Letters to the Editor

The case for Hillary Clinton to stay in the race

In response to Jerry Lanson's May 9 Opinion piece, "Hillary: It's time for a gracious exit": The total number of delegates required to nominate a Democratic candidate is 2,025. To date, neither candidate has reached this number. If the number is not reached by the date of the final primary, then the contest must continue to the Democratic convention. During the convention, delegates can vote on as many ballots as necessary to determine the winner. The controversy concerning the popular votes and delegates from Michigan and Florida must also be resolved prior to the convention.

In the presidential election of 2000, George Bush could not become president until he received the 270 electoral votes. No Democrat considered him the presumptive victor. To ask either Democratic candidate to withdraw before the other reaches the required tally does a disservice to the entire process. Both candidates and their supporters have waged a good campaign but if neither one can "close the deal" before the convention, it is up to the delegates and superdelegates to decide.

Joe Bialek
Cleveland

Regarding Jerry Lanson's recent Opinion piece calling for Hillary Clinton to bow out of the Democratic nomination race: At one time, girls were told blatantly, "Let the boy win." The reason underlying such a maternal commandment was that apparently boys have fragile egos and can't stand a girl beating them at anything. This is embedded in the psyche of our culture.

Now, if you think that is a long-dead sentiment, have a look at the media today. It is a close race, and it continues to be a close race, but the media beat the drum, "Let the boy win, Hillary!" By remaining in the race, Senator Clinton changes the psyche of the country; she goes the distance for all of us.

Liz Hulsizer
Evanston, Ill.

Don't settle for a runoff in Zimbabwe

Regarding your May 9 editorial, "Take half a loaf in Zimbabwe": I found the editorial exhorting the opposition party in Zimbabwe to participate in a runoff to be naive. It is easy to take this position from the sidelines, where one's family members are safe from threats of torture and death.

Also, the editorial fails to lay blame on South Africa. Its position as head of the UN Security Council during much of this tragedy was leveraged very well by Robert Mugabe's thugs in the electoral commission.

Mr. Mugabe's actions should have been resolutely condemned in the UN and by those few leaders in Africa with genuine aspirations for the betterment of their people. Once again the leaders on the African continent have failed to stand up to one of their own, tragically falling back on some distorted version of "solidarity."

Once the shining star of independence from white colonialism, Mugabe continues to enslave and persecute his people as did the white slave masters of old.

Jorge Collazo
Cranford, N.J.

Tax burden always rests on consumers

In response to David Francis's May 5 commentary, "Gasoline tax reprieve: an idea running on empty": Hillary Clinton is only fooling herself when she claims that motorists will pay less for gas if her plan to impose a windfall profits tax on oil companies to replace the gas tax paid by motorists at the pump takes hold.

Oil companies simply include the cost of taxes in the price of gas as part of the cost of production. Thus, regardless of whom a tax is levied on by law, in the end consumers are the ones who pay.

Stephen V. Gilmore
Charlotte, N.C.

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