Editor,
How can a constitutional democracy survive when one branch of government operates with, apparently, no consequence or being held to account for the responsibility or their oath of office? The executive branch is populated with many positions held by nonsenate-confirmed officers. And that branch of government enjoys its outside-of-the-law status at the very time where so many of its “policies” are enacted and carried out.
Now with the national election nearing in the middle of a pandemic, the executive decides to “have its will” and emaciate our postal system.
Where — where is the check on this conduct?
To say it lies with the forthcoming election where people are most anxious to cast their vote, only to realize that very process, itself, being subverted by this executive branch is the truest definition of insanity.
“We the people” means “we the people.” It does not mean “you folks in the executive.”
Has our Constitution arrived at a point where it can no longer be counted upon to provide our right to suffrage?
We have witnessed time and again how its deliberate design to allow for a thoughtful (if time-consuming) process to further proper government has been taken advantage of by “quick,” “slick,” “sleight of hand” actions performed by this executive, thereby bypassing any constraint of those proper “checks” provided for.
However, I will, indeed, perform my civic duty and vote, by mail or otherwise.
But ... I can only wonder if it will be counted. If it isn’t ... what’s next?
John Petrovitz
South San Francisco
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(18) comments
John- we the people elected Donald J Trump president of the United States of America and we the people will vote him in as president again this November. MAGA, Trump 2020.
As usual, Chris, you continue touting the same nonsense about keeping Trump in the WH, apparently without understanding a word of the LTE you respond to! John makes some very good points, obvious to the steadily expanding majority of us who clearly understand that Trump has already done enough damage to be kept out of Government for good, and preferably in jail for the rest of his miserable, destructive life.
Thanks for not calling me a derogatory name this time Jorg, appreciate it.
Dump Trump 2020. Remember "maga" means "easily fooled idiot" when translated in Nigerian. We the people will not make the same mistake. Christopher, be sure to schedule your mental heath appointment for November 4th, you will certainly need it.
Taffy - you are the one easily fooled. The President is making a distinction between absentee and mail in ballots. Absentee ballots are requested by the voter, the others are just sent out regardless of voter status. Also, the Postmaster had already said that his operation is not being curtailed and that the pictures of removed mailboxes dated from the Obama era. Don't believe everything that Jorg and CNN tell you.
Oh, you are welcome, CNN! We're BOTH in honest, well informed company!
Well, Tafhdyd, - I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if the ignorant, fact-challenged Trumsters still left when Trump loses in a predictable, glorious landslide, will blindly believe him when he cries “rigged!” It may take a while to sort it all out, and the true believers (i.e. the most gullible, easily fooled ones) will be the last ones to accept it and understand that Trump going down is the only solution for a country damaged by his idiotic reign. I even bet, some will never get it! Some beliefs are incurable!
Jorg- were you born in this country? The reason why I ask is I would never immigrate to another country and call the people who have been their for years ignorant and fact challenged and many other unflattering and derogatory names. You really are a global elitist. Such a bad look on a human being, I think it is people like you who are giving SOME immigrants a bad name in America.
Taffy- MAGA- means Make America Great Again. Coined by Trump for Americans. This isn't Nigeria even though you might want to make us that. .
For once, I agree with you, Chris! After 4 destructive, embarrassing years under the inept Trump minority administration, the steadily increasing majority of us who are better informed, and who care about this country, would really like to Make America Great Again!
For your information, Chris, I had no choice, but was lucky enough to be born in Norway, a country where baby boys are protected against unnecessary messing with their precious, nature-given body parts, where all have universal health care, and where you may have top education for free, which benefitted me, since I came from somewhat modest background. I was invited over here because of my science background, but only intended to stay for a couple of years. I felt I began to understand the country and decided to give it another year, - then another, and before I knew it, I was firmly established here, and have nothing to complain about, personally. But, today, I understand even less of the country, and can’t for the life of me understand how we could end up with someone so incompetent, immoral and untrustworthy as Trump in the most important position in the world. Now, we must try our best to Make America Great Again!
Christopher,
A long time ago I said maga really meant Make America Hate Again because of the racist and divisive comments by Trump. I don't speak Spanish and only know a few words like cerveza and por favor. I also know that in some situations the G is pronounced like H so in my translation maga is Make America Hate Again.
Hello, John
I feel the biggest potential negative impacts of mail-in ballots may come from the postal service just being overwhelmed and voters' unfamiliarity with the mail-in voting process. Millions of ballots have been either misdelivered or rejected... sometimes for missing postmarks... since 2012. Some of those rejected mail-in ballots were not properly signed or filled out by the voter. No one want to see good ballots set aside.
But the checks that our constitutional republic has in place will protect us in the event the voting system is overwhelmed and the time needed for counting votes is extended beyond January 20, 2021. The 20th Amendment gives Congress the authority to decide who will be sworn in as president, and federal statute allows the speaker to act temporarily as president until that determination is made.
The pandemic has thrown our 2020 election a couple of curve balls, but voting in person can overcome the potential problems associated with mail-in ballots, and the CDC has issued guidelines for those who prefer to deliver their ballot to a polling place or cast their vote in person on election day.
As you pointed out in your letter, voting in person is a viable alternative. And going back to 2012, as was pointed out by the New York Times, "votes cast my mail are less likely to be counted, more likely to be compromised and more likely to be contested than those cast in a voting booth."
Ray Fowler
Redwood City
Hello Ray, miss you at Nob Hill. The local and most other city USPS facilities are not overwhelmed. Your method is the best but mail in ballots will work fine also. The news that they are overwhelmed is propaganda.
Conway--what's upon with you and your xenophobic remarks, asking Jorg if he was born in this country? That's the second time you've used such comments. You sound more and more like Trump every day, which is not a compliment. Hard to believe Serra taught you to be xenophobic. I thought it was a Christian school.
Tommy T, it doesn't involve you. Jorg is many things but I do think of him as an intellectual unlike yourself. What I said to him does not offend him as it does you. I am incapable of offending Jorg nor do I wish to offend him. Let Jorg, talk for himself Tommy T, and when you are not part of the conversation, let people who want to advance the conversation intellectually have their turn without nonsensical interruption. Thank you
I wouldn’t worry about what Chris thinks about my origin, TT. I’m used to it, and based on some photos of me with a deep sun burn, I have been “accused” of coming anywhere from Mexico and Philippines, to Russia and the Mid-East, also classified as partial black or brown! I have also been strongly encouraged to take a hike to a very, very hot imaginary place, far, far away from the cold North I came from, a birth place I had no say in picking, just sheer luck. But I do know I have brought a lot to this country, including successful offspring who has been very good for the US economy, including the trade balance. On the other hand, what would this country have been without immigrants?
Parochial school
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