Valley News Forum for Sept. 29, 2023: Democrats and independents must act

We in New Hampshire play an important role in the presidential elections process. As the first-in-the-nation primary vote (still the case for Republicans) we can meet and question most of the candidates. More importantly, we may affect the outcome of the primary process by changing the momentum of a campaign.

Next year’s primary vote could be the most consequential of our lifetimes. Even though there is no official Democratic primary, Democrats and independents should not be on the sidelines in February. Donald Trump is on the ballot and must be stopped. I urge both groups to vote in the Republican primary for one of the alternatives. Our collective votes will have the most impact if we focus on one alternative candidate. I am not a partisan but believe that Chris Christie is the least objectionable choice. He is the only one who is standing up to Trump.

If you are an independent you may choose your ballot at the time of voting. If you are a registered Democrat you must change your party affiliation to independent by Oct. 6 to be eligible to vote in the Republican primary. You may do so at your town clerk’s office. For more information you may go to the New Hampshire Attorney General’s post at https://www.doj.nh.gov/news/2023/20230918-deadline-party-affiliation-primary.htm.

Some may say this is meddling in the affairs of another party, but all of us — Democrat, Republican and independent — will live with the consequences of the November 2024 vote and it is vital that we act now.

Michael Hillinger

Etna

Expressing my dissatisfaction with the headline:

“Police: Naked woman arrested after auto theft, crash, leap from interstate in Hartford” (www.vnews.com, Sept. 14)

Is it necessary that the leading phrase is “Naked woman”? As the article notes, the woman was likely in mental health crisis, seemingly “disconnected from her surroundings.”

I would expect better from your reports, and your editors. The article title seems to capitalize and sensationalize the woman’s distress, rather than provide more objective reporting.

Deborah Standafer

Lebanon, Ohio

formerly of Enfield and White River Junction

Thank you for opting to share with your readers Mr. Stimson’s thoughts on “objective truth” (“The importance of trust,” Sept. 24), although I’m not sure which perceived transgressions of “Leftists” he meant to impugn. Perhaps it’s the “patronizing, therapeutic, subjective kind” of math applied in counting the popular votes or the Electoral College votes in the 2020 election?

Whatever Mr. Stimson’s point was, I would think that the classic irony of his particular ad hominem line of criticism, in this particular era of our politics, might give pause to a more reflective writer before hitting “send.” Thank goodness anyway for freedom of speech, and freedom of the press.

Dodd Stacy

Etna