Letters to the Editor: Trump is divisive. Beyond that, Americans don’t have to agree on anything

To the editor: I’m an old lefty since at least around 1960, but Jonathan Goldberg’s is a conservative voice that I hold dear. He is honest and warm to his adversaries.

His recent column on why our body politic ought not to have “unity” as its goal is a typical Goldberg treasure. He understands that the business of politics is necessarily conflict, that bargaining and fighting are the oil of the machine.

Far from decrying our differences, we ought to be honoring and enjoying them. We should be happy to carry our arguments as far as they can go and learn how to fight well and honestly without killing each other or wanting to.

I may never agree with Goldberg’s worldview, but I can celebrate one of his good arguments. Perhaps the one thing we can agree on is that the man now attempting to serve as our head of state will never truly understand what either of us loves about this country.

Will Owen, Pasadena

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To the editor: The president’s job isn’t to unify Americans, says Goldberg. OK, but it’s not his job to be divisive, threatening, inconsiderate and self-serving.

For President Trump merely to “preside” over the nation, something that Goldberg says is the essence of the presidency, would be refreshing at this point. It’s not going to happen, and he’s harming the position.

Goldberg also writes, “The place where most of this fighting is suppose to resolve itself is called ‘Congress.’ ” That’s rich at a time when the current Senate majority leader won’t even allow some debates to take place.

I believe that a president needs to display some amount of maturity and intelligence to allow civility to eke its way back into American life. That kind of display may “unify” us into valuing civil discourse.

Thomas Andrew, Cathedral City

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To the editor: Goldberg is right — the president is supposed to “preside” over a country that is basically in disunity and faithfully execute the law. The current president does neither, and because the Republicans have fallen into lockstep behind him, he “presides” only over his own narcissistic, authoritarian whims with impunity.

This country stands little chance of ever again unifying over anything. I have never seen us so polarized. I truly fear for our democracy.

To echo Benjamin Franklin, we have a republic if we can keep it, but I honestly don’t think we can.

Rebecca Hertsgaard, Palm Desert