Letters to the Editor: The Democrats need ‘more Manchins’ like the wealthy need more mansions

To the editor: As a lifelong Democrat, I am a bit puzzled by one letter writer’s wish that our party needs additional Joe Manchins to make it more recognizable. Au contraire!

Democrats today are reminding Americans that their legacy runs through Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry Truman, John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson, not a milquetoast, Republican-lite politician such as the Democratic senator from West Virginia.

Everything from Social Security to Medicare to civil rights to efforts to reduce poverty is what makes us Democrats. All the while, the senior senator from one of the poorest states in our union is fundamentally AWOL in sustaining and expanding the aforementioned policies of our party’s founding fathers.

We need more Manchins about as much as we need more mansions for the wealthy.

Bob Teigan, Santa Susana

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To the editor: Manchin was elected by the people of West Virginia to represent them in the U.S. Senate. Is an elected official responsible to their constituents, to their political party or to their own beliefs?

In a perfect world there would be no conflict, but in order to get elected, a candidate must obviously appeal to the majority.

Manchin got elected in a state that overwhelmingly voted for former President Trump. Democrats, by having Manchin in the Senate, were at least able to replace Republican leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) with Democratic leader Charles E. Schumer (N.Y.).

Larry Harmell, Granada Hills

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To the editor: Reading this letter, you’ve got to ask yourself how did the Republicans make the Democrats out to be the bad guys in our American political divide? Between Trump and the Jan. 6 insurrection, how did they do it?

Oh yeah, with lies.

Mindy Taylor-Ross, Venice