We can do better
For the publisher,
What are we humans? What do we agree on? There must be something. In this country, do we agree on a peaceful transition of power? In this country, do we value and trust every vote? We have had a hotly contested election since Jefferson and John Adams. Our Constitution did not provide for political parties. We ended up with two, which is not surprising as England basically has two.
When have we been so divided? Can we work together on what we agree on?
I suggest we never had a president not to concede when he lost a thoroughly vetted election to Donald Trump. He couldn’t believe he could lose and convinced by skillful propaganda that he had not lost. Our democracy could have been shattered by its 45th president with a violent takeover of the Capitol that left several dead. Our democracy has held up. The election was certified.
Putin in Russia, Duterte in the Philippines, the military coup in Myanmar, Xi Jinping of China is in power year after year. These dictators imprison opponents, violently suppress dissent, promote judicial executions and modify constitutions, if any, to stay in power.
Please join me, whether you think Trump should be impeached or not, for valuing our democracy and asserting that the people elect a president every four years, representatives every two years and senators every six years, governors in every state. Can we agree that every state and federal building is safe because that is what we Republicans and Democrats and Independents are. We can do better.
Leslie Newman
Spring lake
It is time to move on
For the publisher,
I understand that Geri McCaleb has done a lot of good things over the years in Grand Haven and the Tri-Cities area. We’ve heard Geri McCaleb’s views three times in The Tribune as a community columnist on how she thinks the presidential election was ‘stolen from Donald Trump’, just as we’ve heard the same claim that seems a million times from Donald Trump himself. Now is the time for all Americans yes, even Geri McCaleb to recognize that Joe Biden is our new duly elected president.
The votes have been counted and recounted. The election results were certified, despite many attempts by Trump to intimidate election officials into “finding more votes for him.” This includes pressuring his own vice president, Mike Pence, not to certify the election results, as well as sending a crowd to the Capitol on January 6 to try to stop the certification of the votes of the electoral college. Fortunately, Pence did his duty as Vice President and certified that Joe Biden was our duly elected President.
Now is the time to move on to a new presidency, as we have done every four years in the history of our great nation.
God bless America and our 46th US President Joe Biden!
Phil king
Spring lake
Don’t steal future generations
For the publisher,
The cities of Grand Haven and Holland are both making major decisions that will determine their long-term carbon footprint. Wedged between the two cities is a huge and filthy Consumers Energy coal-fired power plant, which will potentially continue to pollute the air 20 years before it is decommissioned.
Western Michigan cannot tolerate the commissioning of yet another fossil-fueled power plant, such as the new natural gas-fired plant proposed for Harbor Island. Holland is already starting to talk about converting its brand new natural gas plant to a greener fuel source in the future. In the meantime, could Grand Haven have a wholesale relief deal with Holland for back-up electricity needs?
The proposed Grand Haven BLP natural gas plant is a bad business decision, but more importantly poses a dire ethical dilemma. Please do not deprive future generations of their environmental human rights. Make the right decision for western Michigan and our planet.
Laura judge
Holland
