The only upside of watching US elections and electoral processes is, as Peter Hartcher says, to develop or renew one’s own appreciation of Australia’s electoral system (“160 million Americans will vote. Only 538 will choose the next president”, October 11). Apart from the “inherently undemocratic” aspects of the US system that Hartcher describes, there’s the obscene amounts of money needed to fund campaigns that run endlessly from one election to the next and, in recent times, state legislators passing laws to make it more difficult for targeted populations to vote and/or for the vote count to be “doubted” after the fact. Are Americans not exhausted by this? Are they not afraid? The US system of elections seems focused on greed for unfair advantage. The Australian system seems to reflect a notion of democratic egalitarianism and civic engagement. For the latter, I am grateful. Marie Del Monte, Ashfield
Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.Credit: AP
Peter Hartcher’s article explains how the president of the US is selected but it doesn’t deal with the bigger US electoral mystery – why do so many US presidents struggle with a hostile Congress? Recently, Obama and Clinton have regularly been at odds with their Republican-dominated Congress and Biden has struggled because VP Kamala Harris has had a casting vote in Congress. Nixon was haunted by a Democrat-dominated Congress, resulting in his resignation. As we have seen, such situations can lead to lame-duck presidential terms which leave the US without coherent goals and, effectively, the free world without coherent leadership.
Reform of the archaic Electoral College system should result in the presidency going to someone genuinely elected by the people. Moreover, since the real legislative power in the US rests with Congress, popular-vote election of a more closely aligned Congress and president must be a step towards government of the people, by the people and for the people.
Rick Duley, North Perth (WA)
Trump not funny
While it would be easy to laugh at the deranged conspiracy promoters who claim that “they” (presumably the Biden government and its enslaved meteorologists) “control the weather”, there’s nothing funny about Trump’s failure to distance himself from this risible nonsense (“Deniers and cynics misleading the desperate”, October 12). The would-be US president has not disowned Congresswoman Taylor Greene’s accusation that Californian wildfires were started by “Jewish space lasers”. Trump cites his “racehorse” (racist, eugenicist) theory to show that he and his supporters have “great genes” so are of superior intelligence (hence smart enough to vote for him). White supremacism and xenophobia underpin Trump’s and his supporters’ deranged conspiracies. Trump may be “weird” but his fun-fair fascism is no longer a laughing matter. Philip Bell, Bronte
People take photos of the spray from waves crashing against the Malecon seawall, brought by the passing of Hurricane Milton in the Gulf of Mexico, in Havana, Cuba.Credit: AP
I don’t mind a good conspiracy theory but for it to truly make people wonder about its validity there usually has to be a scintilla of truth in it. That is unless you target those who are desperate, have little and promise them something. This is the case in the US, where ludicrous claims are being compounded by the pile-on of ludicrous lies creating distrust and division. We shouldn’t sit back and think that such relentless and reckless claims wouldn’t happen here. The signs are already there. Lyn Savage, Coogee
Labor’s got talent
The contention that the Labor talent pool is shallow is to my mind incorrect (Letters, October 11). Before the 2022 election, it seemed obvious that there were more with talent on the Labor side than that of the Coalition. Jim Chalmers is outstanding; a treasurer who prosecutes his case effectively. Tony Burke as leader of the house does likewise. Murray Watt, Chris Bowen and Tanya Plibersek are all potential leaders. They are lucky that Andrew Leigh can assist with economics; his qualifications are second to none. While Senator Penny Wong cannot become leader, she brings incredible weight to the government team with her foreign affairs experience. By contrast, the Coalition throws up Angus Taylor as shadow treasurer with no expertise in economics, and Peter Dutton, a Tony Abbott clone – all negative, no positive. Probably Julie Bishop was the only one who could have led the Coalition but the Liberal party cast her aside. In essence there is no comparison.
If Albanese “did a Biden” and stepped aside for the good of all, there would be alternatives ready and able to carry the baton. Susie Berger, North Epping
I chortled when I read Ross Butler’s letter on the lack of talent in the current Labor caucus. He has obviously forgotten the talentless lot who were in charge for nine years before the current government came to power. The names Bernardi, Brandis, Hockey, Abbott, Pyne, Morrison, Bishop, Payne, Robert and Cormann spring to mind. I haven’t included the “education” ministers who did so much to reduce the quality of public, technical and university education as they have faded into obscurity.
Ross, please take the blinkers off and appreciate how fortunate we are to have Wong, Butler, Chalmers, Marles, Dreyfus, Gallagher, Plibersek and many other talented people in government. Keith Hartmann, Bowral
Shellfish attitude
Poor lobsters (“Lobster industry ready to pick up after China deal”, October 12). No longer caught between a rock and a hard place. Rose Peel, Lilyfield
“Lobster export a win for everyone” – except the lobster. Barbara Harry, Paddington
Otherwise clueless
The perplexing headings “Milton the monster” and “staircase wit” were both explained by following contributors (Letters, October 11). Should David Astle be advised that colleagues are also mastering the dark art of composing cryptic clues? Barry Wooldridge, Harden
Great Google-ing, Edward Loong. Yes, that is us (Letters, October 12). We have a competition with our grandma to see who can get the most letters published in the Herald. She’s in the lead but not for long! Dominic Pudney (14), Collaroy Plateau
I’m totally with letter writer Angie Miller. I suggest you could save heaps of costs by publishing only the letters pages, death notices and the cryptic crossword (Monday to Thursday, only), and leaving out the totally upsetting news stories. Although you could bring back the comics. Robert Hosking, Paddington
The difficulty of DA’s Friday crosswords is legendary. I would like to know if he also sets the Ken Ken. Normally a five-minute brain tease, I have noticed that the Friday Ken Ken is often more difficult. This Friday’s Ken Ken (No 0913) took me about 60 minutes. Did other readers find this? Or is it just my declining brain power? Dick Pollitt, Mosman
New US currency
What? Yet another cryptocurrency foisted upon the world, this time by the self-proclaimed “stable genius” Donald Trump and two shady characters with the catchy name World Liberty Financial (“Trump’s latest wild card deals in ’crypto punks‴, October 12). May I suggest a catchier name; Scam Coin. The true believers would still queue up to buy it and who knows – if Trump wins in November it may become the new US currency. Paul Doyle, Glenbrook
Breaching the principles of war
At least three of the seven principles of a just war have been breached by Hamas and Israel: the violence in a just war must be proportional to the casualties suffered, the use of force must distinguish between the militia and civilians and the primary objective of a just war is to re-establish peace (Letters, October 12) . Neither side seems in a hurry to re-establish peace. Each seems to hate the other more than they love their own people. Norm Young, Cooranbong
Jenna Price asserts that Jewish families “are facing furious differences” over the wars in Gaza and Lebanon. That might be true for some, but not for most of us.
Together with 12,000 other mostly Jewish people, more than a quarter of the Jewish population of Sydney, I attended the community vigil in Sydney on the anniversary of the Hamas atrocities on October 7. It was a dignified and moving commemoration with a Jewish community that has never been more united.
Yes, the civilian losses have been heartbreaking, especially among young children. But I am appalled that Jenna Price invoked the classic anti-Jewish “vengeance” trope, and “40 eyes for an eye”, to describe Israel’s actions, and the collective guilt trope to claim that “it implicates Jews in mass murder”.
The Hamas terrorists who last year butchered, raped and kidnapped their way through the kibbutz communities of southern Israel vowed to repeat their atrocities again and again. There is a fundamental difference between vengeance and preventing a recurrence of these shocking events. Lisa Goldberg, Vaucluse
Robert in the spotlight
I am not surprised to hear former federal minister Stuart Robert may have used privileged information to further his business interests (“Ex-minister’s own policy sparked his $500 million project”, October 12). Robert was deeply involved in the Robo-debt scandal when he was employment minister from March 2021 to May 2022, when the rort and scandal-prone Morrison government was defeated by Labor.
Douglas Mackenzie, Deakin (ACT)
Former cabinet minister Stuart Robert during question time in March 2023.Credit: Rhett Wyman
I note that Stuart Robert’s company name, Coram Deo, means “in the presence of God”. I suspect the company mission statement reads, “God helps those who help themselves”!
Matt Madin, Maroubra Beach
Pride of Telopea
Sue Chrysanthou is not the only prominent graduate of my alma mata, Telopea High School in Canberra (“See You in Court,” October 12). There’s the architect of HECS, Bruce Chapman, former National Farmers Federation chief Wendy Craik, world renowned pianist Lisa Moore, intrepid mountain climber Lincoln Hall and acclaimed contemporary artist Patricia Piccinini. Oh, and Gough Whitlam. Annual fee to attend Telopea High: $0. Clive Hamilton, Canberra (ACT)
Full impact of bullying
Far from workplace bullying being a trite matter, it is a documented factor in such serious outcomes as cardiovascular and musculoskeletal conditions, brain injury, family breakdown and suicide (“Marles should quit if ‘bullying’ response breached code: Coalition”, October 12).
Substantial evidence shows Australia has a pervasive problem with adult bullying. The level is “substantially higher than international rates”, according to Safe Work Australia.
Queensland academic Dr Donna Louise McGrath found envy is the primary workplace motivator, with the target differing in some positive way, especially through being more highly qualified, or performing more highly. Forcing out such employees culls talent from the workforce.
Expecting a bullied employee to leave is not only unfair, and potentially illegal, it can be seen to reward bullying. It is analogous to the domestic violence victim being forced out to homelessness; thus, arguably constituting an extreme and indefensible injustice. Barbara Chapman, South Yarra
Who needs gold?
We don’t need yet another gold mine (“Revealed: The untested tactic designed to revive a $1 billion NSW gold mine”, October 12). We have a thousand times more gold than we will ever need in a thousand lifetimes. We have amassed more than two million tonnes of the stuff throughout history, and since gold is virtually indestructible this means almost all of it is still around in one form or another. It has almost no practical use. Some is made into glittering adornments for the purposes of vanity and status. The rest of it is melted down into bars and stashed away in vaults under the ground. Which is where it came from, ironically.
We already possess way more gold than we will ever need. So why do we inflict mercury poisoning on vast numbers of people all over the world, ignore indigenous cultural heritage and trash the environment to dig up stuff that is essentially useless? Ben Laycock, Barkers Creek (Vic)
Webster will be missed
The Herald’s sports pages will be poorer for the departure of Andrew Webster, who has always added colour, controversy, fearless opinion and self-deprecating humour to his missives, particularly when he disagrees with Peter FitzSimons (Letters, October 12). Well done, Andrew, I wish you well in your future endeavours. Max Redmayne, Drummoyne
Andrew WebsterCredit: Getty/Fairfax/Aresna Villanueva
Andrew Webster treated sports writing as an art. His carefully crafted, creative columns will be missed. Paul Casey, Callala Bay
It’s a sad day indeed. I will really miss Andrew Webster’s intelligent, insightful and interesting articles. Simon Squires, Hornsby
Thank you, Andrew Webster, for all your columns. You made sports we often knew nothing about seem interesting, and you did it with nary a word of malice. Peter Gibson, Cooma
Andrew Webster will be sorely missed. While I didn’t always agree with his sporting stances, his candid and brave reporting has always been thought-provoking and enlightening. He signed out with a lasting journalistic memory from years ago in his last column - recounting how he was as happy as he had ever been as the sun rose to a pink sky on an iconic Brazilian beach and he opened his laptop, cracked open an icy cold beer and started to write. Inspired writing and a fine journalist - keep that laptop handy! James Cheeseman, North Ryde
I’m with Andrew Webster on how “the smartest, best-educated men in the country” manage to mess up rugby union. A “good on you” to Andrew Webster, who has never been less than entertaining, and often a lot more than that. Mind you, his interest in American football baffles me. Is there a more boring game? Colin Hesse, Nowra
True meaning of local
Regarding Dr Penna’s letter, it is even more egregious that the law does not require a candidate in a local election to reside in the local government area for which he/she is a candidate (Letters, October 12). What is local government supposed to be about?
Bruce Hyland, Woy Woy
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