American voters don't have much of a choice in presidential race

United States voters go to the polls today to choose between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris (Picture: Kamil Krzaczynski/Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)United States voters go to the polls today to choose between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris (Picture: Kamil Krzaczynski/Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)
United States voters go to the polls today to choose between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris (Picture: Kamil Krzaczynski/Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)
Harris and Trump’s position on Israel/Gaza conflict bothers reader

Many may understandably breathe a sigh of relief if the world is spared the return to power of one of the most egregious of figures with the potential to do great harm to both people and planet (“The worst case scenarios of victory for Donald Trump are truly terrifying”, The Scotsman, 3 November).

But with both US presidential candidates backing Israel’s continuing destruction of Gaza and its people, despite its being on trial at the International Court of Justice for committing genocide, American voters face a dilemma. A victory that endorses an administration that has enabled the killing of more than 43,000 Gazans and Israel’s continued illegal occupation of Palestinian territories may be equally terrifying and have dire consequences for American politics.

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We must ask, if genocide is not a red line then what actually does constitute a red line? And if those purporting to be liberal can excuse a president in waiting's continued backing of Israel's destruction of Gaza, what does this mean for democracy? For what shall it profit anyone if they gain the whole world and lose their soul? The battle for the soul of the Democratic Party will have been won and lost: the desire for power overshadowing any genuine respect for human life.

Martin James Johnstone, Lochwinnoch, Renfrewshire

Who needs stars?

Occasionally used in Scotland but now full on in America is the “celebrity” endorsement of political parties. The SNP have used “star” backing from time to time, especially in relation to Independence, but it seems paltry in comparison to the galaxy of pop stars etc wheeled out by the Democrats in particular during this presidential election campaign.

Does this not speak volumes to the fact that the real issues are taking second place? Do singers and actors really understand the nuances of economics and foreign policy? This trend will inevitably become bigger in elections over here. No wonder our society is disintegrating.

Gerald Edwards, Glasgow

Peas in a pod

I have been sitting in a state of total perplexity. I have been observing the conduct of the SNP as the “Government” of Scotland, a name which they obtained thanks to Mr Alex Salmond. In truth, they are a large local authority and have only a remit to deal with internal Scottish affairs. That has not prevented them giving funds to the likes of Gaza and, more recently a donation of £12.5 million to African schools, when education in Scotland is crying out for it.

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Now we have a recently elected Labour Government which gave many assurances about not taxing "working people” and going for “economic growth”. The actual outcome is that they are taxing working people by telling the hard-working people who create our national wealth that they aren't working people. Just like politicians, then, I assume?

They are bleeding Britain white to the tune of £40 billion and squandering money like drunks in a pub.

The question I have had, going round and round in my head, is “which is worse, the SNP or Labour?”

The answer, if have decided, is: they are as bad as each other.

Peter Hopkins, Edinburgh

Misplaced maths

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Rachel Reeves’s first Budget will not be remembered for rewarding the lowest paid a 16 per cent plus pay increase but for employers passing on the imposed National Insurance hike through lower wage increases and higher prices. This continued austerity by proxy is a far cry from the Budget for growth we were led to expect. John McLaren claimed last week (Analysis, 31 October) that strong economic growth measures were absent from the Budget as they were “unproven” and those measures that were announced were “underwhelming” or could be “easily blown off course”. Protecting pensions, VAT and payroll taxes, he maintained, left little room for manoeuvre if sufficient growth to fund public services does not occur.

Those with the broadest shoulders are too few so “the net needs to be spread wider”, he argued. Perhaps not the “squeezed middle” living from one wage packet to another but more the “strivers” who manage to afford two cars, the latest TV, home improvements and two dogs.

It’s the former who will be hit the hardest as a result of the Government not thinking through the consequences of the NI tax hike. Some employers are applying a two percentage point reduction in wages. This could mean the difference between a 3 per cent and 1 per cent increase for some, a below inflation increase and an extension of austerity.

Neil Anderson, Edinburgh

Flood facts

Andrew HN Gray (Letters, 2 November) queries whether climate change was responsible for flooding in Valencia (it was) and points out that Valencia has flooded previously (it has, but very rarely to the extent seen over the last week).

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The impacts of climate change – based on a large body of scientific research and evidence – are largely that areas exposed to some sort of natural disaster are likely to see increased frequency and severity of disasters.

To add some numbers to the debate, a normal “severe” storm in the Valencia area would dump around 40 litres of water per square metre. The storm which caused the recent flooding dumped 400 litres per square metre – a tenfold increase in severity. Statistically, it would be extremely unusual to see flooding of this level, unless there is some sort of background change occurring in the climate.

Lastly, in response to Mr Gray's final point (“change from what?”), there are several metrics – often the pre-industrial average (seasonally) adjusted temperature is one – ie looking at increases in temperature in the climate compared to the temperature before the Industrial Revolution. Other measures are generally around whether severity / frequency of disasters is getting worse over time.

David McCloud, Sydney, Australia

Serious justice

The Scotsman comment “Edinburgh rioters must face same tough justice as far-right thugs or someone will be killed” (2 November) is a statement of common sense. The question is, will the law courts meet the challenge of imposing “serious prison time”? It is not unreasonable to surmise that the majority of the rioters were young people, probably in the 15-25 age group. I have seen mention of a 17 year old being apprehended. Will courts that now balk at delivering harsh – some would say appropriately so – sentences for thugs and rapists who are under 25, and therefore do not have a fully developed brain, be equal to the task of imposing deterrent punishments?

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Suppressing rioting and vandalism is the mark of a civilised society. We need to hope that the courts will take their duties in this matter seriously.

Jill Stephenson, Edinburgh

Don’t allow PAS

In his contribution to the debate about Physician Assisted Suicide (PAS) Doug Clark commends four ethical principles on which to base a decision on such issues (Letters, 1 November).

The problem with these is in applying them to particular cases. One person’s “good” may be another person’s “harm”. What are the limits on individual autonomy? Who should have priority in the use of scarce resources? These principles need to be founded on a firm moral basis such as the Christian faith.

Here are several reasons PAS should not be legalised:

The profound change it would bring in the medical profession. Since the time of Hippocrates, doctors have been seen as the protectors of life. This was enthusiastically endorsed in the Christian era, for example, by monks who ran the early hospitals. This proposed legalisation would change the dynamic of the doctor-patient relationship, when administering a lethal dose is offered to patients as a “treatment".

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Vulnerable people would feel pressurised to end their lives. In the current economic climate assisted suicide would seem a cheaper alternative to palliative care. Unscrupulous relatives could exploit this and people would not want to be a burden.

From the evidence of how such legislation works in other countries and states there is an inevitable widening of the criteria for qualifying for assisted dying. This may happen by default due to poor supervision or to active campaigning. So called “safeguards" do not prevent this happening – the numbers of assisted suicides rise every year. In Canada, with its very liberal MAID (Medical Assistance in Dying) law, over 4 per cent of deaths occur under this provision.

People might be denied palliative care. In Canada people are presented with assisted dying as a cheaper alternative to palliative and terminal care. Much current palliative care is delivered by charities. The cash-strapped NHS would not want to have to provide more.

There is the danger of undermining suicide prevention programmes. Since suicide rates are rising, this is a matter of grave concern. This matter highlights the conflicts that arise due to the basing of the demand for assisted suicide on personal autonomy – “It’s my life and I have a right to end it under certain conditions.”

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However specific those conditions may be, e.g. “unbearable suffering, six months to live, competent adult”, it is possible, on the basis of personal autonomy, to extend these conditions.

For example, already there is demand for extending the Kim Leadbeater Bill to people having incurable but not terminal conditions such as Parkinson’s disease.

(Rev Dr) Donald M MacDonald, Edinburgh

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