As a lifelong Republican, I’ve questioned my party loyalty for the past few years. I had begun to think that virtually all elected Republicans had forgotten their oath to “defend and support the Constitution of the United States” and substituted blind loyalty to a man whose interest was not in the Constitution but in perpetuating his position and power. (And this is a man willing to toss our democracy and its 250 years of freedom away for his own ends.)
The first two Jan. 6 hearings have clearly demonstrated that there are some Republicans who remember their oath. I have been incredibly impressed by U.S. Reps. Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger and their presentation of evidence-based facts. Not rumors or unfounded accusations but statements of fact based on video or written evidence and on eyewitness testimony under oath.
Republicans who continue to believe that the self-serving imagination of Donald Trump is in any way realistic or truthful are doing a terrible disservice to our wonderful nation. Sixty-plus lawsuits were filed on his behalf claiming vote fraud, and many were heard by Republican judges, some of whom were appointed by Trump. Apparently, they remembered their oath also — not one lawsuit prevailed. Apparently, judges view evidence as more important than wild, unsupported statements.
I realize Cheney and Kinzinger have suffered because of their loyalty to the Constitution, but, due to their logical evidence-based approach, I do see a ray of hope for rational behavior by other Republican lawmakers. Perhaps more Republicans will follow the evidence and focus on their oath to the Constitution.
I certainly hope so, because if they don’t, the party is in serious trouble.
— Robert B. Hamilton, Wauconda
Spotlight on future elections
Whether or not Democrats have policies that are acceptable to both parties is a conversation for another time. This has nothing to do with the Jan. 6 hearings and is a typical rant of those who lost the election.
The people who have testified at the hearings are victims, police officers and Republican partisans who long supported Donald Trump but stopped short of perpetrating the Big Lie or had no appetite for fraudulent fundraising.
This will most certainly put a spotlight on future elections and provide a historical record that should be required viewing in high schools across the country.
— Sandy Pernick, Wilmette
The Jan. 6 hearings matter
Dan Schuchardt writes in a letter (“Taking more shots at Trump,” June 14) that the sole objective of the Jan. 6 special committee is to damage Donald Trump.
The committee doesn’t have to do that. Trump is damaged. The committee is merely pointing it out and offering evidence. Educating the public is to Trump and his supporters what Kryptonite is to Superman.
Since the facts are not on their side, the only card that they have to play is to claim that the subject of the hearings is unimportant. Don’t be fooled by that. The persistence of our democracy is too important, and it is hanging by a fraying thread.
It is hugely important that Trump never again get closer to the Oval Office than the White House tour would take him.
— Curt Fredrikson, Mokena
Facts vs. confirmation bias
Dan Schuchardt mentions that the Democrats have no solutions for the current real problems. I agree that we do have many problems, and the current administration will have to deal with them and will be graded accordingly.
However, I don’t see the connection between the current events he mentions and the first congressional hearing on the U.S. Capitol breach of Jan. 6. Schuchardt mentions that it was obvious to anyone watching the “show” that the sole objective of the show was to further damage Trump. I saw sworn testimony from Republicans, Democrats and police personnel and videos and presentations from various sources. I was highly impressed by the factual presentation of information.
There is something called confirmation bias that can make people less likely to engage with information that challenges their views. I believe this is a big problem in our country. Unfortunately, this kind of bias can prevent us from looking at things objectively.
It can influence the decisions we make and lead to poor or faulty choices.
— Ronald G. Fuchs, St. Charles
Give us a list of names
Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Caterpillar is moving out of Illinois while the state is adding new small businesses and large and midsize corporations. Would the governor please provide a list of those large and midsize corporations moving into the state?
— Philip Roth, Evanston
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