’t keep its promises because using the light rail or high-speed electric trains cost too much money to maintain and build. The biggest problem with those options is they run along the ground. As a result, you lose money using old technology and building bridges, and you worry about people and vehicles crossing the tracks.
With so much growth in the state and houses going up everywhere, the only solution is to build off the ground. This the 21 century; we need a monorail or maglev system.
Since a monorail is off the ground, it has no inference with freight trains or traffic. You could use the same path over the railroad tracks, so the freight trains run underneath. And, since a monorail or maglev uses only pillars to hold it up, it won’t be in the way of people or cars.
The choice is to keep relying on old technology and lose money or build off the ground using monorail or maglev and gain money. It’s like when you buy any appliance or technology — you can either buy the cheapest one only to have to perform regular maintenance on it or buy the expensive one and let it pay for itself in the long run.
Keep losing money on old technology or live in the future and gain money and save?
Nathaniel Lampman, Denver
As I grow older every year, I anxiously await a high-speed rail that will take me to friends and relatives along the Front Range! We have traveled extensively in Europe and know how wonderful their systems are. Get rid of whatever is keeping us so backward. I love Colorado! I have been a resident for 50 years. But, our awful transportation system, ie. I-25, is a disgrace! Please, get moving in a better direction!
Margaret Lubbers, Colorado Springs
I encourage the Front Range Passenger Rail Commission to consider a high-speed train from Fort Collins to Pueblo. We have got to get increasing numbers of polluting vehicles off I-25. But, like Andy Bosselman writes, it must be done right or it will not be used by enough people.
Carol Carpenter, Denver
To send a letter to the editor about this article, submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by email or mail.
Source: Read Full Article