Beyond the lack of civility and personal attacks in the second presidential debate, the failure of either candidate (or the moderators) to mention education in any capacity was a glaring and dangerous omission. The role the federal government should play in improving the quality of K–12 education and the cost of college and student debt are issues that merit national discussion. 

In addition, teacher training, teacher compensation and the need to provide teachers with adequate resources were not brought up. It appears that Donald Trump’s extreme animus and his lack of civility toward others has prohibited a serious and necessary discussion of education issues. Our political discourse has been reduced to puerile personal attacks.

The media and our politicians are both complicit in this oversight. The videotape of Trump’s demeaning of women was outrageous in itself, but the real damage just may have been to drain the public’s energy and move the focus away from the really important issues like educating our children. 

Trump’s dangerous skill just might be in distracting the media and the public so they ignore the important issues that have a direct effect on our nation’s economic and political health. Education has become a casualty of the demise of our political rhetoric.

Larry Hoffner, retired

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In his article “Hillary an ally worthy of your vote” [Sept. 8], RTC Chapter Leader Tom Murphy assumes  Hillary Clinton supports labor, suggesting that Donald Trump does not. Yet, big money supports Clinton, not Trump. Bernie Sanders pointed to the obvious incongruity of Clinton’s relationship with billionaires.

Clinton says she doesn’t support the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact but previously said she did. She referred to it as the “gold standard” of trade deals. She helped draft it. 

Free trade deals benefit international capital, not American labor. President Barack Obama and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce support them. American unions do not. They have devastated American labor. Trump never supported them and won’t sign them into law. Clinton will. No political analyst doubts that.

Clinton’s inconsistent messaging isn’t the only reason she isn’t worthy of your vote. She mishandled classified defense information. She lied to the FBI. The Clinton Foundation accepted bribes in return for State Department favors. They’re all felonies.

Although the FBI didn’t recommend indictment, that doesn’t mean Clinton didn’t break federal law. She did. Yet, mainstream media endlessly, mercilessly attacks Trump, not Clinton. 

Stephen L. D’Andrilli, retired