Letters to the Editor | June 6, 2025

A clear cover-up has now been revealed in Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson’s book, Original Sin. Now, I am no fan of Tapper because he and the rest of the corporate media were part of the cover-up for the past four years. They were all telling us not to believe our lying eyes on Joe Biden’s decline. But thanks to Donald Trump’s election victory, the truth will finally be exposed. President Donald Trump’s administration must investigate this historic fraud perpetuated by Biden’s advisers and the corrupt Democratic Party officials.

Americans have the right to know who was actually making the decisions, who was using the autopen, and why they would allow this man to run for reelection. After that disastrous debate with Trump, the lies couldn’t protect Biden anymore. I would say that the last four years were the most dangerous years of any presidency since WWII. It is the opinion of some foreign policy experts that Putin knew of Biden’s mental deterioration and made a calculated risk to invade Ukraine. Biden was just a figurehead, and, like Trump stated, “What kind of leader would allow 12 million illegal aliens into our country.” When the truth comes out, and it will, the trust of the Democratic Party, along with the media, will be tarnished for many years to come.

Ivan Nadler, Lewes, Del.

For the first time in my 71 years, I am ashamed to call myself an American. It has been less than six months into this administration, but the shame and disgust I feel are unbearable. We have a president hell-bent on making this country whites only — from his acceptance of only white immigrants from South Africa to his elimination of diversity initiatives. We have a president determined to destroy our most highly respected university simply because its leadership had the guts to stand up to him.

We had an egotistical jerk who could have made a real difference if he had used a surgical knife instead of a flashy chain saw to eliminate governmental waste. We have a man leading our health agencies who is obsessed with eliminating lifesaving vaccines in this country. We have “leaders” totally devoid of any humanity, who are eradicating all immigrants from our country, including those who are valuable, taxpaying workers, and whose only goal is a better life for them and their families. And do not even get me started on the idiotic and chaotic tariffs.

How did we become a country of uncaring, selfish, racist buffoons? I am not alone in my sentiments. Ironically, while touring southern France recently, one of the first questions from every local tour guide would be: “How many of you are Americans?” No one — and I do mean no one — spoke up. If it were not for my beloved grandchildren, I would be trying to convince my husband that we temporarily move to another country. I would be happier not calling myself an American right now.

Carol Lee, Kennett Square

On Monday, after weeks of attempting to arrange a meeting with Sen. John Fetterman, Indivisible Philadelphia leader Vicki Miller and I finally corralled his chief of staff for a brief conversation concerning the senator’s priorities in serving the people of Pennsylvania. She was of course aware that Indivisible Pennsylvania had asked that the senator resign due to his infrequent and ineffective participation in his duties as senator (missing votes, not attending committee meetings, unstaffed offices), and she appeared to be receptive to relaying our demands that he vigorously oppose Republican bills that hurt Pennsylvanians.

Imagine our surprise at learning the very next day that she was resigning! She is the second chief of staff to quit in Fetterman’s office, one that has seen turmoil since his election. Not only does Fetterman not represent the constituents who elected him; he cannot hire or keep a loyal or dedicated staff to make sure that he fulfills his obligations. And by the way, do you want to know why Fetterman couldn’t meet with us? Because he was taping a “discussion” with his buddy, Republican U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick, in Boston.

Sen. Fetterman must resign.

Meg Berlin, Philadelphia

They say when you’re fantastically wealthy, doors magically open. And if they don’t, you can pay your way through them. It appears that’s exactly how billionaires plan to handle Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court. While reporter Gillian McGoldrick’s May article named Elon Musk as one such billionaire with skin in that game, it left out the biggest billionaire players in our state: Jeff Yass, a Republican megadonor and Pennsylvania’s richest man, who has already spent more than $75 million to reshape our state’s government to his favor.

From Texas to Wisconsin to Harrisburg, billionaires like Yass bank on lax oversight and friendly politicians to grease the wheels for policies that make them richer at the expense of the everyman. A court that can strike down deregulation, uphold inconvenient election results, or reject gerrymandered district maps spells trouble for the ultra-wealthy. Billionaires’ interest in our state’s Supreme Court election is really about removing any potential roadblocks for their wildly profitable agenda.

Arielle Klagsbrun, Philadelphia

I recently attended a tour of the Linc and saw from the field the massive structure built to seat tens of thousands. Built in two years, I might add. The beautiful Golden Gate Bridge was built in four. Why does it take more than two years to repair (not build from scratch, but repair), a small, four-lane bridge that’s maybe a football field long? I am, of course, speaking of the Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Bridge — which has been completely closed since 2023 and doesn’t look anywhere near complete. Contractor, are you not working? Are there just two workers on the bridge at a time? Department of Transportation folks, whether city, state or the feds, you wrote this contract? Shame on you. This country is in trouble and now we must do big things to pull ourselves out of the mess we’ve created. If the repair of the MLK Bridge (or the “flying saucer” building in LOVE Park, or a simple intercity bus terminal) is any indication, we’ve got a long way to go.

Bryan Andersen, Philadelphia, [email protected]

It’s astonishing how rapidly the U.S. has moved toward a state resembling fascism, becoming exactly what President Donald Trump warned his MAGA followers that the Democrats had created. By allowing the Department of Governmental Efficiency to collect, distribute, and weaponize our personal information through its data raids on federal agencies, it has violated some of the fundamental rights of every person living in our country: the right to privacy. Some might argue that this is merely a means to identify and deport those here illegally, which, depending on one’s views on immigration, could be seen as either positive or negative. However, my personal information, your personal information, and all our personal information have been collected and shared — with whom? I shudder to think. How will this information be used? As the author of this letter, will I be tracked down, deemed a threat to the Trump state, arrested, and sent to El Salvador just for expressing this opinion? Who else might fall under this scrutiny?

Tim Reed, Philadelphia

Join the conversation: Send letters to [email protected]. Limit length to 200 words and include home address and day and evening phone number. Letters run in The Inquirer six days a week on the editorial pages and online.