"Prayer Time," Nov. 7 Private Eye
As I finished reading John Saltas's "Prayer Time" piece, the word that kept haunting me was "compromise," a term, I am afraid, that the American people and our leadership have long forgotten. As I step back and view the America I see today, it is an America I do not recognize any longer.
It breaks my heart. The America I remember was kids growing up riding our bikes everywhere, coming home when our mothers stepped to the doorstep, yelled our name for dinner and we came running from two blocks away after playing "kick the can" all day long. We rode our bikes to the Rexall drug store with 15 cents and bought enough candy for the week.
The street I grew up on consisted of Joneses, Salazars, Calagorys and Rothsteins. And we all played together and were all friends together—memories that the bulk of your readers will not understand. A simpler and better America.
But that's okay. Times change, but our values should not. What should never change in the political landscape is "compromise," a word long forgotten in Washington and on down to the state level. I recall Tip O'Neill and Newt Gingrich criticizing each other for days on end, then going to lunch and making the deals that worked for much of the American people.
Not everyone got what they wanted, but came out with a livable and decent deal, whatever it was. And America was the better for it.
I hope the American people look hard at the next four years and realize the con the majority bought into. There will be pain, plenty to go around regardless of one's political affiliation.
I hope in my lifetime I see our elected leaders sit down and work out compromises to benefit the people of this great nation. I have faith that our country is stronger than what one man can do to it in four years. We know what's coming—we lived it once before. Clearly the American people have very short memories.
Readers—please vote, because only each of you can make a difference. What kind of America do you want and expect? What kind of America do you want to leave your children and grandchildren? The decision is yours to make.
Prayer time, indeed.
CORY OLSEN
Sandy
Best of Utah 2024
I think your readers' pick for Best Former Utahn is a terrible choice. John Stockton is a rabid MAGA promoter, an anti-vaxxer and will probably be nominated as Secretary of Former Basketball Stars in the Trump cabinet.
Sorry, but John was a great player for the Jazz and I loved when he played. But I'm afraid he's gone to the dark side.
Spokane has John now. There must have been someone else to be Best Former Utahn.
PAT THOMPSON
Murray
Oligarchy Tips
1.) Drop Twitter(X)—if you must engage in the chatter, try Bluesky; 2.) Don't use Amazon; 3.) Use it up, wear it out, make it do, do without.
DIANA LEE HIRSCHI
Salt Lake City
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