Jacqueline Maley’s excellent analysis covers parts of the utterly broken system in the US that Luigi Mangione experienced in a failed healthcare system (“Why Mangione is the beautiful face of nihilism”, December 15). We can hardly contemplate a health insurer that rejects 32 per cent of claims. Mangione’s alleged murder of the chief executive of UnitedHealthcare was aimed squarely at failures in the US health system. He was not aiming at the grab-bag of issues Trump latched onto to get him up as president-elect, as proposed by Parnell Palme McGuinness (“Bring change via ballots, not bullets”, December 15). Is Trump’s nominee RFK Jr’s proposal to reduce some child vaccination programs really going to improve America’s bad-health epidemic? Bill Johnstone, Blackheath

When describing American gun culture, journalist Jacqueline Maley used the term “quotidian”. This word means either “of or occurring every day; daily” or “denoting a malignant form of malaria”. I suggest that both definitions could apply. And the fact a person accused of murder should be painted as some form of folk hero chiefly because of his movie-star looks just shows what a sick society America has become. Derrick Mason, Boorowa

Words and actions

Parnell Palme McGuinness seems to have forgotten the first rule for evaluating politicians: watch what they do, ignore what they say. Last time around, Trump promised to help the disregarded people who are the victims of automation and globalisation. He didn’t do that. Instead, he supported the rich corporations that did (and continue to do) the damage by giving them tax cuts funded by government borrowing. There was no revolution, no draining of the swamp. Trump continues to spout the same rubbish. We have no reason to think that his behaviour will change. Alan Stanley, Upper Corindi

I found the article by Parnell McGuinness very incisive. Despite my dislike of Donald Trump and the acolytes who have gathered around him, I am looking forward to observing the disruption and change they could bring about, hoping it will be for the better. There is no doubt governments around the world are failing their citizens in all sorts of ways, and the American experiment will illustrate whether this approach can address the problem.
We have inequity in Australia and there are issues that need addressing. Incumbent governments around the world are being replaced for similar reasons. I would not encourage the American approach but it will be interesting to see whether disruption will help improve the situation. Alan Hargreaves, Kincumber

Plastic? Just say no

This recycling technique seems to have plenty of scope for expanded application (“Company aims to make Pacific plastic history”, December 15). But nothing beats crippling the scourge of plastic waste at its source. We must wean ourselves off our dependence on plastic, not just by finding alternative materials to exploit and with which to litter our environment, but by actually reducing production and consumption. So much of the plastic we use and discard comes down to convenience and fleeting amusement, with the profits all going to manufacturing, marketing and big retail interests. Recycle, yes, but better still, refuse plastic at every opportunity. Meredith Williams, Baulkham Hills

Matchbox cars

I grew up with Matchbox cars originally individually packed in a small box, slightly larger than the normal receptacle storing matches (“A good toy can be the building blocks of a career, or just a way to skip church”, December 15). The photo of Matchbox creators Leslie Smith and Jack Odell, who with Rodney Smith established Lesney Products, is just one part of the toys’ story. “Lesney” was a portmanteau word: Les and the last three letters of Rodney.
Britain’s economic conditions eventually led to Matchbox’s ownership passing to Mattel. Odell branched out on his own, creating Lledo diecast models. “Lledo” is a reversal of Odell’s own surname, a mnemonic device from his war days in the African desert so as not to forget his wireless call sign. Allan Gibson Cherrybrook

Time for change

I would never have thought it possible to have some point of agreement with Donald Trump but, in what is virtually the only sensible thing I’ve heard him say, he wants to knock out daylight saving. He says it interferes with body clocks (certainly does with mine) and does more harm than good. Go for it, Don, and good luck with it. Apart from that, Mr president-elect, I can’t wait for the next four years to be over. Coral Button, North Epping

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