Letters to the Editor: Third party? ‘No Labels’ gives Trump his clearest path back to the White House

To the editor: Readers of Nancy Jacobson’s misleading opinion piece about her “No Labels” third-party effort should be aware that the so-called centrist group receives major funding from such right-wing Republican mega-donors as Harlan Crow, the Texas billionaire who has been showering Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas with undisclosed gifts for decades.

If this party lures enough Democrats and independents away from the Democratic ticket, it gives the Republican nominee in 2024 — most likely a twice-indicted, twice-impeached individual — a pathway to the presidency.

Many Republicans have decided that since their policies are largely unpopular with Americans, they must win by restricting voting rights, undermining faith in institutions and, yes, underwriting a bogus “centrist” party. Voters, beware.

Judith Lipsett, Claremont

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To the editor: It’s true that a third party has never won a presidential election.

Most third-party candidates, however, have run to the left of Democrats, such as Ralph Nader and Jill Stein, or to the right of Republicans, such as George Wallace. Those candidates merely took votes away from the party to which they were closer.

As a middle-ground party, No Labels is different. Republicans have gone so far to the right, and Democrats so far to the left, that there is an unrepresented center electorate larger than ever.

Let’s give No Labels a chance.

Michael Pollak, Los Angeles

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To the editor: No Labels has committed to ending its third-party push if polling shows President Biden is “way” ahead after Super Tuesday in 2024. This is “way” too vague a promise, and Super Tuesday would be “way” too late for this voter.

Per co-chair Ben Chavis, No Labels is “clear and transparent about not doing anything to help our nation step backwards with [former President] Trump.” But No Labels has qualified for the ballot in swing states like Colorado and Arizona, even though this could lead to another, more disastrous Trump term.

The group is reportedly funded by corporations and billionaires in private equity, hedge funds, real estate and oil and gas. Because it has not nominated a candidate yet, it does not have to disclose the funders of its pledge to spend $70 million influencing the 2024 election.

This is a manipulative campaign working to defeat policies supported by the majority of Americans.

Jennifer Pinkerton, Glendale