Sorry, Gary Hart
In 1988, Gary Hart was the front runner as the Democratic nominee to be president of the United States. At age 52, he was thought to be another Jack Kennedy. Then one day a photograph appeared showing a young lady sitting on his lap with a life preserver behind him with the boat’s name: “Monkey Business.” His campaign for the presidency was immediately over. America would not tolerate this behavior.
Fast forward to our day. The president-elect has been embroiled with adultery, divorce, porn stars, prostitutes, bankruptcies, lawsuits, felonies, and audio tapes of him bragging about grabbing women by their p----. This guy couldn’t get hired at McDonalds.
It appears that our society has fallen so far as to overlook all of the above issues. America really has become a banana republic. Gary Hart, wherever you are, we’re sorry.
Blair Moncur
Idaho Falls
It wasn’t a landslide
To Mr. Dugger: Marvin, I hate to break it to you but the election of Donald J. Trump was hardly a national landslide (Tribune, Nov. 17). There is really no specific definition of what constitutes a landslide, but the common understanding is one candidate should have at least a 17-point spread over the other candidate in the popular vote. There was only a two-point difference between Trump and Kamala Harris.
On the electoral college side, it is usually understood one candidate should have 317 votes for a landslide. Trump will have 312 votes. No cigar there.
Even the Congressional vote is razor thin. The Republicans will have 53 votes in the Senate but it is not filibuster-proof. The House Republican majority is just three votes. Over the next couple of years that could change through special elections.
Trump’s agenda that you listed is ambitious, but many of the proposals likely will not pass Congress.
For instance, the term limit proposal: two-thirds of both houses have to approve it, and then three-quarters of the states have to affirm it. Fat chance. Moreover, the Republican-controlled Congress will have only 18 months to approve the rest. After 18 months we will be going into the midterm elections, and no one will want to rock the boat any further.
But, go ahead. Celebrate while you can. In two years, you will be crying.
Wayne Beebe
Pullman
