Don't fix what's not broken
I have noticed a few letters to the editor advocating for discontinuing the Electoral College in our presidential elections. I would counsel caution in regard to that point of view.
First is a pragmatic view. Alaska has one quarter of 1 percent of the population of the USA, but we get three electoral votes or one half of 1 percent of the total. So an Alaska vote counts twice as much as, say, a vote from New York.
Second, a populist concern: If we just went on the popular vote then all presidential campaigns would take place in large metropolitan areas such as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago etc. The less-populated "flyover" states would be ignored and so would their issues. A candidate could address the concerns of several million people with one stop in New York, but only a few hundred thousand in Rapid City, South Dakota.
The Electoral College has served our country well for over 200 years and through some very raucous elections. We shouldn't throw it out just because somebody lost an election.
— Bob Bell
Anchorage
Trump's Cabinet picks should prepare us for what's to come
Here we go, folks. Twenty-four years and billions of dollars worth of anti-Hillary propaganda has finally paid off for what passes for Republicans these days.
Helped over the top by a wildly unethical, vaguely incriminating but ultimately empty last-minute letter from Republican FBI Director Comey, overtly racist, fascist and misogynist Donald Trump now prepares to inhabit the White House.
His Cabinet picks foretell what direction we're headed now; if y'all want a new job building a border wall, guarding a private prison or registering Muslims and gays, get in line. It seems that these will be our new growth industries for the next couple of years. It's not clear to me that the last-minute endorsement by the KKK helped him any, but it evidently didn't hurt him enough, to our everlasting shame.
To Trump's Christian Right voters I can only say, " 'Family values'; really?" Both Trump and Newt Gingrich are twice divorced. We may never know how many abortions Trump has had to finance as a result of his lifestyle but I am confident that number is not zero. Hypocrisy be thy name.
Trump's supporters may be gratified to know that the world has already stopped laughing at us, but that's old news. They stopped laughing when Bush Jr. left the Oval Office. Now, they're just horrified. The man with his finger on the button will be the same guy whose campaign staff had to hide his smartphone due to his total lack of impulse control.
— Lars Opland
Wasilla
Just 'getting over' election will normalize bad behavior
Some people have criticized the thousands of people protesting the election of Donald Trump. He won, they say. Get over it. Those of us who were repulsed and appalled by the many, many examples of racism, xenophobia, homophobia, misogyny are not just going to get over it because Trump won the Electoral College (losing the popular vote).
At Trump rallies his supporters yelled out obscene bigotry. I wish I could attach video of the behavior on display at his rallies to make my point more effectively. Trump never denounced this part of the campaign. He made everyone who spouted this kind of hate feel welcome. His top campaign managers are associated with white nationalism.
Trump said the system was rigged and that he would not say that he would accept the outcome of the election if he won. The same supporters who called for armed insurrection if he lost are now disturbed by peaceful protests.
If we just get "over it," then we normalize and legitimize all of this behavior. We say that the next candidate for political office can use this kind of speech and tactics and there will be no consequences. The protesters are saying there are consequences and we will not forget and we will hold people accountable.
President-elect Trump must acknowledge that he tore apart the social fabric that holds a large, multi-ethnic democracy together. His supporters must acknowledge this and realize that the responsibility is on them and Trump to start the healing. In the meantime, I applaud everyone taking peacefully (only those who are peaceful) to the streets and I urge them to take that energy in other directions. Join groups. Give money to causes. Volunteer. Make this a better America.
— Jeanne Foy
Juneau
The views expressed here are the writers' own and are not necessarily endorsed by Alaska Dispatch News, which welcomes a broad range of viewpoints. To submit a letter under 200 words for consideration, email letters@alaskadispatch.com, or click here to submit via any web browser. Submitting a letter to the editor constitutes granting permission for it to be edited for clarity, accuracy and brevity. Send longer works of opinion to commentary@alaskadispatch.com.