Readers Write: Party conventions, colleges and COVID-19

I'm a lifelong Republican voter who only needs to know one thing about this week's Republican convention: the fact that there isn't one.

For 40 years, I've been a proud, party-of-Lincoln believer and voter, historically toeing the party line on most key fiscal and social issues. I carried a membership card in my wallet to prove it.

Not anymore.

My former party has morphed into a cult of single-minded worshipers at the altar of Trump — indoctrinated supporters, religious factions and congressional enablers who wouldn't think of questioning anything he says, even when it's obvious he's lying. And who needs to draft and debate a party platform when your leader already has the keys to saving the planet? Whom God has granted exclusive access to the "truth"?

I miss my Grand Old Party and what it once stood for. And I do believe this country needs a strong, competitive, two-party system to prevent America from devolving into an authoritarian state. But everything Trump's done so far — from politicizing and attacking government institutions to abusing official power in order to protect his criminal friends to his dancing with dictators — are warning signs that our democracy is in the cross hairs. And with a complicit, cowardly, so-called Republican Party that has virtually bailed out in favor of Trumpism.

Nope, it won't be a party convention this week on national television. It's a cult gathering, and I won't be watching. I will, however, be watching for my postal carrier to deliver my "Republicans For Biden" yard sign any day now. Wait ... did they really send it via USPS?

After watching the Democratic National Convention, it has become clear that the nation can embark upon a path of unity and justice. Though barriers have historically separated citizens, current events have displayed that a time of unprecedented change and growth is upon us. In particular, it is heartening to consider a renewed commitment to diplomacy and development in foreign policy. Ensuring budgets for necessary internal departments that create positive global relations is a key step in embodying the unity and freedom we all hold so dear. Foreign and domestic policy are not disparate interests, but are rather interconnected at their deepest levels and have the potential to positively benefit one another. In all facets of American life, there are improvements to be made, and it is encouraging to believe that we exist in such a time where powerful, positive and pragmatic ideas for change can be turned into a reality.

All one needs do is take one look at Joe Biden as he struggles for words, tries to project his shaky monotone voice above a whisper and exhibits signs of mental confusion to know that all the praise bestowed upon him by fellow Democrats no longer pertains to him. Biden is merely a shell of his former self and is not up to the physical nor the mental demands of the highest job in our land. The DNC was more about removing President Donald Trump from office than was is about nominating Biden for president and pushing through a radical left agenda, any way that Democrats can. But in the meantime, I am still waiting for Democrats to denounce the violence in some of our nation's Democrat-run cities. How much longer can they condone the lawlessness and disorder, yet approve of defunding the police?

It was surprising that there was nary a mention of the courts during last week's DNC. The next president may very well have the opportunity to name two new justices to the Supreme Court.

During the current administration, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has been laser-focused on confirmation of conservative judges, at the expense of virtually any meaningful legislation, and he and Trump have filled 200 district and appellate court vacancies. The results of the 2020 election will determine whether some balance can be restored to the courts or activist right-wing ideology will continue to steamroll the judiciary. Congress and the president may set policy, but the courts confirm its permanence.

What's at stake? Women's rights, gun control, individual vs. corporate interests, racial justice, environmental protection, separation of church and state — every policy area this election is about.

Low-attention voters: "Squirrel!"

I was surprised by the Star Tribune's cover story of the opening night of the Republican National Convention, so I went back to see how the paper covered the opening night of the DNC. I watched both conventions' opening nights, and although the bodies of both nights' coverage mirrored each other, the headlines were quite different: "Impassioned plea for change" (Aug. 18) vs. "GOP paints a dark picture" (Aug. 25). I see you are targeting the demographic that can only read up to 280 characters. Note: You could've saved ink, paper and the environment by just writing "DNC good, RNC evil."

The president has been renominated. His message: If I lose, I didn't.

One of the things this pandemic has taught us as a nation is that we don't need months and months for political campaigning. This idea of politicians running all over the country holding rallies and kissing babies is so unnecessary. I am told that Canada has about a five-week campaign season (sometimes longer) and then it's over. What a great idea! Life in the 21st century has given us dozens of ways to effectively communicate with our favorite politicians. We don't need endless (ad nauseam) months of mailings, billboards, those incessant TV and radio attack ads, promotions, T-shirts and internet pop ups, some with their disgusting distortions and half-truths. If it takes more than a few weeks for someone to get the message, then I suspect they are just not listening.

Let's end this nonsense (and the squandering of millions of dollars) and take a cue from our good friends north of the border. Five weeks is all we need.

"You don't know what you don't know." The University of Minnesota administration plans to test only students who have symptoms of the coronavirus and people who are exposed to someone infected ("U regents approve delayed reopening," Aug. 25). Yet the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recognized that people without symptoms may transmit the virus. So allowing tens of thousands of students to be present on the Twin Cities campus without comprehensive testing creates a serious risk to the students and to members of the community who come into contact with the students.

This weekend the state director of infectious disease reported that infections in people ages 15 to 24 are contributing to a sustained level of transmissions across the state ("COVID-19 cases grow in 15-24 age group," Aug. 23).

In a recent New York Times commentary, Michael Osterholm and Neel Kashkari advised that limiting the increase of new cases is possible with testing, isolation and contact tracing after a lockdown reduces the number of new cases to less than 1 per 100,000 people per day ("We need another stint of staying at home," Aug. 12).

If the health of the students and members of the community is the first priority of the university administration, then it will heed this advice on best practices — a course of action that may also serve to inoculate the university from liability.

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