Letters: Trump is dining with racists and talking about suspending the Constitution

I write to persuade my fellow Republicans to reject Donald Trump for the threat that he presents to our constitutional democracy. His willingness to have bigots such as Kayne West and Nick Fuentes as table guests is telling. Then, a few days ago, Trump called for the suspension of the constitution so that he could be again installed as president.

One of the founders of our party, Abraham Lincoln, gave a speech in 1838. He was only 28. The time was marked by disorder and mob violence — some aimed at new immigrants. Lincoln warned that the greatest threat to our Republic was not from adversaries that were oceans away, but from the tyrant who would say he was your champion but was out for his selfish purposes.

What would Lincoln do? From the record, he would advise that we know our history, our constitution, and practice civic habits in keeping with gratitude for what we have been given.

I would add, exercise our God-given “internal constitution” so as to love our neighbor and trust God for the nation he has entrusted us with.

Fred Banks, Moscow

Trump’s whataboutism

Whataboutism: “The practice of answering a criticism or difficult question by making a similar criticism or asking a different but related question starting with the words “What about?” — The Oxford Dictionary.

America’s master of whataboutism, former President Donald Trump, rode it to victory in 2016, and used social media posts like this one from 2017 as defense against numerous conflict-of-interest accusations: “What about all of the Clinton ties to Russia, including Podesta Company, Uranium deal, Russian Reset, big dollar speeches, etc.”

When the justice department recently raided the former president’s home searching for stolen classified documents, Hillary Clinton dipped her toes into whataboutism waters, sarcastically wearing a hat emblazoned with: “What about her emails?”

And as the upcoming GOP House of Representatives majority kowtows to its extreme wing with an investigation into President Biden’s drug-addicted son Hunter, the 2019 and earlier contents of his laptop computer and alleged shady business dealings involving his father, you can expect many whatabout salvos aimed at the Trumps.

My two cents? Trump is dirty. He deserves to be investigated, charged, convicted and will lose again if he is nominated again. Whatever comes to light about the Bidens doesn’t change that.

Rick Davis, Pocatello

Religion and law

A recent Idaho Statesman editorial stated: “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness – are inherent, not given to the people by the government. … Legislators shouldn’t wield their power to impose their moral compass on others.” Legislators did wield their power to insert religious exemption into Idaho law. Since then, hundreds of children have died, and many are suffering because their parents deny them medical care for treatable illnesses based on the parent’s religious beliefs.

The editorial stated that some legislators believe “God helped craft the Constitution.” If that is so, the current religious exemption laws are defying God’s will. The Idaho Constitution Article 1 section 4 states: “nor shall any preference be given by law to any religious denomination or mode of worship.” Granting religious exemptions to a small religious group, while holding all other Idahoans responsible to provide medical care to their children, gives preference.

Why should the laws be different? Shouldn’t all parents have the same parental responsibilities? Shouldn’t all Idaho children have an equal right to life? With the Supreme Court decision and the stringent laws recently passed to protect the unborn, it is time to repeal Idaho’s religious exemption laws and protect the children who are already born.

Bruce Wingate, Boise