Vice President Harris should know better
Inflation and the uncertain border remain voters’ top two concerns in national polls. In “VP Candidate Walz Revs Up RI Democrats in Fundraising Drive” (News, Aug. 16), Walz addressed the Harris/Walz platform, which included “lowering insulin prices, protecting abortion rights, funding public schools and common sense gun laws.” He criticized his opposition for “throwing around barbs,” which most politicians do.
Trump does this all the time, comparing his proven record on the economy and border security with Biden and Harris’ dismal record on the issue. He can be unforgivably mean and condescending, a dilemma for voters who abhor trash talk but whose lives have been better under his policies and leadership.
Trump, the insufferable pompous leader whose leadership brought prosperity and security, and Vice President Harris, who independent voters have a hard time understanding – “who is she?” So far, she has remained tight-lipped about how her program will address the two biggest problems facing Americans. Walz and her campaign insist that both are moderates, which contradicts their past support for socialist programs. Walz said, “They want to label us as over-the-top progressives or something. We’re more mainstream than you can imagine.” Given their past left-leaning record, they can’t twist the story, but they’re trying hard because they need to secure the votes of moderate independents.
Ironically, on the same day that Walz vehemently defended herself and Harris as “mainstream,” she publicly contradicted him by suggesting that she would consider price controls on food! This is a socialist policy that has failed disastrously in every socialist-communist country. Is she aware of the consequences of U.S. price controls on the airline industry before 1978? The government set ridiculously high prices and made air travel unaffordable for low- and middle-income Americans. After government deregulation, free market economics worked its magic. Airlines began to compete for market share, airfares were drastically reduced, new airlines were created, and air travel became accessible and affordable for most Americans.
History should teach Vice President Harris that price controls on the food industry will have disastrous consequences. She has a degree in economics, so she should know better, right?
Maria D’Arezzo, Cranston
Socialism or free market economy?
By the time you read this, the Democrats will have nominated Vice President Kamala Harris as their candidate for President of the United States. She and her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, will form the most radical left-wing lineup of candidates from any major political party in the history of this republic.
The Harris campaign team has adopted the basement strategy of her predecessor, Joe Biden. As of August 18, Harris has not had a single interview or a press conference. She has avoided speaking to the horde of reporters who were supposed to follow her everywhere.
It’s easy to see why. On August 16, Harris had an event where she began to unveil her economic plan. She began by listing how food prices have risen since Biden became president. Ironically, Harris’ image makers portray her as an integral part of the Biden administration, but then she dances away from the consequences of her policies.
Vice President Harris announced that price controls were necessary to prevent “price gouging.” Apparently she mispronounced the word “gouging” on her teleprompter.
Then she decried the housing shortage and mandated a $25,000 payment to first-time homebuyers. Like most politicians, she never took the basic economics course to learn that an increase in demand for scarce goods leads to either a rise in price or a shortage of the item.
The compliant news and social media desperately try to rebrand the couple as “moderate,” and instead of political ads, we get adulation like Kamala and Tim talking about tacos at the kitchen table.
This year we have a choice: do we remain a constitutional republic and a free market economy, or do we opt for a socialist form of government with central planning?
Richard J. August, North Kingstown
Better future without Trump
In his response to Peter Buonfiglio’s letter (“An Important Decision in November,” August 18), the question is not whether you were better off during Trump’s previous presidency, but whether you will be better off if he takes office again.
Aside from his stated intentions to basically gut the Constitution and run the country like a dictator, respected economists have stated that his economic policy proposals to impose significant across-the-board tariffs will lead to higher prices, and his desire to continue expiring tax cuts will spell disaster for fiscal responsibility and add trillions to our national debt. And as for “drifting” into a socialist nation under the Democrats, Mr. Buonfiglio should see that we are already there with Social Security, Medicare, free school lunch programs, and other important social programs.
In any case, we will be better off without Trump’s dictatorial and reactionary proposals and will be a stronger country with an administration that does not destroy everything that makes this country great.
Louis Sperling, East Greenwich
Follow the “charlatan of insults”
In his latest letter, which encourages the misinformed and ignorant, Peter Buonfiglio ignores facts and truth. In his letter he claims that we are heading towards an unrecognizable socialist nation.
Where have I heard that before? Oh yeah! That club for those who feel disenfranchised. That place where rants are welcome without fact checking, that haven for conspiracy theorists and MAGA people, Q-Anon and neo-Nazis. They quote Hannity and Beck and all the other MAGA actors.
But you have to catch up! It’s no longer socialism. It’s now communism. Didn’t you hear the Great Leader in his latest attack on Kamala or Kommula or whatever he pretends not to know her name? Communist! Keep supporting the convicted felon and foul-mouthed charlatan and make your own important decision in November. And whatever you do, don’t turn on NPR or google Trump’s lies and crimes. Keep believing he’ll get you free gas, end all wars, and invite Putin for tea.
Richard Donnelly, Providence
False characterization
In his otherwise excellent article “Games Over” (Sport, August 14), in which Dan Wolken summarizes the Paris Olympics, he makes a serious and dangerous false statement.
I quote: “Israeli athletes won seven medals – a record result… despite some anti-Semitic protests at competitions in which Israelis participated.”
These protests were not anti-Semitic, they were anti-Israel. I have seen this characterization repeated many times in the Journal and elsewhere. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu played this card when he addressed the U.S. Congress.
I detest what Israel is doing in Gaza, but that does not make me an anti-Semite. Please stop calling me that.
Michael Hirtle, Riverside
No families allowed
A Journal article reported on a proposed development in western Cranston where neighbors and the city opposed the construction of eight houses because families mean more children, which means more children in school and therefore more money for taxpayers (“How Cranston housing became a political minefield,” Political Scene, August 12).
This was also the official position of the Association of Towns and Municipalities when it opposed the bills to increase housing. So officially we are not only against the homeless, but against all housing, against families and children. Let’s look in the mirror, Rhode Island. It doesn’t just take a village. Families and children are the village.
John McGillivray, Cranston
