Editorial was assault on democracy

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

To the Editor: In your editorial on Jan. 6 you referenced an”Orwellian turn of phrase.” Well, your editorial employed the Orwellian tactic of doublespeak, a term derived from George Orwell’s novel Nineteen Eighty-Four. Miriam-Webster defines doublespeak as “language used to deceive usually through concealment or misrepresentation of truth.”

The certification by Congress of the Electoral College vote is one of the checks envisioned by our founders. Were you, Mr. Weinschenk, aware that Democrats objected to the certification of the Electoral College three times in the last 20 years? Was that also an anti-democratic intervention of the federal government, as you pointed out in your letter by quoting Paul Ryan?

Now I will address the flaws in the 2020 Wisconsin election. I will not speak to the problems in other states because I am a Wisconsin resident. Their problems need to be addressed by residents of those states.

First and foremost, election law is set by the state legislature. This is so, to ensure the common citizen has an avenue to address problems with election integrity. When appointed judges, and appointed election officials change election law, the common citizen has no recourse to address a problem. This basic tenant was trampled in this election by appointed officials in the state of Wisconsin.

In all previous Wisconsin elections, people voted at a polling place or contacted a municipal clerk for an absentee ballot. These two options provided the vote with validity and integrity. These rules ensured checks, and ways to verify a legal vote.

The massive mailing of vote solicitation without legislative approval, opened the door for massive fraud.

I personally know of individuals who received vote solicitations for prior residents at their household. I would like you to prove they did not vote twice. The opposite is true, that I cannot prove that they did. So, in your wisdom, explain to me, Mr. Weinschenk, how we verify one way or the other. The result of this action is an invalid election lacking integrity.

The placing of ballot drop boxes without legislative approval in Democratic strong holds, ie: Milwaukee, Madison, Kenosha, Green Bay. I am not aware of any placed in Colby, Abbotsford, Dorchester, Loyal, or anywhere in central Wisconsin. This practice in itself is discriminatory by not granting all Wisconsin residents the same access to vote.

The placing of unsupervised drop boxes also opens the door to fraud. Once again, how do you prove the validity of the vote? I am unable to prove the vote invalid, but you cannot prove it to be valid. In previous elections, using the laws the legislature put in place, it was possible to prove a vote was valid.

So, in closing, I am also sorely disappointed just as you are. I believe your editorial was an assault on American democracy, by the use of doublespeak. The democratic process needs a valid and verifiable vote.

Rick Weber Colby

To the Editor: This reply is in regards the letter on Nov. 11, 2020, from Ron Gosse. Seriously, shame on voters who didn’t support Trump. Right back at you for supporting him. That is your choice. But the majority of people went to vote for Biden. Fact.

Have you been hiding in a bunker all of these months only drinking his Kool-Aid? Unlike the Jim Jones’ cult, his members, including innocent children, just fell asleep. Your man, the compulsive liar, has not told the truth to the American people since Day One. His nomask rallies were super-spreaders. Fact. In September when he was at CWA, two weeks later there were 1,500 more cases. Do you care? If he doesn’t and you and the rest of his cult believe he does, sorry. Fact. He only cares about himself and the power you are enabling him to have. These people are suffering. Families are suffering. Do you care?

He is worse than Hitler. A mass murderer and all of these deaths are on him because he lied. John Bolton dismantled the office set up by President Obama for something just like just like this. So one would have some plans to follow. Unlike your man and his stooge, Mark Meadows, who said they were just going to let it run its course. It’s round the curve and look where we are. All of the deaths are on all of the enablers because you don’t care. God have mercy on your souls, as Jesus said, forgive them, Father, for they know not what they do. They believe the lies. It’s the Kool-Aid.

The GOP (Voss, et cetera) have really hurt Wisconsin by standing in Evers’ way of everything he has tried to do. Just look where we are now, Marathon County. Are you proud of that?. I’m not. Shame on them. They seem to know better then the doctors and nurses who are putting their lives on the line every day for all of us. Watching people suffer and die. Do you care? Sad, how many people in Marathon County are so self-centered.

Your man is destroying our country. With the help of FOX News and from your comments, that is where you get the bulk of your information. Just proves to me you wouldn’t know the truth if it slapped you in the face.

While I am writing this, I have the news on and, low and behold, there are Trumpsters protesting in front of the Marathon County courthouse. No masks. Get over it. Biden won fair and square. And they must also only get their information from FOX News who continues to spread fake news. Fact.

Marathon County is a hot spot. Do you care? Are you proud of that? Aren’t we better than that? When they announced Biden’s win, people were in the streets in front of our Whitw House with masks on showing respect for their fellow men unlike the protesters in front of the courthouse. Sad. Will you be the next one? All because you are too proud to put on a mask. There is no pride in that, just stupidity.

Georgia Benson Kronenwetter

Trump has blood on his hands

To the Editor: I would like to introduce you to the German word “Schadenfreude”: satisfaction that comes from learning of or witnessing the troubles, failures or humiliation of another who deserves it.

On Jan. 6, I told my wife we would be witnessing history in the making. The coverage showed inside the U.S. Capitol where lawmakers were doing their constitutionally defined duty. They were to count the electoral votes: 306 fore Joe Biden and Kamala Harris and 232 voted for the soon-to-be ex-president. Only the ignorant and the gullible believed otherwise. Biden had over 7 million more votes. This had been confirmed by voting officials of both parties and the lies of voter fraud were dispelled by over 60 courts including Trump appointed judges on the Supreme Court.

Outside the coverage showed a mob assembling outside the U.S. Capitol fresh from a Trump rally.

At the rally, among the ranters on stage was Donald Trump, Jr. who shrieked, “If you’re going to be the zero and not the hero, we’re coming for you!” Trump’s star lawyer Rudy Giuliani exhorted, now was the time for “Trial by combat!” And the soon ex-leader of the free world squawked, “I’ll be there for you. We are going to march up to the Capitol. We have to take back up country. We can’t show weakness.”

As the Trump inspired mob was attacking the U.S. Capitol, brave Donald was not there with them.

The Coward-in Chief slithered back to the safety of the White House along with his parasitic family and Rudy “Trial by Combat” Giuliani. There they watched the riot theory incited like a reality TV show.

On one end of Pennsylvania Ave. Trump and family and fellow travelers basked in the safety of law enforcement. On the other end of Pennsylvania Ave. the murderous mob was assaulting law enforcement officers. Five people died, including an officer who left a young family fatherless.

There is a lot of blame to be spread around the scourge of Donald Trump. They include FOX News, Newsmax, Rubert Murdock, hate radio like 550 AM, social media who profited from his use, the Republican Party and those who drank the Kool-Aid, joined the cult and quit thinking critically.

The Wisconsin representatives Scott Fitzgerald and Tom Tiffany along with Sen. Ron Johnson should be removed from office for their role in this riot.

They knew their challenge of the electoral votes was based on lies and doomed to failure. They did this to gain favor with the Trump cult crowd. For months, they spread the false narrative of a stolen election and voter fraud. They were complicit and guilty of this dangerous deception.

As for Donald J. Trump, what’s five more lost lives? His lying, nepotism, laziness and incompetence has been a major factor in the COVID-19 virus killing over 380,000 Americans. Their blood is on his hands.

As for the Trumpers, I really enjoy your “Vote Trump Law and Order” campaign signs.

Gary Fergot Town of Wien

2021 is welcome

To the Editor: The year 2020 is almost done And everyone can agree it wasn’t much fun.

From politics to COVID, it was all a mess, And everyone dealing with some kind of stress.

Doctors and nurses trying to save lives, Politicians not getting along added to the strife.

Many of us did the right thing, selfisolated, wore masks. It wasn’t easy. For too many, too big of a task.

Too many lives lost, more deaths than any wars, The numbers still growing; the death count soars.

Let’s welcome 2021 with a fresh start.

Do the right thing with a kind heart.

With God’s blessings and vaccines on the way, Our faith helps us be strong to believe in a better day.

Each baby that is born is a new life to be blessed, God’s miracle of love, the world at its best.

Many whispered prayers to all being sent your way.

Feel loved, stay well. We’ll make it through another day.

Susan (Fergot) Becker Athens