Dear Editor:

I have a few thoughts.

First, enough of stuffing the Supreme Court. The court exists, right, as the supreme arbiter of disputes. We want it to make fair, impartial, reasoned, decisions. That is not what happens when we stuff it with political hacks instead of the best, brightest and fairest judges we can find. ‘

How stupid are we? If the Republicans stuff the Court with ultraconservatives, when the Democrats come to power, they’re going to expand the court from nine to 19 and add in liberals. See an end to that? See a Supreme Court everyone trusts in that? Wouldn’t it be smarter to just agree on candidates acceptable to both parties?

Second, enough of political parties anyway, enough of Democrats and Republicans. This is ludicrous. It’s the blueprint for gridlock. If you put 435 men and women in a room and have them vote their conscience, come up with a plan or pass a bill — they’ll get it done. So will the 100 senators. We have the present debacle because the democratic party or the republican party can force their members to toe a party line. Make everyone an Independent.

Third, let’s rein in — or at least wipe out — the power of the speakers of the House and Senate. These people have way too much power, as much power as a president. A perfectly fine centrist candidate for a Supreme Court can be nominated. Mitch McConnell can refuse to bring the nomination up for a vote. A middle ground proposal for the next coronavirus relief bill can be proposed by the president, but neither Nancy Pelosi nor McConnell will allow it to come up for a vote.

Every time I suggest America needs to make some changes, folks are quick to point out I’m just an immigrant and these things have worked fine in America for 250 years. Could I have a show of hands on whether this kind of nonsense made America great or America managed to achieve greatness despite it?

Pete Westover,

Russell