Letters — Rep. John Ratcliffe, Baltimore, Rep. Elijah Cummings, Sen. Mitch McConnell

Mediocrity bubbles to the topRe: "Intel director leaving position — President says he'll nominate Rep. Ratcliffe of Heath for job," Monday news story.It's not surprising that President Donald Trump replaced a skilled, experienced and respected top official with a less experienced sycophants (e.g., replacing H.R. McMaster or James Mattis), but Rep. John Ratcliffe of Heath as director of national intelligence in place of Dan Coats is a disgrace.Instead of focusing on the Russian interference in the 2016 election, which all U.S. intelligence agencies agree on, Ratcliffe sounds like a mini-Trump by trumpeting his concern that the Obama administration illegally started an investigation of Trump, in spite of the inspector general's and Robert Mueller's conclusions to the contrary.Nor is Ratcliffe qualified. His limited experience as a U.S. attorney and three terms in Congress barely qualifies him for for his present job, much less for director of national intelligence. His primary qualification seems to be that he parrots the Trump party line.It's just another example of mediocrity bubbling to the top in the cesspool of the Trump administration.James Barber, DallasReporter's sermon not newsRe: "Trump attacks critic's district — He calls Cummings' Baltimore turf 'rat and rodent infested mess.'" Sunday news story.The Dallas Morning News published this supposed news story by Associated Press reporter Zeke Miller, but it's clear that Miller is no reporter. His story concludes with a personal lecture. "The latest comments come as Trump has placed racial animus at the center of his re-election campaign, as he believes his inflammatory rhetoric will strengthen his support among the white working class ..." Wow! Had Trump or any of his minions actually said any of these things, it should have been front-page news. Since it was not on the front page or attributed to anyone, I guess Miller just made it up. Maybe Trump had a point about "fake news." Miller's sermon is not news.Mark J. Zimmermann, DallasVile insults not debatingI want to respect and believe a president, but his weekend rant left me with a dilemma: Should I hide my University of Baltimore law degree? Send it back to the school in a city President Donald Trump attacked for having rats and vermin? Should I deny having attended school there? Or should I keep using what I learned there? It worked well in practicing law in Maryland and later Missouri to know that one couldn't go to court and demand to win arguments by saying an opponent's "father rides shotgun on a garbage truck" or "his mother dresses him funny". Nope, reasonable debate means arguing issues, not vile insults. In fact, that was a lesson well-learned years before college or even high school. Maybe they didn't teach that at his military school or at the Wharton School. No hateful differences, just have respectful debates. We could have less divisiveness then in our nation. But if Trump should see what I've written, he'd label me a loser or lazy or stupid, because he won't like it. It's his mode of operation.I often worry if folks he insults will unite behind him if our nation is attacked. If a president must be 35 or older, doesn't that assume a president will have maturity?Merle Kasten Turner, RichardsonChildish rants damagingWhy do we read, almost daily, of our president's twitter attacks on someone, usually a Democrat and also usually a critic of his words and actions? Along with that news, we also hear from one or more of his supporters how he is just "pushing back" or some such excuse. Can anyone else see how his childish rants and his vicious and offensive verbal attacks are only causing more disunity in our society? Is it any wonder that some of the world's despotic leaders wanted him in the highest office of our land?And what are our elected leaders doing but spending most of their time attempting some legal move or another to oust him when, so far, nothing has been found that would be grounds for such a move. They need to realize that until there are laws prohibiting people of flawed character from holding political office, they are doomed to lose.LeRoy White, DentonWhite House is infestedPresident Donald Trump has reached a new low even for him. In ranting about Congressman Elijah Cummings, Trump referred to Baltimore as a place that no one would want to live and that is was "infested." I'll tell you what's infested. The White House is infested. It is infested with bigotry. It is infested with racism. It is infested with hatred. It is infested with nepotism. The residence of the president of the United States is infested with a narcissistic bully who is a liar of monumental proportions and an embarrassment to this country.David Voss, DallasCall your senatorsThe U.S. House recently passed a bill to secure the 2020 elections, providing funding for the states to take the essential steps to ensure that other countries are not able to again meddle in our electoral process. This bill was stopped by Sen. Mitch McConnell and not allowed to move to the floor of the Senate for a vote. Obviously he is not concerned with ensuring fair elections in our country. Sen. John Cornyn's office was contacted, and we were told that those in the office were unaware of the bill. It is essential that they become aware, which can only be accomplished if we, the people, contact them and insist on putting this bill up for a vote. Call the offices of Cornyn and Sen. Ted Cruz if you believe our elections should not be manipulated by foreign countries wishing to do harm to our country. Your call can make a difference. Remember they're supposed to be working for us.B.G. Lancaster, AllenWishing and hopingI wish. I wish I had a government that was responsive to the needs of all. I wish I had a government that was working to give aid and succor to the needy minorities. I wish I had two Texas senators with the courage to speak out against Majority Leader Mitch McConnell about his killing needed bills. I wish those same two Texas senators would publicly speak against the divisive tones and targets of President Donald Trump's tweets. I can wish and hope, but I don't have these things yet.Michael Wallace, Duncanville  Continue reading...