Reviews | January 6: a failed coup plot but, yes, a coup plot
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For the publisher:
Re “What if there was no coup plot?” By Christopher Caldwell (guest essay, Sunday Review, August 1):
I think Mr. Caldwell and I must have very different definitions of the word âcoupâ. He maintains that “the events of the day are ambiguous”.
Let’s review them: President Donald Trump, having lost a legitimate election, gathers a crowd of supporters, then he and his closest allies harangue them with stories about how he really won the election. The mob is encouraged to attack the Capitol in order to disrupt the certification of the election – they must “stop the theft”.
As a result, an angry mob descends on the Capitol, overwhelms the police and storms into the building, seeking to harm elected officials as Mr. Trump happily watches the unfolding events on television.
If it’s not a hit, please tell me what it is. Does Mr. Caldwell think that if his crowd had been successful, if the certification process had been perverted with the threat of violence, Mr. Trump would not have eagerly seized the opportunity to remain in office?
The events of January 6 were not just a “political protest that got out of hand”, but a deliberate attempt to undermine a peaceful and legitimate transfer of power. That Mr. Trump’s coup failed is not proof of the lack of a plot, but testament to the incompetence that characterized the former president’s entire tenure – an incompetence for which in this case we must be deeply grateful.
Stephen mclaughlin
Richmond, California.
For the publisher:
Christopher Caldwell could not be more wrong in describing the January 6 insurgency as “something familiar: a political protest that has gotten out of hand.” A “political protest” is when people come together to shout slogans, hold up signs, listen to speeches and express their opinions.
In contrast, many of those who invaded Capitol Hill after listening to Donald Trump were armed with weapons such as stun guns and bear bombs. As Mr. Caldwell himself admits, they demanded the hanging of Vice President Mike Pence. In short, they were not prepared to protest, but to violently attack, even murder, elected officials and the people who protected them.
Mr. Caldwell writes that “the stability of the republic has never really seemed threatened”. If so, it was much closer to being at risk than I’ve witnessed in my life – or hopefully ever again.
Jeffrey Bendix
Cleveland Heights, Ohio
For the publisher:
Christopher Caldwell says that “without the benefit of the Covid era of expanded mail-in voting, Democrats might well have lost more elections at all levels, including the presidential election.” He goes on to suggest that Democrats, including members of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, have deliberately sought to give Democratic candidates an advantage by expanding access to postal voting.
Contrary to Mr Caldwell’s assertions, there is no evidence that the expansion of postal voting benefited Democratic candidates in the 2020 election. These results are consistent with those of previous studies which found no effect of the voting rules. by correspondence on partisan results.
Alan abramowitz
Atlanta
The writer is professor of political science at Emory University.
For the publisher:
I stopped reading this article when I came to this line: “The most dramatic and disruptive episode in Mr. Trump’s resistance to the election took place on January 6, and the events of that day are ambiguous.
Mr. Caldwell’s opinion on anything is in question if he thinks the events of January 6 are “ambiguous”.
Anne-Marie Joyce
Braintree, Mass.
What Trump Forged
For the publisher:
Re “Biden’s climate plans hampered after exodus under Trump” (premiere, August 2):
After the terrible destruction caused by the Trump presidency, we all find it easy to tear down but difficult to rebuild. Sadly, many Americans are so suspicious of our government that they enthusiastically support Donald Trump’s celebration of the worst and its corresponding removal of the best.
This is especially visible in the loss of American prestige abroad, but Mr. Trump’s influence was such that it permeated all aspects of our government. It will take years to rebuild what he was able to crush in a single term.
Hopefully Mr. Trump never returns to the White House. If he does, he will quickly undo all reconstruction carried out by the current administration and continue its destruction of the US government. It will be destruction of such magnitude and degree that future administrations and future generations will find it difficult to reverse it.
Tim shaw
Cambridge, Mass.
Bard College, banned by Russia
For the publisher:
“In Banning Bard College, Russia Sends Message” (August 6 press article) underestimates the problem posed by Russia’s designation of Bard College as an “undesirable” organization. Even for Bard College itself, the designation affects far more than its existing and planned programs in Russia.
The law, aimed at all foreign NGOs, has teeth and imposes criminal and administrative penalties, including substantial fines and heavy prison terms, for being a member or financial contributor of an undesirable organization.
This now includes all Bard College faculty members who wish to travel to Russia for any reason, such as scientific collaboration with their Russian colleagues (who would also be in legal danger), as well as Bard College alumni. contributing to Bard and other Bards. donors.
In July 2022, Russia will host the International Congress of Mathematicians in St. Petersburg. It remains to be seen how this new designation of Bard College will affect this meeting.
Ilya Kapovich
new York
The truth about condos
For the publisher:
Re âI know all about condo living. Let’s Fix It. â(Opinion guest dissertation, July 31):
As a former member of a small town New England condominium board, I enjoyed reading David B. Haber’s direct article on the dangers of condominiums.
It is true that some residents refuse to support necessary capital repair projects because the associated costs directly affect them in the purse. Obviously, they believe condos relieves them of the responsibility, figuratively speaking, of maintaining the roof over their heads.
Real estate agents who brag about the âlow feesâ of a condo are a big part of the problem. They created the impression that low fees represent prudent financial management. Nothing could be further from the truth.
If real estate agents helped potential condominium buyers to further study a building’s long-term maintenance plans and the appropriate budgets to carry out those plans, we would have far fewer crises.
Charles T. Clark
Stonington, Connecticut.
Viewing photos in the library
For the publisher:
Re âThe treasures in the pilesâ (Arts pages, August 4):
I was deeply concerned as I read the New York Public Library’s plan to remove the precious collection of images from circulation.
As a media historian who has studied the collection for years, and as a teacher who uses the collection as an educational tool for visual culture classes, I have frequently cited the longtime director of the Image Collection, Romana Javitz, in my work, and her words are as true today as they were in 1936:
âThere is such an exhilarating continuity in the usefulness of this type of library service that the organization of the material and its development are never static. It keeps both staff and the public alert and sparks a lively stream of cooperative reports from the public from which we receive an incredible percentage of constructive and understanding suggestions, always with the spirit of keeping the collection on-line curation and availability. .
I don’t know of any other collection that treats images in this way. Rather than an individual image, what is crucial to preserve is the model it represents of a collection of images as a living and available physical site.
Diana kamin
Maplewood, New Jersey
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