Letters From the July 30-August 6, 2018, Issue

Letters From the July 30-August 6, 2018, Issue

Letters From the July 30-August 6, 2018, Issue

Shine that spotlight… Governor Miranda?… The never-Trump canard… Where are the women?…

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Shine That Spotlight

I must admit, when I first heard Cynthia Nixon was running for governor, I was not impressed and even thought it amusing. But after hearing her speak and reading about her, I have changed my mind: Cynthia Nixon is ready for the spotlight, and it would behoove the media to cover her with the seriousness she deserves [“Is Cynthia Nixon Ready for the Spotlight?” July 2/9]. I wish I could vote for her.

The article reports on how Nixon has fresh ideas that she is not afraid to declare. She supports single-payer health care; real criminal-justice reform; an end to the school-to-prison pipeline; legalizing marijuana; and enacting all possible protections for immigrants. What could be more democratic than that?

My only criticism is that, in the end, the article kind of besmirches Nixon by claiming she has no real experience. Well, she might not have all the usual experience, but that may be a good thing. The key is that she’s obviously smart enough to read and make a decision based on the facts presented to her. She will be the decision-maker: That’s the important job someone in power holds, and she appears to be ready to make those important decisions.

Democrats have been doing the “same old, same old” forever, which is why I’m no longer a Democrat, and why Trump is in the White House. It’s past time for a change in this country, and that’s going to require someone who is not afraid, who is not part of the political machine. Cynthia Nixon appears to be that person.

Terry Johnson
baltimore

Governor Miranda?

Can’t we have someone who isn’t Andrew Cuomo and also has experience? [“Cynthia Nixon for Governor,” July 2/9]. Do we have to choose between a failure and a TV star? This is why so many people don’t vote.
Saryta Rodriguez

The Never-Trump Canard

Per usual, Eric Alterman is totally on point in “Hypocrites Against Trump” [May 28]. The Republican “Never Trumpers” either fail to grasp or are too embarrassed to acknowledge that it was their own strident and divisive neoconservative politics that created the appetite for Trump among a percentage of Americans in the first place. But then, it’s not at all surprising that the same political party that embraced Nixon, Reagan, Gingrich, Palin, Cruz, and Roy Moore would also fawn over a thoroughly unprincipled and unrepentant demagogue like Trump.
Kenny Calvin
chicago

Where Are the Women?

Every year when the VIDA Count comes out, tallying the gender imbalance in publishing, I hold my breath. Every year, this one included, I am disappointed by The Nation’s poor showing. What are you going to do to achieve better gender balance among your writers?
Pam Goldman
pittsburgh

Support independent journalism that does not fall in line

Even before February 28, the reasons for Donald Trump’s imploding approval rating were abundantly clear: untrammeled corruption and personal enrichment to the tune of billions of dollars during an affordability crisis, a foreign policy guided only by his own derelict sense of morality, and the deployment of a murderous campaign of occupation, detention, and deportation on American streets. 

Now an undeclared, unauthorized, unpopular, and unconstitutional war of aggression against Iran has spread like wildfire through the region and into Europe. A new “forever war”—with an ever-increasing likelihood of American troops on the ground—may very well be upon us.  

As we’ve seen over and over, this administration uses lies, misdirection, and attempts to flood the zone to justify its abuses of power at home and abroad. Just as Trump, Marco Rubio, and Pete Hegseth offer erratic and contradictory rationales for the attacks on Iran, the administration is also spreading the lie that the upcoming midterm elections are under threat from noncitizens on voter rolls. When these lies go unchecked, they become the basis for further authoritarian encroachment and war. 

In these dark times, independent journalism is uniquely able to uncover the falsehoods that threaten our republic—and civilians around the world—and shine a bright light on the truth. 

The Nation’s experienced team of writers, editors, and fact-checkers understands the scale of what we’re up against and the urgency with which we have to act. That’s why we’re publishing critical reporting and analysis of the war on Iran, ICE violence at home, new forms of voter suppression emerging in the courts, and much more. 

But this journalism is possible only with your support.

This March, The Nation needs to raise $50,000 to ensure that we have the resources for reporting and analysis that sets the record straight and empowers people of conscience to organize. Will you donate today?

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