Letters to the Editor | April 18, 2025

A recent letter by Mark Fenstermaker said, “Musk and his team are uncovering an alarming amount of fraud, waste, and ridiculous spending. Some of the most egregious findings were outlined in Trump’s address to Congress.” The fact is that there has been almost no accounting of Elon Musk’s findings. Instead, there are claims of savings, many of which have been discredited. During his address, Donald Trump spent most of his time on false claims of very old people receiving Social Security. The biggest so-called savings from a contract cancellation were off by a value factor of 1,000. What were the savings from stopping the study of “transgender mice”? Doesn’t matter, since there was no study of transgender mice. There is nothing resembling a complete list of the alleged savings, or any list reaching anywhere near the amount of the claimed savings. Nor is there any government statement of any cost-benefit analysis, especially for cutting the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and for cutting IRS compliance personnel.

Steve White, Broomall

Solomon Jones says that “it’s up to white folks” to fix Donald Trump’s “mess,” and bemoans America’s history of racism. But he does not help overcome Trump’s damage or ongoing racism by blaming white people for electing Trump and encouraging Black Americans to see the “Hands Off!” protests as white protests he’s proud he didn’t join. He accuses “white progressives” of prior “political slumber” in a time of “right-wing politics in America,” lumping white people together in a way I’m sure he would not want white people to lump together Black people.

In his negative view of “white America,” he doesn’t acknowledge the huge numbers of white men and women who voted for a Black woman for president when many Black men and other men and women of color were not ready to vote for her. Nor does he acknowledge white Americans leading legal challenges to Trump’s war on immigrants and resisting attacks on diversity. Though imperfect, America stands for an ideal where we can come together for the good of all, and where a Black senator named Cory Booker can inspire all of us to join in stopping Trump from destroying what we have accomplished. Rather than sit on the sidelines with Jones, I’d urge all Americans to take part in critical efforts to reclaim our democracy.

Vicki W. Kramer, Philadelphia

I am one of the many “white progressives” referred to in Solomon Jones’ column who marched in the recent “Hands Off!” protest. I was surprised to see the small number of Black people who showed up. At least according to Jones, Black people have already done their part by voting against Donald Trump. It is now up to us “white progressives” to carry the torch. Seriously? In a metropolitan area where a disproportionate number of people of color live below the poverty line, who do you think is going to be most affected by the cuts to Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security, etc.?

To segregate and reduce ourselves to tribalism at this very difficult time is self-defeating. Didn’t people of other races and persuasions, as well as white progressives, march along with Black people in the Black Lives Matter protests? A preoccupation with demographics, race, or tribalism needlessly fragments those of us who are trying to seek justice for all. The only way to get the folks who are aligned with Trump to vote against him is to have all of us reach out to our elected officials and continue to raise our voices.

Patsy Graber, Elkins Park

As a white man, I am slack-jawed with disbelief and disgust that so many white voters who profess to love our country, including members of my own family, would return Donald Trump — a convicted felon, fraudster, sex offender, and insurrectionist — to the highest office. I agree that everything possible must be done to stop his administration from burning our democracy to the ground, although I’m afraid it may already be too late.

But I am stunned by Solomon Jones’ argument that Black people are now entitled to take a back seat in this fight because “African Americans have done more than our share to address the dysfunction of right-wing politics in America.” I respect — and am deeply grateful for — the enormous contributions Black voters have made in raising awareness of injustice and inequity, exposing the awful truth that America is (still) a deeply racist state. But now is not the time for any of us to ease up on the pressure.

Noting the devastation to the economy of Trump’s boneheaded and unnecessary trade war, Jones undercuts his own argument by saying that “we all must do what we can to reclaim our fiscal independence.” I agree: It’s in everyone’s interests to stop the insanity of thoughtless, chaotic cuts to programs that support health, education, public safety, and scientific progress, threatening to cause untold devastation to the quality of life for all Americans for decades to come. To argue any of us can stand aside in this battle reminds me of the story about two men in a leaking, sinking rowboat. One says to the other: “Why should I bother bailing? The hole is in your end of the boat.”

Ron Schaumburg, Philadelphia

Relatively speaking, Easter in America is a more recent holiday. It did not become widely celebrated until right after the Civil War. But like many major events and holidays in America, Philadelphia has a history with Easter all its own. German immigrants (my ancestors among them) shared traditions that have survived until this day, such as Easter egg rolling and Easter egg hunts. However, Philadelphia’s first Easter Parade wasn’t held until 1931.

When it comes to sports, Easter has a special historical significance, as well. The Phillies played their first Easter game in Brooklyn in 1922. On Easter of 1981, the Sixers won a pivotal Game 7 against the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference semifinals. On Easter Sunday 2011, Lou Williams hit a distance three-pointer with 8.1 seconds remaining to give Philadelphia an 86-82 NBA playoff win. Another football club that played at Veterans Stadium — the Stars — beat the Washington Federals, 34-3, at the Vet in 1983 on Easter Sunday. Like the Eagles, that Stars team would lose the USFL championship that year (within 24 months, they would bring a championship to Philadelphia — the first on the gridiron in 25 years). The 76ers’ season is mercifully over, but the Phillies play at 1:35 p.m. against the Miami Marlins at good ole’ Citizens Bank Park. Right here, on Easter Sunday.

Michael Thomas Leibrandt, Abington Township

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