Donald Trump’s wrecking ball agenda is very much on point

The international editor’s reality check on Donald Trump’s wrecking ball agenda is very much on point, and is an alarm call for climate action, which Trump plans to wreck (“Harris illusions will aid Trump”, August 6). Trump has already installed many Republican election officials in swing states who are at his bidding and unlikely to certify election results when the results don’t favour Trump. His declared plan to “fix” the system to secure his dictatorship, should be heeded by our policymakers. The rest of the world needs contingency planning to compensate for Trump’s withdrawal from the battle against climate change, or we are truly doomed. Barry Laing, Castle Cove

Peter Hartcher has stated the obvious ignored by almost all. Months before the 2020 US presidential election, Donald Trump made it clear that he would not accept defeat. Few, if any, predicted this. He continues with his Big Lie that he won that election. The choice before Americans now is dictatorship or civil war. The Orange One will trash the Constitution or the nation. Britain’s race riots suggest that Trump will not need to order his MAGA army onto the streets. Social media disinformation will do the job. Dave Lee, Annandale

I doubt the Harris team is under any illusions or taking anything for granted. They know the Republicans will play dirty. Much of mainstream media in the US and the likes of Sky News in Australia continue to distort the facts about the US election. Objective commentators are up against the powerful pro-Trump forces in the media, but are doing their best to counteract their misrepresentations. Some reputable pollsters are painting a more optimistic picture of Kamala Harris’s progress. Harris is already gaining support beyond her base, and bear in mind she has only been on the campaign trail for a few weeks. Trump is looking rattled and comes across as a tired old salesman, peddling an outdated product. He has less chance of increasing support beyond his base than does Harris. Meanwhile, responsible news outlets are working overtime to increase awareness of Trump’s plans to take control of the White House at any cost. The Democrats have every reason to be optimistic about the outcome of the election, but the US must be prepared for violence if Trump loses. Graham Lum, North Rocks

Hartcher provides realistic analysis of Kamala Harris’s chances of winning the US presidential election. However, to suggest the possibility that Donald Trump could “claim power illegally, by force” should he lose the election is fanciful. With the US Constitution having executive, legislative and judicial branches, a coup d’état by Trump is impossible. Does anyone seriously believe Trump would be able to override the US armed services, the FBI, the Department of Justice, the US Congress, the governors of 50 states and the National Guard, not to mention a majority of voters who would have voted against him? Riley Brown, Bondi Beach

Your report comments on the number of Trump’s once-staunch supporters who left during his 90-minute meandering speech in Atlanta, Georgia (“Trump left rattled by size of Harris’ crowds”, August 8). These supporters are not the only Republicans who are deserting Trump: some respected Republicans are also turning against him. He is becoming so “crazy”, incoherent, and “weird” that those who once ardently supported him now recognise that he is a danger to their country. It is to be hoped that this realisation is acted upon at the ballot box. The future of America, and the world, may depend on it. Douglas Mackenzie, Deakin (ACT)

Two great articles in the Herald: Peter Hartcher’s and Charlotte Mortlock’s (“TikTokers love Kamala”, August 6). Each shows the risks that believing the hype surrounding Harris does not equate with a victory for her. In a world of insidious social media and unreasoned opinion miscast as fact creating false equivalences, there remains the danger that Trump will emerge as the next US President from an electoral system that is neither fair nor democratic. Let’s not forget that the world believed that Hillary Clinton would win in 2016. Wayne Duncombe, Lilyfield

Trying to understand MAGA is like trying to understand life on other planets. I always remember an American told me once we only have one political party. Labor is the left wing of the Democrats and Liberals the right wing. We don’t have Republicans. Neville Turbit, Russell Lea

Of course the US election is imitating a sitcom (“The US election is imitating a TV sitcom. Is that a good thing?”, smh.com.au, August 6). The whole country is one big sitcom. James Mahoney, McKellar (ACT)

Unproductive practices at the ABC

My former ABC colleague Stuart Littlemore (Letters, August 6) takes his well-honed verbal scalpel to the overall quality of today’s ABC News. It’s all in the name of “popularism” which translates as aping the commercials, rather than setting quality as the goal. It particularly affects the area of current affairs and most especially in political interviewing. It was where Mike Willesee, Richard Carleton and Kerry O’Brien set the standard for incisive and intuitive interviewing that actually helped the audience become better informed. I know of no media style-manual that does anything but strongly discourage the use of leading questions, so why does the ABC persist with it? What is worse, however, is that this unproductive practice (first referred to by Rudyard Kipling over a century ago), also inevitably leads to perceptions of political bias on the part of the interviewer. In my long experience it’s not, but it is very unprofessional journalism practice. Eric Hunter, Cook (ACT)

ABC chairman Kim Williams’ criticism of the national broadcaster’s news coverage is spot-on. But it’s not just a problem in the digital news feeds. The 7pm evening TV news is not what it once was. Too many “soft lifestyle” reports appear in this main news bulletin. They are more appropriate in current affairs shows, not news bulletins. I am turning away from the ABC News more and more due to its lack of coverage of important news items. Although it doesn’t always cover news items in depth, at least Channel 9 covers much more news than Granny. Keep up the good work, Kim Williams, the ABC executives need a kick up the proverbial to get them back on track.
Peter Singh, Dubbo

I feel compelled to write in support of the ABC and the news coverage. Living in rural New South Wales it is important to be kept up to date with not only world news but local news too. I feel I am well aware of the news from the Middle East, Europe, USA and Australia. I attend a current affairs class each week and contribute to discussion by listening to the ABC and reading the Sydney Morning Herald. I am not sure where the ABC knockers get their news and hopefully, it is not Sky News. Robyn Lewis, Raglan

The inclusion of items in its news bulletins that are not news but advertisements for other programs makes one doubt the integrity of the ABC’s news service. Too often the 7pm news, for instance, contains items that are included only to promote 7.30 Report or Four Corners. Barry Wooldridge, Harden

In response to Kim Williams and others, I’d almost given up on reading or hearing real news on the ABC. I will await the changes with bated breath. Gaida Macs, Kingscliff

Olympic costumes draw unfair levels of attention to women’s bodies

You don’t have to watch a lot of the Olympics to be struck by something other than the extraordinary ability of the competitors, and that is the extraordinary difference between the uniforms of the men and the women. Whether it’s athletics, diving, beach volleyball or gymnastics, the women are scantily clad compared to their male counterparts, with vastly more of their bodies on display than is necessary for comfort or performance. In the diving, for example, most of them are sporting costumes that fully display their buttocks at the back. Are the men exposing as much? Not a chance! This is not a matter of prudishness or narrow-mindedness. What bothers me is that in this day and age, even in elite sports where we know young women are frequently subjected to body-shaming, we are still drawing a level of attention to their bodies that is way out of proportion to the needs of their sport. In subjecting women’s bodies to entirely different levels of scrutiny to men we risk perpetrating the sexualisation of women and diminishing their sporting achievement. If men can break records and pole vault at an elite level in a bodysuit or play gold-medal standard beach volleyball in shorts and singlet, why can’t women? Prue Nelson, Cremorne Point

Chicken commonality

That objectionable 30-metre smokestack is being compared to a chicken nugget, but they really have only one thing in common: neither contains any chicken (“Residents fuming over proposed ‘Trump Tower’ on north shore”, August 6). Vanessa Morris, Castle Cove

The most disturbing thing about the gargantuan emission stack isn’t its ugly and overbearing appearance but the dangerous levels of concentrated carcinogenic emissions it will be pumping out. This area of Sydney, the densest school zone in Australia, already has levels of air pollution which exceed WHO air quality guidelines. The former state Liberal government in its wisdom decided to add to this air pollution in the form of the six-lane wide Western Harbour Tunnel. When opened in 2028 the tunnel smokestack will be belching out the concentrated emissions of thousands of cars daily. EV takeup in Australia is slow and this will have negligible affect. A public health disaster in the making. John Berry, Cammeray

Transport NSW, yet again provides another inappropriate infrastructure. It is disappointing there has been no inquiry into the working of Transport NSW following their operations and folly outcomes during the term of the previous state government. Surely, this proposed monstrosity could be better designed and incorporate other facilities to serve the local community other than just a vent. There would be no surprise if Transport NSW installs the usual ugly advertising panels to distract drivers attention, as has occurred on other similar projects. Brian McDonald, Willoughby

If giant smokestacks must be built at Cammeray and those proposed are designed to “look like sandstone”, why not clad them with actual sandstone, perhaps with gargoyles or other aesthetic adornments. Andrew Cohen, Glebe

TAFE recipe

Here is a recipe for the dismantling of TAFE (“Hundreds of TAFE jobs under threat”, August 6). Introduce fees and then gradually increase them. Take popular and very necessary courses such as English for non-English speakers out of TAFE. Reduce the offerings of general courses such as the HSC for adults. Casualise the workforce. Give teachers more administrative work. Restructure from a centralised system to many iterations of regional institutes. Allocate courses to particular colleges so students have to travel afar and can’t attend their local college for any course they need. Fund TAFE less and give support to private providers. Encourage students to go to university. As a former TAFE teacher, I have been following the many changes to TAFE over the years. My friends who are still teaching are demoralised and staff cuts are inevitable as TAFE declines. What a short-sighted and terrible outcome for this once magnificent institution. Margaret Grove, Concord

Hornsby horrors

I was no fan of Philip Ruddock when he was our local member and the immigration minister of the Howard government. His tenure as mayor of Hornsby, however, has been wonderful. After years of thoughtless development, incompetent and biased environmental reports and unheeded protests, we could relax knowing our trees were safe, our parks enhanced and development curbed. I despair of what will happen to our area now (“Ruddock blames ouster on developer interests”’, August 6). Heather Johnson, West Pennant Hills

Sensible position

The prime minister is to be commended on moving to a moderate, sensible position on the threat of terrorism, and away from the extremes of both left and right (“PM appeals after security alert”, August 6). As Australians, we aspire to avoiding the riots and hatred as depicted in so many overseas countries. We prefer to be ruled by moderation, thoughtful discussion, and not by hot-tempered anger and bitterness. So, he has broken an election promise or two, as do all leaders when the situation demands they do so. He is human, and increasingly meeting the demands of his office. Vivienne Parsons, Thornleigh

Death penalty

Wow, the death penalty for wildlife that do what they are genetically predisposed to do (in this case a crocodile, but also sharks): attack invaders to their domain (“Crocodile shot dead as NSW man taken during fishing trip”, August 6). What is the good of it? Are they deemed to have gotten the taste for humans who need protecting, even if they stupidly wade into waters that are known to be croc infested? Or is it just revenge? I fear the latter. Carsten Burmeister, Mosman

Oh, now I get it: it’s the crocodile’s fault that some hapless creature ventured into its domain just for fun and fell victim to its need for food. And here I was thinking it should just be left alone by everyone. Silly me. Adrian Connelly, Springwood

I think your correspondent was incorrect in stating that shark nets “keep humans and potentially dangerous sea creatures apart”(Letters, August 6). He should have stated that the nets keep dangerous humans and sea creatures apart. Dorothy Gliksman, Cedar Brush Creek

Lessons learnt

Sorry, Bella Westaway, but “Lesson 1: Life isn’t fair” trumps “Lesson 5: Hard work always pays off in the end” in work situations (“What I’ve learned from the dreaded group assignment”, August 6). Perhaps, my cynicism makes me add “Lesson 6: Charisma, networking and belonging to a coterie helps every time.” When one is working hard and the others are at the pub, watching sport together, travelling with their mates from work or idolising the charismatic networkers on the teams, their memory of your slaving away fades very quickly. It’s these networks that decide who is recognised and who rises to the top, at work. What about hard work? Yes, it does pay off in the end, the very end, when you look back on life and feel you gave it your best and realise work goals were only short-term ones. Manbir Singh Kohli, Pemulwuy

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