By lamenting the lack of Republicans in Biden’s administration, letter writer Larry Penner (April 5) is engaging in precisely the type of demagoguery he accuses Biden of.
First, I don’t care if the person is Republican or Democrat; I care that (s)he is qualified for the position.
Second, prior to the presidential election there were nine parties with ballot status in New York state. Thanks to relatively recently passed legislation, that number has been reduced to four. Why isn’t the author lamenting the demise of five parties with ballot status? Why isn’t he lamenting none of them being appointed, especially given that the author in the past has taken decidedly Libertarian positions?
Third, the author mentioning Obama’s pick for Transportation secretary being a Republican is really a subtle criticism of Pete Buttigieg being picked for the job. Yet in an opinion piece published in the Jewish Voice on Christmas Day, the author’s lament is not that Buttigieg is a Democrat but that he lacks experience to manage thousands of employees. Which is it?
Fourth, instead of moaning and whining and being a “keyboard warrior” (his right under the First Amendment), why doesn’t the author run for office? Federal law prohibits me from running for partisan paid office, but I can run for unpaid party position. I gathered 10 signatures for district leader and a few Saturdays ago spent three hours at County HQ putting petitions together.
My mother in New Mexico attends meetings of the Dona Ana County Democrats, was just appointed chair of Mesquite Democrats, and until about seven years ago when macular degeneration, which is fortunately under arrest, took some of her vision worked as a poll worker. I disagree virulently with her politics but admire tremendously the fact that at 88 she is doing something.
What does the author do other than writing sometimes fact-devoid, conflicting opinion pieces that tell us about TANSTAAFL or H. Wellington Wimpy or “why not…..,” many of which (in my opinion) are nothing more than a temporary satisfaction of his never ending desire to see his name in print?
Has the author run for district leader, state committee, party chair? Has he explored running for state Assembly or state Senate rather than engaging in never-ending complaining about Andrew Cuomo or the MTA? And why isn’t the author giving kudos to Buttigieg for approving an environmental review that is the first step towards the congestion pricing the author, an alleged transportation advocate, has been relentlessly advocating?
Nat Weiner
Bronx
