I’m a Republican. I’m not interested in Trump’s Patriot Party.

No Patriot Party

In the aftermath of President Trump’s tumultuous exit from the presidency there is increased talk of folks wanting to leave the Republican Party. As an alternative they offer a MAGA-centric party known as the Patriot Party.

This would be a major mistake and a fool’s errand as bad as the Jan. 6 effort that sought to disrupt the Electoral College count.

As a Reagan Republican, I’m proud of the legacy of a party that freed the slaves, won the Cold War and has stood for common sense free enterprise principles. If folks choose to leave to follow a blind cult of personality centered on a one-term president, then count me out. Their efforts will lead to monumental failure and an empowered Democratic Party.

Carlton Huffman, Granite Falls

Trump’s success

Regarding “Americans shouldn’t forget President Trump’s successes,” (Jan. 22 Opinion):

It was refreshing to read that someone is willing to actually look at the facts and give credit where it’s due.

Donald Trump was an embarrassment in many ways, but he did actually tackle real problems and not just offer mealy mouth drivel that never accomplishes anything.

Thank you, Desiree Zapata Miller. I hope you and the Observer continue to offer facts on accomplishments and not spend so much time on pipe-dream promises by all politicians that don’t offer real solutions.

Jim Prive, Waxhaw

Trump’s failures

While I agree that Donald Trump accomplished some worthy tasks (though some on Desiree Zapata Miller’s list are highly debatable), the other side of the scale far outweighs them.

A short list: climate change denial, his affection for racist groups, running the White House like a Mafioso don, attacks on truth that differ with his ego’s view of the world, and authoring and perpetuating his big election lie that led to the historic Capitol insurrection and on-going division of our country. All confirm that Trump was unworthy of being president.

Now that he’s been impeached (again), I ask Congress to please convict him and bar him from serving office again.

Chris Roy, Charlotte

Electoral College

In “The Electoral College saved democracy,” (Jan. 21 Opinion) Michael Goff said “states would not be able to defend their separate presidential elections because they would not be separate” if national vote totals were tallied. Huh? Elections would still be run by states precisely as they are now. The only change would be the criteria for victory in the only two national offices on the ballot.

The Electoral College is a Constitutional anachronism that favors acreage over individuals. It is not representative government and it must go.

Sue Anderson, Huntersville

Biden and unity

President Biden has continually talked about unity and the parties working together. Until he, as president and leader of the Democratic Party, tells Speaker Nancy Pelosi not to move impeachment charges against Donald Trump to the Senate, his talk is meaningless and insincere.

Does Pelosi’s fear that Trump may continue in politics at a later date blind her to what is best for unity? She realizes millions still like what Trump did during his presidency. Impeachment after the fact has only one purpose, to keep him out of political office in the future. Power, power, and more power.

Don Roberson, Matthews

Partisanship

I welcome the return to more normal governance where truth is not a victim and there is an active attempt toward unity.

I encourage senators and members of Congress to work together to get things done. Executive orders are not laws, so we need bipartisan action.

For those calling for more partisanship and spouting untruths, that needs to stop. President Biden won because he committed to govern all Americans and try to unite us. He cannot do it alone. We must do our part. Absent that and we will continue to self-inflict mortal wounds on our country.

Keith Wilson, Charlotte

Accountability

Following the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol building, senatorial chameleon Lindsey Graham counseled against impeachment of the inciter of that attack, arguing we had a national need to move forward together in unity. But how can we choose the right path forward without the light of truth to guide us? And how can we share that path together without a level of trust among us?

Truth and trust can only emerge through accountability.

Geoffrey Planer, Gastonia

Help the homeless

My wife and I drove to Charlotte to get our COVID-19 vaccinations and were shocked to see blocks of tents for the homeless lining the road, with not a portable toilet in sight. There is something seriously wrong with government leaders who continue to send billions to countries all over the world when we have our own people living in the grass in the cold and rain.

This is a glaring example of man’s inhumanity to man.

Jack King, Cornelius