Readers Write: Term limits, vice presidential nominee, diversity, Gaza conflict, summer Olympics

Opinion editor’s note: Star Tribune Opinion publishes letters from readers online and in print each day. To contribute, click here.

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Term limits for the Supreme Court, like most ideas, would have good and bad consequences. But if we are going to get serious about term limits, let’s take politics out of the mix. Now would be a good time to apply the same criteria to all branches of government, now is the time to apply term limits to both the House and Senate, now is the time to act and limit career politicians. Members of Congress are jumping on board with this idea. Congress is doing what it does best: giving itself more power. With our current system there is one thing that Republicans, Democrats and independents can agree on; the No. 1 priority is to get re-elected, it’s all about re-election and power. Our politicians like to talk about their concern for our country, but most are willing to change views, mislead or lie; whatever it takes to stay in office. The sad part is that voters don’t hold them accountable; they actually believe what they say they will do — not what they have been doing. In the past I’ve been against term limits, but I see no other way for our country to move forward; we must get rid of career politicians.

Now would be a great time for the media — liberal, conservative and anything in between — to push for any bill introduced to apply term limits for the Supreme Court to also include term limits for Congress.

Leo Grosch, Carver

Let’s say the governor of Michigan’s name was George Whitmer, rather than Gretchen Whitmer. If so, would he not be the ideal running mate for Vice President Kamala Harris, the presumptive Democratic nominee for president? (Opinion editor’s note: Whitmer has said she will stay in Michigan to finish her term as governor.) Republican nominee Donald Trump is known to be intimidated by strong, articulate women. Trump’s character flaws will be front and center with a Harris-Whitmer ticket and they will offer the country a record of competent governance and inclusive leadership.

No time to “play it safe” with another white male vice presidential nominee. Stir things up, create incredible enthusiasm, be bold, put the women in charge. The time is right, just do it.

If, as Republicans charge, Vice President Kamala Harris is a diversity, equity and inclusion candidate, what sort of appointee does that make U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas?

Dick Virden, Plymouth

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Nothing frustrates me more than the idea that if you are trying to hire a minority, you are not going to get the best candidate. It is racist to assume hiring a minority means hiring less than the best.

Becky Carpenter, Minneapolis

Barry Riesch, St. Paul

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When I saw the headline of your editorial “War upends U.S., Israeli politics” (July 26), it struck me that the word “war” was a totally inaccurate term to describe what’s happening in Gaza.

After the heinous, brutal attack on Israeli civilians (which no one should ever try to legitimize) what followed could be more accurately described as a slaughter of the Palestinian people — 39,000 of them at last count.

How many of those 39,000 people who have lost their lives in Palestine actually did anything wrong? Those 39,000 people and the civilians left there are not fighting back — they have nothing to fight back with. This is not a war. This is brutality and wanton destruction.

I watched the qualifying round for the women’s gymnastics at the Olympics. Simone Biles is the No. 1 gymnast on the U.S. women’s team, and was most likely a shoo-in for one of the two spots that qualify to compete in the all-around competition.

Biles did a warm-up for her floor exercise and hurt her calf. It wasn’t obvious how or when, but she limped off the floor and got her ankle and leg taped. The commentators talked about her tenacity and will to compete. I was immediately brought back to 1996, when Olympic gymnast Kerri Strug famously hurt her ankle on her first vault. She continued to do her second vault, with the injury, landing on one foot, to win the USA the gold medal and become an icon. I also watched that happen live and remember the same sort of comments about her passion for the sport.

Full transparency, I didn’t see anything wrong then. I looked up to Strug so much as a sixth-grader for fighting through the pain and doing it for the U.S., but later in life I read about how messed up that was and couldn’t agree more! To put it bluntly, we sent a teenage girl to compete and cared more about the win of our country than a young girl’s health and quality of life. And what has changed almost 30 years later? Maybe someday we will get out of the Dark Ages and prioritize women and their bodies. Go U.S.A.

Dr. Rachel Engstrom, Golden Valley

This campaign season has brought up the “Wizard of Oz” for me. Seems the political scene is dominated by a wish for a yellow brick road to a wizard who can fulfill all our wishes and promises. A wish to go home, for a heart, for brains, for bravery.

I think it is time to look at the campaigns. What if we were to elect human beings (imperfect as we/they are) who have policies and show actions that best match our values and wishes for the future. Stop expecting political leaders to provide the magic life we want in our families, our communities and our country without looking at the responsibility. Stop thinking that our political party winning is the goal. The goal is leadership that creates peace, prosperity and healthy families and communities. Like Dorothy’s journey to find the wizard is just a show, the real power is in us the whole time. Work done in our families, our communities, with our local, state and national government policies that serve the same. What if we looked at policies that need change? No longer believing in magic or wizards.