Letters: Clinton, Trump, Latino voters | The Sacramento Bee

The forgotten art of the possible

Re “Candidates final pitches strike opposite tones” Page 1A, Nov. 8): Somewhere Lucky Luciano and Al Capone are chuckling, shaking their heads over the incessant claims of Hillary Clinton’s thorough corruption and dishonesty.

Famously themselves steeped in corruption, these mobsters would, however, give a thumb’s up to the vile and fraudulent Donald Trump, who continues to entrance the gullible, even after his being revealed as an anathema to every American value.

All sides should take heart. Becoming president can move one to great leadership and achievements, even under dire circumstances. Recall Otto von Bismark’s now rarely invoked quote: “Politics is the art of the possible, the attainable, the art of the next best.”

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A most confusing presidential race

On a foreign trip, we had the opportunity to talk with people about our embarrassing election. While we’re very disappointed in Americans who support Donald Trump, foreigners were surprised that Trump was allowed to proceed to candidacy after his crass displays of misogyny, incendiary remarks and unstatesman-like behavior.

Have we become so desensitized that we can’t identify rude and unacceptable behavior? Our populace takes advantage of First Amendment rights with no concern for social responsibility. Are we so paralyzed that we can’t take a stand against deplorable behavior and have truly become ugly Americans?

We deserve what we have voted for

Remember Nov. 8, 2016, the culmination of a year of campaigning by the most incompetent, despised, derided and despicable candidates ever to run for the highest office in the country.

For the past year, I have felt embarrassment, frustration, anger and shame while the candidates covered their mud stains with a white sheet and lectured us about character, competence, values, fitness for the job and glass ceilings.

The winner won’t have a mandate. It was a race to the bottom, and votes went to the apparently least toxic of the candidates. I could not write their names on the ballot.

A warning about open borders

Re “Latino surge will echo across the generations” (Editorials, Nov. 8): The Bee writes that the surge in Latino voters will echo across the generations. It probably will, but the result may not be what either side of that argument wants.

With open borders and amnesty, by the melting pot of legal immigration will disappear. The country will balkanize.

Conservative areas will ignore what they feel are oppressive laws, and liberal areas will ignore older laws they consider to be from a pre-enlightened era. Juries made up of people feeling disenfranchised will increasingly trash what’s left of the law, as happened with the Ammon Bundy verdict.

Yes, that surge will give you a brave new world. I hope you’re ready for it.