LETTERS

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Make elections fair and honest

As the dust settles from the last election, we must all agree that it is time to make improvements to our electoral system and basic election procedures. Democracy exists only when “We the People” have absolute faith in the integrity of our most fundamental right to vote for candidates and ballot proposals. That faith happens only if we are certain that each and every vote was freely cast, and every vote was honestly and accurately counted. Anything less can easily be construed as a “rigged election.”

Michigan had a chance to verify the accuracy of our 2016 election tally with a statewide recount, but anti-democracy groups led by Attorney General Bill Schuette sued to stop the recount. You can draw your own conclusions, but history is replete with judgments about those who fear the truth, and they are seldom good.

Before the recount was stopped, just 39 percent of Michigan precincts had been completed. Sadly, 10.5 percent of the precincts were deemed “not recountable” — meaning mistakes were made by precinct workers and clerks in handling and storing the ballots. Simply put: They failed to do their job. Every single county had precincts that failed the basic conditions of integrity.

You can see the results here.

Adding to the criticism of our elections, we must also consider there were precincts that had over 15 percent of absentee ballots thrown out in the August primary election, and many other precincts had malfunctioning equipment, plus the Legislature is determined to make it increasingly difficult to vote, and so on. Now why would anyone presume we have fair and honest elections anymore?

We no longer have the moral authority to criticize elections anywhere else in the world, and we never will until we make elections fair and honest here in America.

— David Petrove, Interlochen

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Objections to letters on climate

Still trying to translate what two gentlemen said last week (Dec. 19 Express) — Russ Cage (“certain people have been trying to make unthinkable”) and Matthew Schoech (“eco-terrorist anarchist narrative”). A couple things to note:

Russ thought that Germany was in favor of coal as an energy source. For a much more balanced report on the Germans’ laudable green efforts, see “The Will to Change” by Robert Kunzig in National Geographic.

Matthew was shocked, shocked I say, to see that nonlocal peoples were helping protest an oil pipeline that may be 2 miles away and downstream.

Don’t know how much you trust oil lines — I tend to be influenced by things like the Kalamazoo River spill, or Deepwater Horizon — but if any of that stuff were 2 miles from me I would certainly protest.

And as far as his attempt at being impressive (“seek truth”), we are just getting done with the warmest year on record. I’m more impressed with 97 percent of real climate scientists who state global warming is no fraud.

— Mark Contrucci, Boyne City

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Did drivers break any laws?

Regarding the letter by Mr. Emmott (Dec. 19 Express), I would like to know if any of these drivers broke any laws? Or were they not going 10 under the speed limit like Mr. Emmott would like them to?

If not, I find it very unprofessional and am amazed that your paper would call out these companies and a federal agency by name. I’m also sure BATA is happy. What bus was it, where, what did he do wrong?

I’m sure Mr. Emmott learned these skills from his buddy Michael Moore, who I never admit is from Traverse City; I claim he is from Flint. So do us a favor Mr. Emmott, turn in your license and take the BATA.

— Matt Veldman, Traverse City