Letter to the editor: Parties and politics

Carol Badgley, in her letter “Loss of Bacha as coroner a shame for Westmoreland residents” (Nov. 13, TribLIVE) laments that a political newcomer, Tim Carson, defeated the incumbent, Ken Bacha, as Westmore­land County coroner because, as she explains, “elections have come down to party rather than who is more qualified for the position.”

She may very well be correct in her assessment of the relative skills and qualifications of the respective candidates. I’d question, however, her belief that Republicans, in some sense, have a vendetta against the Democrats.

I’d suggest that there is a more fundamental and disturbing phenomenon occurring; in particular, the voting population in this country is so upset with recent events, such as the mass immigration, the confusion over the covid-19 pandemic, the disaster in Afghanistan, the scarcity of goods, government payments to unemployed workers while many service and production positions remain unfilled, fuel prices and on and on, that any political incumbent is at considerable risk of being voted out of office regardless of their qualifications. Their risk is amplified by the lack of leadership at all levels from those currently in office and that the problems are not being addressed.

On a more positive note, we must be grateful that we have elections in our country. Elections do provide a “relief valve” for an upset population that without elections, as we have seen in many dictatorships, most likely evolve into chaos and revolution. Hopefully, there are some John Kennedys and Ronald Reagans in the wings.

Wayne Baughman

Salem