Minority rule is eroding democracy
Do you think it would be possible that we are headed to minority rule in America? Ha! Trick question, because we are already there.
The definition of a democracy is social equality and majority rule but look at this.
In state after state, Republicans have gerrymandered themselves into a majority of seats. For example, in North Carolina, a state where party registration is essentially equal, the legislature just gave Republicans a 10 to 4 advantage in redistricted voting maps. In Ohio, Republicans won about 55% of the vote but are poised to win 12 of the 15 legislative seats, again with newly gerrymandered maps.
In the Senate there is a 50:50 split of senators, but the Democrats represent 62% of the national population, while the Republicans represent only 38%, according to census data.
In the Supreme Court, we see that the conservative Republican justices at the center of so many recent headlines make up a majority appointed by a minority.
Republican presidents who were elected without a majority of the national vote appointed all five of those justices, and Republican senators who represent a minority of the population confirmed them.
But we still call ourselves a democracy. If this trend toward minority rule continues, how long can we remain a democracy and not end up as an autocratic state where a small minority of powerful men dictate how the rest of us live? Remember, in a democracy the majority rules; in a dictatorship the majority is ruled.
Paul Donahue
Niskayuna
Grateful for those for refuting the lies
Thank you, Fred Como, Tom Williams, Joanna DeSilva, Vince Dacquisto, Robert K. Corliss, Victor Roberts and others for your rebuttal letters refuting the less than truthful letters disparaging Biden and liberal ideals. You are the sorely needed fact checkers.
Please keep writing because the truth is needed now more than ever.
Sandra Natale
Saratoga Springs
St. Clare’s story must be kept alive
Sadly, one more St. Clare’s retiree has passed away and will not receive what is due to her.
My mother, Sandra Huening, was a St. Clare’s RN for 20 years and saw her pension diminished as a result of the debacle. Granted she was one of the lucky ones since she was old enough to retain the majority of her pension and didn’t encounter the hardships the younger ones are enduring, but shame on all involved who haven’t taken accountability.
I am thankful to the folks who continue to keep this story alive, as it is an important one.
It is incredulous how these retirees have been treated.
Amy Versocki
Charlton
Putin victimized by U.S. propaganda
Americans are forever taught that Russians receive only propaganda. But Americans get blanketed with lies and twisted spin to convince us that during every conflict, U.S. policymakers are good guys battling evil.
For example, U.S. “experts” proclaim that President Putin, in his July 2021 essay, “On the Historical Unity of Russians and Ukrainians,” reveals his vision for empire and refuses to recognize Ukraine’s sovereignty and borders.
These experts are false. I have read the essay, and nowhere does Putin suggest desires for empire or conquest of Ukraine.
He writes in despair of the hatred towards Russia and towards ethnically-Russian Ukrainians that’s generated by Ukraine’s post-coup government.
Putin writes of Russia’s and Ukraine’s historical and cultural unity. By “unity,” he doesn’t mean that they’ll become politically merged. He specifically describes the relationship between the United States and Canada as the type of relationship Russia seeks with Ukraine.
Putin writes with alarm regarding neo-Nazi Ukrainian violence and the danger that Ukraine’s government represents Westerners seeking to use Ukraine for personal profit. His concerns are valid.
U.S. commentators’ failure to accurately represent Putin’s words is irresponsible and deceitful. Had they truthfully communicated and addressed his fears, we could have avoided catastrophe.
U.S. propaganda only serves to justify weapon shipments and economic war against Russia, which were likely the ulterior motives of the U.S. policymaker-businessman-banker circle from the start.
In 1998, National Security Adviser Brzezinski admitted that the United States deliberately baited the USSR to invade Afghanistan in 1979. Beware: the same has likely transpired again.
Kristin Christman
Clifton Park
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Categories: Letters to the Editor, Opinion
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Kristin Christman I find it funny that you don’t believe US propaganda but believe Russian propaganda. Try reading up on how Putin came to power and how many people were murdered on his orders.Did you know that 21 journalists have been killed since Putin came to power in March 2000?
53:19Putin’s Road to War (full documentary) | FRONTLINEYouTube · FRONTLINE PBS | OfficialMar 15, 2022
What Russian propaganda precisely am I believing? I only stated facts. Try reading up on the causes of the 2014 coup and the civil war and who egged it on. Try reading up on Russia’s attempts to resolve the conflict non-violently. Try reading up on US support for coups around the world, and how many people were murdered because of this. Iran, Guatemala, Congo, Chile, Brazil, Egypt..the list goes on and on. And tens of thousands of people are murdered in the aftermath. More than 800,000 have been killed, thanks to our US presidents and policymakers, in the War on “Terror.” (facts from Costs of War project, Brown University)
So perhaps the USA should threaten Canada with nuclear weapons so we can have a deeper friendship?
Actually, Putin discussed nuclear weapons and disarmament at the 2007 Munich conference, but US policymakers, being funded by the weapon and nuclear industries, didn’t reciprocate his interest. They instead are using $3 trillion in our tax dollars to revitalize the US nuclear arsenal – in violaton of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treat. The US calls Putin irresponsible for suggesting he might use nukes. But it was US policymakers who refused to disarm. I call THAT highly irresponsible. Putin also opposed weapons in space, and the US hyper-use of force in Iraq. He called for adherence to international law, but THAT was considered disobedient of him to not support US policymakers as above the law. US war crimes and violations of international law are never punished. And, as you know, the US President has taken upon himself the powers to wage nuclear war without congressional approval. Russians don’t give that much power to one leader. US policy and media makers are painting this in the way they want you to see it. But since most Americans seem to trust their US policymakers as honest people who never have ulterior motives, they’ll be duped time and time again.
AS Putin bombs and kills thousands enjoy your sympathy with the murderer I will never see it all I can say is are we all to become sympathetic and delusional as well I’m not there yet perhaps a few more hypersonic missles will help convince me the murderer truly is misunderstood I think I’ve heard it all.
You’ve fallen for a US propaganda campaign. You’re thinking the way US policymakers want you to. But before you call Putin a murderer, who’s responsibile for sending billions of dollars in weapons to Ukraine since the start of the US-promoted coup in 2014? THe US and NATO. They’re proxy murderers. They blame Russia for the war, when they helped instigate it. It was Russia who was trying to get Ukraine to negotiate with Donetsk and Lugansk to STOP the civil war! And don’t forget, US Presidents Bush Jr., Obama, and Trump presided over a US War on “Terror” that’s murdered more than 800,000. Why aren’t you calling them murderers? Because US policymakers don’t want you to?
Sure, Putin has reason to be skeptical of the west, the U.S.’s influence in Eastern Europe, and the push of NATO expansion amongst neighboring countries. But you conveniently left out the fact that Putin ordered an invasion of a sovereign nation and is slaughtering innocent Ukrainians, so propoganda aside, it appears we are seeing the true intentions of a murderous dictator. You’re missing the forest from the trees picking out specific parts of Putin’s writings that may have been misinterpreted while ignoring the fact that in actuality he is a repugnant despot committing war crimes.
Nope. I’m not missing the forest for the trees. This particular piece of false US propaganda re: Putin’s essay is one small piece, but the falseness of US experts’ opinions about this essay is one piece of proof about the falseness of the entire US propaganda campaign against Putin since his 2007 Munich speech when he accurately accused the US of hyper-use of force and disdain for international law. US policymakers didn’t like being told that so they began a 15-year smear campaign against Putin. US policymakers violate intl. law, invade nations, and murder thousands – but it doesn’t matter unless Russia does it, and that is because of US policymakers’ ulterior motives in taking over Europe’s energy market and other markets and resources in Ukraine and perhaps Russia. US Presidents have killed more than 800,000 in the Mid-East (this is documented) since 9/11. So who really are the murderers? How can Putin be called a murderer while Bush Jr. is not? Numerous US presidents are far guiltier than Putin, yet US presidents are considered divine. And US propaganda also conveniently ignores the civil war waged in Ukraine since the US-promoted 2014 coup, a war that has killed 14,000. Apparently, no one is supposed to be crying over those 14,000, only crying over the current Ukrainians on one side of the civil war only. The US and NATO have sent billions of dollars in weapons to support this war since 2014 – they are murderers no less than Russian troops. Ultranationalist Ukrainians also were starving the people of Donetsk and Lugansk with blockades of food, humanitarian supplies from Russia, and even the water and electricity supplies had been cut off at times. This is documented by human rights groups, as are the war crimes committed by ultranationalists on the people of Donetsk and Lugansk. Russia’s reasons for invading Ukraine – largely to protect these people – are conveniently dismissed as false by US policymakers who paint the picture Russia is evil so that they can shut down Nord Stream 2, just one of their ulterior motives. If you read about the history of US coups over the past several decades, this fits the pattern – the propaganda, the smear campaign, the economic sabotage – and always for the ulterior personal financial motives of US policymakers and their business-banking colleagues. Showing the falseness of US expert opinion about the essay is significant. It exposes one chip in many in the US propaganda campaign.
Half of Republicans polled believe that instead of supporting policies that are popular in order to gain more voter support, they instead are in favor of changing the voting rules to gain power. Republicans don’t believe in democracy, full stop.
Paul Donahue–Your letter is spot on. Add to that the terrible decision of Citizens United, which further tipped the scales to wealthy donors and corporations. Just recently the most unpopular and partisan Supreme Court sided with Sen. Cruz where it’s now even easier to bribe lawmakers with campaign finance. We the people have uphill battles to save our Constitutional Republic.
Kristin Christman–Putin victimized??? Another uphill battle with faux entertainment and others spreading Putin’s propaganda!
Putin is corrupting our political process? Talk about denial! In the first place, US policymakers have corrupted the political processes of numerous nations abroad with their coups. If your read books, not newspapers, about the details of these coups in places Iran, Guatemala, Ecuador, Congo, Iraq, the Dominican Republic, Brazil, Indonesia…(the list goes) to the most recent example in Egypt, you’ll see that the US has no right to even suggest Putin is a threat to anyone else’s political processes.
In the second place, US political leaders and their busines-banker colleagues have completely warped US democracy. Do you honestly think Russia’s alleged interference in
I think if you were more familiar with the US history of inciting coups abroad, such as in Iran, Guatemala, Ecuador, Congo, Iraq, the Dominican Republic, Brazil, Indonesia…(the list goes) to the most recent example in Egypt, you would be able to recognize the pattern and see it playing out once again with regard to Russia.I am not spreading Putin’s propaganda. I am highly knowledgeable of US history, the kind you don’t get from the newspaper but that you get from reading large, well-documented books. US policymakers, using the CIA and the National Endowment for “Democracy,” routinely launches propaganda campaigns such as this in which their target is portrayed as “evil” – both to the American audience and the host nation’s population, then they kick in the economic sabotage campaign, which we see now unfolding with the sanctions and cutting off Nord Stream 2, then comes the coup.US policymakers are never committing coups in order to oppose brutality. They’re happy to make friends with brutal tyrants, such as Egypt’s al-Sisi, if that tyrant does their bidding. Biden just sent off a few billion in military support to al-Sisi – someone who’s been an absolutely brutal tyrant to Egyptians. US policymakers’ ulterior motives are personal economic and financial benefits for themselves and their business-banker colleagues. You talk above about bribing lawmakers, this is what happens with regard to foreign policy, as well. Weapon corporations make some of the largest “campaign contributions,” a.k.a. bribes. No wonder the US ALWAYS sends weapons as a “solution” to some problem. But those weapons actually make more problems. Other corporations also use their wealth to make foreign policymakers do their bidding. Look at how Pepsi Co, Anaconda, and ITT paid for anti-Allende campaigns in Chile. If you dig into the facts, you’ll see the pattern. And yes, while I did not choose the title of the letter, “victimized” is a very good word for it. His 2021 essay and 2007 Munich speech were completely warped by US experts and used falsely as “proof” of his alleged “desires” for conquest. Putin’s 2007 speech was in favor of disarmament, international law rather than the “hyper-use” of force as the US inflicts. The US did not reciprocate on his offers but instead continued with the use of hyper-force and revitalization of the nuclear arsenal. They were angry with Puti because he dared suggest that the US disdain for international law was wrong. And ever since, US policymakers have been waging a 15-year anti-Putin smear campaign.They are doing quite an act of projection to say that Putin is desirious of empire, when it is the US who has 800 bases worldwide. And if a nation doesn’t accept a US base, as Ecuador’s Rafael Correa didn’t, that leader suddenly becomes a US “enemy.”Read up on the propaganda, if you like, that the US has planted in these other coups, and you’ll see that the same thing is going on. Those who believe it and put down people like me as foolish, are themselves caught in US policymakers’ web of lies.
Ms. Christman sadly but clearly reveals how people selectively choose the news they want to believe, at the cost of not quite getting to the truth. She also unwittingly reveals the state of denial she, like many, live in by refusing to acknowledge Putin’s role in corrupting our political process.
You have the entire internet at your disposal, Ms. Christman. This means if you want to know how the rest of the world feels about the tyrant Putin you can go and pull up the English-language German news site Deutsche Welle (http://www.dw.com), or you can pull up several English language Japanese news sites, you can get the Swedish news on Russia, and it goes on and on.
Before lecturing the public on a subject via the “Letters…” in your local newspaper or in your Facebook world, there’s really no excuse for not trying to understand the truth on your chosen subject. Unless you have a specific narrative you feel the need to push.Your words reveal a very limited source of information, ironic in this age of a global range of information.
Putin is corrupting our political process? Talk about denial! In the first place, US policymakers have corrupted the political processes of numerous nations abroad with their coups. If you read books, not just mainstream newspapers or your websites, about the details of these coups in places such as Iran, Guatemala, Ecuador, Congo, Iraq, the Dominican Republic, Brazil, Indonesia…(the list goes) to the most recent example in Egypt, you’ll see that the US has no right to even suggest Putin is a threat to anyone elses’s political processes. Or perhaps you are in a state of denial about these coups? Or a state of denial about the books?
In the second place, US political leaders and their business-banker colleagues have completely warped US democracy. Do you honestly think Russia’s alleged interference in the 2016 elections has threatened US democracy more than what what the wealthy elite has already done? Russia’s not reponsible for nominating the idiots we get to vote for every four years. Russia’s not responsible for the fact that we have no voice in foreign policy. Russia’s not responsible for choosing to use $3 trillion of our tax dollars to revitalize the U nuclear arsenal, in violation of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Russia’s not the one making huge campaign contributions as are the US weapon corporations. Notice how “weapons” are ALWAYS the US answer to problems. Was that Russia’s idea? Or was it the CEOs of weapon corporations who want lucrative contracts? Or am I somehow unaware of a public referendum in which we were actually allowed to vote on weapon shipments? Or are you in denial of the fact WE HAVE NO VOICE AND IT’S NOT BECAUSE OF RUSSIA?
Gee, I guess the hundreds of books and articles I’ve read about US foreign policy and 20 years of research aren’t enough for you. I suggest you try reading books, not just mainstream media, if you want to know the truth. My knowledge is not selective and narrow at all. In fact, it is the mainstream media that people like you read that is extremely narrow, extremely cherry-picked, twisted, slanted, and turned around 180 degrees, but you just swallow it up. I don’t expect people to have the time or make the effort to read as much as I have, I don’t expect people who’ve been subject to decades of brainwashing to immediately agree with me, but there is no reason for you to cling so desperately to your “truth” and so arrogantly put me down as ignorant, when it is really the other way around.
I realize that some people who are stuck in the web of lies will be very angry with people like me who are speaking the truth and who have a lot more information on the subject. Again, I suggest you read books about the history of these coups and their propaganda campaigns. You will see that the same types of lies are taking place now, the same patterns of economic sabotage of the “evil” enemy, the same lies to make the targeted leader appear evil, the same gullible American alliance who actually believe our US policymakers are their best friends.
You should see the lies the CIA spread about Guzman, Allende, and Goulart, to name a few. You should read how US corporations fly in like the predators they are to make money in the aftermath of the coups. You should read about the donors to the Center for a New American Security, formerly CEO’d by Victoria Nuland, Biden’s Undersecretary of State. These donors include at least 8 weapon corporations, such as Raytheon (Def Secretary Austin’s affiliate), Exxon Mobil, Amazon, Google, the US Dept of Defense, and the Defense Ministries of Finland, Norway, Estonia, and the UK. Do you think Nuland is immune to the pecuniary interests of these groups? She’s the one caught on tape in 2014 during the Ukrainian coup-time, apparently discussing with US Ambassador to Ukraine Pyatt whom they should select as the ew Ukrainian leader. Or are you in denial about US interference in the internal political affairs of foreign nations?
Incidentally, the fact that US experts felt the need to lie about Putin’s essay shows how desperate they are to make a case against him. If they really had a case, why the need to slander him?
Well said, Mr. Donahue. The 8 million pound gorilla in our national room: that this country, this noble democracy is being bullied by a loud, belligerent minority driven by a religious and racist zeal which makes their impetus clear: this country, to them, is their god’s chosen one and they are their god’s chosen people, andthey will take it as theirs. And sadly we have a flaccid and easily distracted mass media who can’t seem to walk and chew gum simultaneously, and tempers their presentations of the news for the lowest common denominator (looking at you, local TV “news”).Their truth is all that matters and if it means a betrayal of democratic principles to get their way, so be it. That’s their god’s will.