Single-issue voters aren't good for democracy | Letters
It is clear from the concerns raised in Paul Egan’s article ("El-Sayed faces 'uphill battle' winning Jewish support in Michigan," Aug. 7) and from the Jewish voters he interviewed that Dr. Abdul El-Sayed has work to do to earn the trust of some members of Michigan’s Jewish community.
But political trust is a two-way conversation. While the State of Israel is deeply important to many American Jews, many of us are also deeply offended by this foreign government’s actions in Gaza — and by the United States government’s support for them. Whatever our position, neither our political identity nor our vote should be defined solely by our relationship with another country. In a modern democracy, particularly in these troubling times, none of us can afford
the luxury of being a single-issue voter.
At this moment, our foremost responsibility as American voters must be to confront the extraordinary convergence of crises here at home: democratic institutions under unprecedented strain, millions without adequate health care, everyday life becoming increasingly unaffordable and a political system distorted by money. Even for those who consider American support for Israel essential, that support ultimately depends upon preserving a functioning democracy at home.
While Dr. El-Sayed must continue working to earn the confidence of those Jewish voters who remain wary, Michigan voters as a whole should judge him not by a single foreign-policy litmus test, but by whether he offers the best chance to protect and improve the country we all call home. I believe he does.
Gabe Downey
Detroit
Democrats should unite behind El-Sayed
Like many, I voted for Haley Stevens in the Aug. 4 Democratic primary. Some who disagree with Abdul El-Sayed on issues are considering voting for the Republican candidate in November. If you’re concerned about the direction of the country under President Trump, that could be an ill-fated move.
Should El-Sayed win and the Democrats take the Senate, he would be a freshman with no legislative experience and only one of 100 senators. His public health background could make him a good foil to RFK Jr. Critically, he would be a vote against Trump nominees for administrative positions — and more importantly — the courts.
If you’re a Democratic-leaning voter who isn’t fond of El-Sayed, vote for him anyway. ... There’s a lot of time until the end of Trump’s term.
Arnold Fleischmann
Ann Arbor
El-Sayed needs to moderate his opinions
I am a dyed-in-the-wool Democrat who has rarely voted for a GOP candidate (former Gov. Bill Millikin being one.) But I will have a hard time voting for Abdul El-Sayed unless he moderates his opinions. ... He needs to recognize unequivocally that Israel has a right to exist as a Jewish homeland, just as Palestine has a right to exist as a Muslim/Christian homeland. This would go a very long way to reassuring voters like me, who like much of what he has to say but cannot ignore this issue.
Barbara Lewis
Detroit
Of course voters have millage fatigue
Of course voters have “millage fatigue.” These millage increases just keep coming. It’s always for “the children, public safety, etc.” and other catchy names. However, voters are getting wise.
We’ve had these services along with inflation forever, so why all the tax increases now? Inflation raises virtually all taxes, and certainly property taxes are no exception.
In my opinion, it's pension obligations behind most of this. Municipalities must convert to defined-contribution vs. defined benefit plans like the private sector and give taxpayers a break.
Rod Myers
Bloomfield Hills
School millages fund the future
“I don’t have kids in school, so why should I pay for schools?” There is something extraordinarily shortsighted about reaching a certain age and concluding that educating the next generation has no benefit to you simply because your own children aren't sitting in the classroom.
Because that's not how functioning communities work.
I pay for roads I may never drive on, fire departments I hope never come to my house, libraries I may not visit, parks I may not use and countless other public services because I benefit from living in a community where those things exist.
Public education may be the clearest example of all. Even if you never have a child in a classroom, you will spend the rest of your life depending on people who were educated in one. They will be your nurses, electricians, mechanics, accountants, police officers, caregivers, business owners, engineers and neighbors. They will run the institutions you depend on and, eventually, much of the society in which you grow old.
Good schools also contribute to stronger communities, a capable workforce, economic development and property values. Their benefits don't stop at the schoolhouse door nor do the costs belong exclusively to parents
The question isn't, “What do I personally get for this tax dollar today?”
The question is, “What kind of community do I want to live in tomorrow?”
Civilization depends on people being willing to invest in things whose benefits extend beyond themselves. Public education is one of them.
Steven Merahn
Orchard Lake
El-Sayed's win is larger than politics
For many Muslims in southeast Michigan, Abdul El-Sayed’s Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate represents something larger than politics. Growing up, I watched candidates visit our masjid seeking our parents’ votes, but no one ever told the Muslim children sitting quietly in the back that one day we could seek those same offices ourselves.
After 9/11, many of us spent years feeling we had to prove we belonged. Despite that, our families continued serving neighbors, raising children, building businesses and contributing to their communities. The values we were taught —hard work, compassion, faith, family and service — are not only Muslim values; they are Michigan values.
This nomination is significant not because everyone must share El-Sayed’s politics, but because it broadens what young people believe is possible. Representation doesn’t guarantee success, but it removes invisible barriers. Today’s Muslim children can look at public service and ask a different question: not “Why not us?” but “Who’s next?”
Adnan Ahmad
Canton
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan Senate race shouldn't be reduced to a single issue | Letters
