2/7 Letters: Sen. Mitt Romney voted his conscience. He shouldn’t be punished for that

Mitt Romney

How appalling, and frankly sad, that a son of our president vilifies and calls for the expulsion of Sen. Mitt Romney from the Republican Party for voting his conscience to remove the president from office. Romney’s job, under oath, was to listen to the evidence and objectively render a verdict. A devout and principled man he did so.

Is his vilification truly characteristic of a great America? Our elected officials, regardless of party affiliation, must not be punished for voting their beliefs and conscience. That is inherent in their role and our expectations.

John Dowd, Raleigh

Republican posers

I read with amusement that President Trump accused Sen. Mitt Romney of “posing as a Republican” because he is the sole Republican to break from his party and find the president guilty of abuse of power.

This is amusing because he is the actually only Republican who stuck to principles that once provided guidance for his party. The rest of the Republicans in the Senate chose to vote as if they are members of a personality cult devoid of principles. They are the ones who are “posing as Republicans” in the view of anyone who actually remembers what Republicans used to represent. So much for labels.

Stephen G. Dowlan, Vilas

NC’s senators

Sadly, but for one, the Senate Republicans’ vote to acquit marks the complete emasculation of our North Carolina senators and their Republican Party. What comes next from this corrupt, vacuous president is on them. But what comes after November is on us, the voters. God help us all.

Walter Brock Jr., Raleigh

Nancy Pelosi

Regarding “Pelosi shreds Trump’s speech. Right there on the podium.” (Feb. 5):

In 2016 Democratic U.S. Rep. G.K. Butterfield of North Carolina gained notoriety by sitting on the floor of the U.S. House to show his anger and disappointment when Democrats didn’t get their way.

Monday night on TV we witnessed a similar juvenile action by one of Butterfield’s colleagues, Democrat Nancy Pelosi.

Rather than sit on the floor during President Trump’s State of the Union address, Pelosi did the next best thing — ripped up her copy of the president’s speech listing all the many outstanding accomplishments of this administration. She showed the nation what type of immature person the Democratic leader of the U.S. House of Representatives is.

Pelosi did accomplish something — she destroyed any respect she had from countless proud Americans

Gordon Hansen, Durham

Iowa Democrats

Iowa is a national embarrassment. The United States is a joke throughout the world.

I am a lifelong Democrat, active in Chatham County politics. I was born and raised in Brooklyn, N.Y. It is harder to be a supporter of the Democratic National Committee than it is to be a Mets or Jets fan.

What is wrong with these people? They are going to blow another national election against Donald Trump. We need a national primary day.

Ted Dunn, Pittsboro

ECU trustees

Regarding “ECU trustees accused of meddling in race for campus president” (Feb.4):

It doesn’t matter which side of the political aisle you are on, we must all agree that a trustee found to be meddling in any student race needs to be removed immediately.

Surely there are enough trustworthy people in our state to be chosen as a trustee. A meddling trustee is not a worthy role model for our young people. And the person who nominated such a trustee needs to be investigated.

Mark Zimmerman, Durham

Disbanding CACs

Regarding “Raleigh Council disbands CACs to revamp community engagement,” (Feb. 6)

Late into a Raleigh City Council meeting on Tuesday a majority of Council members and the mayor voted to abolish Raleigh’s Citizen Advisory Councils.

They did so with no citizen advice and no advance notice. The majority even told fellow council members not to comment on the vote.

Council member Saige Martin said this vote was to “ensure an inclusionary, participatory, democracy.” Really? You vote to get rid of groups where citizens can express their views and be heard, and have no plan to replace them, other than hiring a consultant. Try following that logic.

Michael Lindsay, Raleigh

Infant deaths

I have a question for the writer of the Feb. 5 Forum letter commenting on the article “What can NC do to reduce the death rate for black babies,” (Feb. 3).

The Forum writer said: “What can the state do to cut black infants’ death rate? Partner with President Trump and repeal Roe v. Wade.”

How will repeal of Roe v. Wade in any way alleviate suffering of babies once they are born?

Russell Leiman, Durham