Letters to the Editor: Nov. 14

Sanders wrong about Democrats
abandoning working class

To the Editor:
I’m a big fan of Bernie Sanders and that will never change, but I found myself disagreeing with him on a recent social media post in which he states: “It should come as no great surprise that a Democratic Party which has abandoned working class people would find that the working class has abandoned them. While the Democratic Party leadership defends the status quo, the American people are angry and want change. And they’re right.”
 
I have to say that I am not so much disappointed in the Democratic Party as I am with the electorate. How could they believe that Donald Trump would offer them more than Kamala Harris in helping them with their everyday struggles? He offered no real tangible plans for implementing changes to help the common people. He just fed on their discontent and gave them scapegoats for their troubles. And how could the Christian community put their faith in someone who has demonstrated that he has no morals and cares for no one but himself?
 
I am disappointed in the people for being shallow, gullible and short-sighted. I understand that the Democrats must now figure out how to regain some ground we have lost, but let’s not blame Harris for the failure of the people to make the choice for unity and hope. It wasn’t hard to see that she really cares about people and that Trump does not. Did the Trump supporters happen to notice that there is now a $2,000 cap on prescription drug cost per year for seniors on Medicare? That was something Biden and Harris put in place. I’ll bet if you asked most seniors who voted for Trump about that, they would have no knowledge of it — or they wouldn’t care because they are members of the 1 percent.
 
I think Harris put out an honest message in this election that showed a genuine intent to do all she could to help the common citizen no matter which party they were aligned with. Unlike some politicians, she didn’t simply execute political maneuvers designed solely to get elected (like Trump and Vance). Unfortunately, too many people chose to blame Harris for their present troubles, even though they should know that she is not running the country.
 
And even if she was, they should understand that all of what is happening in the present is not simply due to the policies and actions of the current administration. Do they really believe that the president is directly responsible for the high price of eggs and that they can fix such things instantly as Trump has promised to do? If so, that is our real problem.
 
I get that Sanders is simply wanting to be pragmatic and do whatever it takes to find ways to get working-class American people to opt for the party that is truly more interested in helping them, but I don’t think it’s fair or productive to dump on Harris for failing to win this election. It’s the people who have failed us — indeed, failed themselves. It’s clear that political maneuvering and manipulation of the public perception of reality is what was needed to win this election.
 
Though my faith in humanity is truly shaken by this outcome, I still can’t let go of the hope that people will learn from this mistake as they see what Trump actually delivers to them.
 
Democrats do need to find a way to make those who are hurting in this country understand that they are generally better equipped and more concerned about bettering their plight than Trump and the Republican Party is. But I think that we need to resist succumbing to negativity and blame. Kamala’s message of unity, hope and faith in our country’s potential is the right one. It’s clear that too many of our citizens are still in the anger-fear stage of dealing with what’s happening in their lives to be able to hear and believe this message.
 
I agree that we must find a way to move this portion of our electorate out of this stage and into a more rational space, but let’s do that with hard work, determination and joy, as Harris has suggested. We must continue to fight, but we can’t fight anger and negativity with anger and negativity. I doubt this is what Sanders is suggesting, but after hearing him say that the Democratic Party has abandoned the working people, I found myself feeling both sad and exasperated. If working people felt they would be abandoned by Kamala Harris after hearing her speeches in this election, then they just weren’t listening.
 
Shari Bell
Charlotte

Selectboard: Restore speed limit
to 40 mph on Greenbush Road

To the Editor:
 
At some point the selectboard changed the speed limit on Ferry Road from Greenbush west to the railroad tracks to 40 mph. In a recent meeting, they reduced it to 25 mph. At last Monday’s meeting they agreed to hear comments from interested citizens.
 
Our respected elected road commissioner said 35 mph would be safer than 25. He pointed out that snow removal trucks would likely lose traction in the winter at the lower speed and start slipping backward into the traffic following them. The same could happen to the school buses. The only traffic survey we have, conducted by the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission from May 7-14, recommended 35 mph.
 
Lewis Mudge wants 25 mph. Frank Tenney, as a school bus driver, said 25 puts our children at great risk going both up and down the hill especially during winter months. Jim Faulkner said the selectboard needs time to think it over. Kelly Devine said they could complete this contemplation by the end of the calendar year, well into winter.
 
The law 23 V.S.A. 1007 says, “The legislative body of a municipality may establish, on the basis of an engineering and traffic investigation, a speed limit on all or a part of any city, town.” It has been pointed out that setting a speed limit 10 mph lower than engineering recommendations has been found to increase injury and fatal crashes. To be in compliance the selectboard must restore the 40 mph limit until a formal traffic study is completed that recommends a different speed limit.
 
I urge the selectboard to comply with the state statute, follow the road commissioner’s recommendations and protect the safety of Charlotte citizens including children riding the school bus.
 
Ruth Uphold
Charlotte