Sir,– Daniel Geary, a professor of US history at Trinity College, hopes that the Democrats winning majorities in both the Congress and Senate so that they can address the Republicans’ “structural advantages such as the electoral college” and “make states out of Washington DC and Puerto Rico ... adding four Senators from heavily Democratic states” (“Mid-term elections should be a referendum on Trumpism”, Opinion & Analysis, September 22nd).
It’s noteworthy that he doesn’t suggest granting statehood to other US territories such as Guam or the Mariana Islands which lean much more heavily towards the Republican party.
Does Prof Geary see any contradiction in warning of the erosion of US democracy while simultaneously calling for electoral reforms which are openly designed to preserve one party in office?
When Mr Trump makes ludicrous claims that the electoral system is stacked against him, he is rightly denounced. But when the Democrats make similar claims and call for that system to be changed to make it easier for them to win elections, their positions are not only tolerated but actively supported by unquestioning Irish supporters such as Prof Geary. – Yours, etc,
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BARRY WALSH,
Clontarf,
Dublin 3.
Sir, – Daniel Geary says that the US mid-term elections should be “a referendum on Trumpism”. He surely realises that this cuts both ways?
If the Republican Party wins the elections, as appears likely, Mr Trump will claim this as a personal endorsement of himself. If the election is a referendum on Trumpism, as he says, then Mr Geary would surely have to agree with this assessment?
I won’t hold my breath. – Yours, etc,
THOMAS RYAN, BL
Harolds Cross,
Dublin 6W.