To the editor:

I feel obliged to answer Mr. Hewett’s letter (“Voters in Rhode Island do not seem able to get it,” Portsmouth Times, Nov. 30) about the integrity, or perhaps insanity, of the voters of District 1, though I don’t expect it will have any impact on him, since I am clearly “uninformed, misinformed, naive, cowardly, or complicit,” or perhaps insane.

Insulting those who disagree with either your values or your analysis is not a good start to a meaningful dialog. The first thing is to agree on the definition of terms, such as socialism, communism, and the like. It seems that Mr. Hewett and I use different dictionaries.

The economy, by any measure I know, is doing pretty well. Unemployment is at a historic low, workforce participation is up, inflation is falling (from nearly 9 percent to just over 3 percent), corporate profits are up and even wages are rising, though slowly. 

Politically, though, division is deeper than ever. Socialism is evil, they say, but even MAGA Republicans squawk bloody murder if anyone threatens to cut Medicare or Social Security — clearly socialist programs. A bipartisan bill was recently passed that invests public money in public infrastructure; Republicans who voted against it went home and bragged to their constituents about how wonderful it is.

If the voters of District 1 sent another Democrat to Congress, perhaps it is because Republicans have spent the last few months demonstrating not that they can’t govern, but that they have no interest in governing. Their goal seems to be to disrupt and destroy anything and everything that smacks of democracy. This is clearly demonstrated by the chaos within their caucus.

Well, I’m insane, and/or complicit, so pay no attention, but please offer an analysis, and not just insults. 

Clay Commons

22 Bayside Ave.

Portsmouth