President Donald Trump won’t acknowledge the sins of America’s past, nor the work we still need to do to overcome them. That’s behind his false claim that Joe Biden wants to indoctrinate America’s children with lies that would make them loath their country. Now, he’s promised that, if re-elected, he’d create a commission to promote “patriotic education” to assure that our children are told a story of America that will inspire them to love it.
The president doesn’t understand what every citizen should remember — that when our founders set out to form our country, they recognized that their creation wasn’t perfect. Every generation would need to work to make it better. One of America’s greatest strengths comes from our willingness to do that work — to recognize injustice, struggle to overcome it, then recognize that still more work needs to be done and commit to do it. Our greatness lies in a truth that our founders articulated but couldn’t fulfill — that all people are created equal — that, thankfully, abolitionists, suffragettes, civil rights protesters, women’s rights advocates, gay rights activists and others have moved us closer to fulfilling. Truly “patriotic education” must include that story.
STEVE GEHLERT
West Newbury
Granite Staters elect representatives to create laws that better our communities. Last session, members of the New Hampshire House and Senate researched, debated, compromised and passed legislation — the will of the people. That legislation arrived on Gov. Chris Sununu’s desk: health care expansions, paid family leave, eviction protections, gun reform, abortion rights, PFAS monitoring, voting rights, net metering enhancements, increased minimum wage and an independent redistricting commission.
Yet this legislation never became law. Last year, Sununu vetoed 57 bills — the record for a single year. This year, Sununu vetoed 22 bills — the record for a single legislative session. Democratic Gov. John Lynch held the previous record of 15 vetoes in a single year, and that took place when there was a Republican-controlled Statehouse. Sununu has vetoed more bills while in office (86 by my count) than New Hampshire governors did in the previous 13 years combined.
Granite Staters realize our governor is an outlier — among his gubernatorial peers for vetoing bills that resulted from overwhelming bipartisan support, and for vetoing bills that reached his desk not once, but twice.
The duty of our governor is to listen to the will of the people when it speaks clearly with one voice, otherwise our government loses legitimacy.
Gov. Sununu’s repeated failure to heed the call of our citizen representatives is concerning. Even more problematic is Sununu’s scandalous penchant for fundraising on this blatant dereliction of duty.
History tells us that outlier governors are quickly relieved of their office by citizens who demand a government that works with and for them. This election season, it is the duty of our citizenry to hold Chris Sununu accountable to New Hampshire by voting for Dan Feltes. What could be more patriotic than to insist that our government reflect the will of the people?
Make a plan, register, request an absentee ballot and return it early, or vote safely at the polls on Nov. 3.
MARY A. HAKKEN-PHILLIPS
Hanover
The writer is a candidate for the New Hampshire House from the Grafton 12 district.
If Judge Amy Coney Barrett has any integrity, in light of the severe level of controversy, she will recuse herself at this time from a Supreme Court seat. She will wait until after the election to see if she is again nominated for the seat.
VICKI WARD
Barnard
Fellow residents of Cavendish and Weathersfield, Nov. 3 is fast approaching. By now you have received literature about my candidacy for state representative for the Windsor 2 district. My website is mikekellforvermonthouse. Please email me if you have any questions.
As a school administrator, my career has involved working with various communities. Building community consensus through public meetings has been my strength. Hearing student, parent and community voices as a school administrator has equipped me for the work we must all do to have our rural community represented in Montpelier. I have met many of you while going door to door. If elected, I will hold a town meeting shortly thereafter. I will have monthly town meetings once the legislative session begins. These communications will be a matter of business during the legislative sessions.
I will not succumb to Chittenden County pressure. I will voice our concerns in Montpelier. I will, via consensus, represent the hard-working Vermonters in our district. I look forward to hearing from you and meeting with members our community.
It will be my privilege to represent Weathersfield and Cavendish in the next legislative session. I have been endorsed by the Vermont chapter of the National Association of Social Workers.
MIKE KELL
Reading, Vt.
My (almost) lighthearted questions for the day: Wouldn’t this be the perfect time to not mess with the time? Where on earth do we send our heartfelt, desperate suggestion that daylight saving time be left alone, at least for this year? Why are we making these days any darker than they already are? Is it possible to save the day? I ask the last one with an eye wide open for the future of everything.
JOAN ECKER
Quechee