Only the Democrats can stop Donald Trump
Despite what Cas Mudde thinks, Donald Trump can be stopped in 2020 (28 June). What cannot be stopped, however, is the relative decline of the US as the Chinese global ascendency continues. Indeed the switch in the Trump slogan from “make America great again” to “keep America great”, with its implied assumption of the mission being accomplished, is arguably the greatest of Trump’s delusions.
Notwithstanding the reality of this decline of the US, Mudde provides four reasons why Trump cannot be stopped, concluding that the Democrats have neither agency nor urgency.
However, the volatility of global economics and politics is the new normal and even today’s persuasive analysis has a high probability of becoming tomorrow’s embarrassing speculation.
The Democrats will soon have a candidate for president. The task of transforming “passive majorities” into “mobilised minorities” sufficient to win the election as described by Mudde can then be undertaken. We just need to hope that the Democrats are reading Mudde’s reflections.
Stewart Sweeney
Adelaide, South Australia
Men are not the only ones who have sexual rights
I read the article about the race to replace Viagra (21 June) with some dismay.
The reporter seemed uncritically in thrall about developments in this area. The article was sadly lacking in any critical analysis about what the partners of these men feel about Viagra and the downsides (no pun intended) for them. Women were invisible, as were other partners of men who use this drug.
As a woman of a particular age, I would welcome a lot more research and funding by Big Pharma into alleviating the debilitating effects of menopausal symptoms, including for some the loss of libido. There are other areas where Big Pharma can make a difference.
There seems to be an assumption that men have a right to a particular kind of sexual activity, no matter their age or health condition. If only, the same standard was applied to women.
Jennifer Dodd
Perth, Western Australia
The British should stop preaching on Hong Kong
Simon Tisdall may describe Hong Kong as “a former British colony steeped in western liberal traditions”, but those of us with long memories recollect the democratic reforms rushed through just before the handover to burden China with (5 July). Why was it that, after 150 years of British rule, the British-appointed governor had most of the powers, and that this was altered only after the handover was agreed?
After 150 years of British rule, the legislature only approached being a representative body three years before the handover. Some steeping ... perhaps the British should cease their preaching.
Richard Abram
Sydney, Australia
Food and family are inextricably entwined
Aleksandar Hemon’s feature story (21 June) about emigre Bosnian food culture reminds me of the time I, the son of Ukrainian emigres to Canada, was backpacking in Africa for nearly 10 months in the early 1980s.
My travel mate at the time complained that all I thought of was making sure we had enough food for the day, even if we were doing a local excursion. It only then occurred to me that my eating anxiety was provoked by a voice inside my head: “Eat so you won’t be hungry!” The voice came from my mother and I still hear it loud and clear to this day.
When I got back to Canada, my parents picked me up from the train station. I waited only 15 minutes while they drove me home for the anticipated question from my mother: “So what did you eat in Africa?”
Morris Ilyniak
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Geologists tend to think in the very long term
I first read about the Anthropocene in The Sixth Extinction: Patterns of Life and the Future of Humankind (1995), by Richard Leakey and Roger Lewin. Yet this does not merit a mention by Nicola Davison (7 June). Also, your issue of 31 July 2009 carried an article Humans a crushing force for nature by Simon Lewis, subtitled Now we understand the Anthropocene, NGOs and politicians have a new tool for advocacy. Geologists are indeed very slow to catch up.
Ted Webber
Buderim, Queensland, Australia
