Sounding off: Presidential race tops writers' concerns

Biden should step aside

Joe Biden claims this year’s presidential election is about preserving democracy and that Donald Trump is running solely to feed his oversized ego. If Biden truly believes this, then he should step aside.

The Democrats would then be able to nominate a practical centrist around whom the vast majority of Americans can rally. This candidate would need to beat Trump soundly — by 10 points while winning 35 or so states — to restore electoral integrity. This would lead to a more unified America that a broken two-party system seems hell-bent on destroying.

Division is the trough at which these pols and their media cronies pig out. The pundits, who claim to know everything but really know nothing, dismiss us as “double haters” because we want neither Trump nor Biden as president.

We’re not haters. We love America. That’s why we don’t want to be led by those who seek to divide and, ultimately, ruin us.

Biden has an opportunity to do something truly historic. George Washington ushered in a new ideal of democracy when he made the choice to step aside. He also warned of the antidemocratic tendencies of the two-party system.

A current Trump ad ridicules Biden for demonstrating either dishonesty or dementia. As long as our only choice is between Trump (dishonesty) and Biden (dementia), America will continue to be hopelessly divided, and our seemingly intractable problems will remain unaddressed.

Peter Busowski

Jeannette

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Shapiro-Whitmer good bet for Democrats

It now appears fairly certain that Joe Biden is not going to be the Democratic nominee for president, that he will not be able to overcome a disastrous debate performance which was viewed by tens of millions and which will make for devastating ads to be run by his presumed opponent.

I believe the key to victory for the Democrats would be a ticket of Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Pennsylvania’s Gov. Josh Shapiro. They are two dynamic, citizen-focused, innovative leaders with broad appeal who would be all but certain to deliver two key and large battleground states to the Democratic column. Whitmer would carry none of the baggage that the president does with Palestinian and Arab voters in Michigan due to his near-total support for Israel in its war with Hamas: a noble cause, but one which has devastated Gaza and its people.

Last year, Shapiro promised he would not run for president in 2024 under any circumstances, that he would serve the people of Pennsylvania as our leader for at least his four-year term. Certainly he would be hesitant to break that promise, but we are in a time of national emergency, in which a criminal and thug who promises to use a second term for retribution and to collapse our system of governance and our country threatens a return to the White House.

There is risk in whichever direction the Democrats turn at this late hour. I believe the greatest risk is to leave the Biden-Harris ticket intact.

Oren Spiegler

Peters

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Don’t vote for Biden — or a replacement

A few weeks ago, I started drafting a letter directed to Joe Biden supporters, via your paper, arguing that, under no circumstances, should they ever vote for Biden in the general election. My argument followed a pure logic channel:

1. In 2014, former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates claimed Biden had been wrong on nearly every policy choice over four decades.

2. Biden’s recent policy choices have gotten significantly worse than those Gates referenced.

3. Biden’s level of personal morality falls well short of what society should expect from its president.

Then came the June 27 debate, and the whole world was able to see Biden unmasked. The results were devastating. Now there was no need to draft a logic letter. It was obvious to even the least-informed viewer that this person was not equipped cognitively or physically be president of the United States.

It was equally disheartening to then hear the Democratic leadership maintain support for Biden’s reelection, claiming he just had a bad night. And I now know, without doubt, Biden’s political allies and the liberal media have been brazenly lying about his competency for some time.

So no votes for Biden. If replaced, no votes for the new Democrat. Protect your descendants.

Raymond Smith

Hampton

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Vote for legislators who listen

Most Americans, no matter their religion, race or political party, want the same things from our government:

• 98% support changing the way our political campaigns are funded. We want a reduction in big money’s influence.

• 85% believe in access to abortion. We want reproductive freedom.

• 75% support stricter gun laws. We know that sensible gun safety measures save lives.

• 72% are concerned about climate change and want to see bold corrective action.

• 69% support Medicare for All. Free market capitalism’s supply and demand does not work when it comes to our health.

• 66% support higher taxes on those making $400,000 a year. Our income and wealth inequality must be addressed.

• 62% favor raising the minimum wage. Too many Americans are working for near-poverty wages.

We have voiced our support in these areas for some time, but too many of our lawmakers are not listening to us; rather, they are working for their big-money donors. Take our own state Sen. Kim Ward: She has voted against reproductive rights, gun safety laws and regulations that would reduce pollution. This is not what the majority of us want.

Thomas Jefferson said “governments are republican only in proportion as they embody the will of their people and execute it.” We should choose lawmakers that vote the will of their people.

Sandy Kremer

Youngwood

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We must find middle ground on abortion

Are you familiar with the Ten Commandments? The Fifth Commandment is “Thou shall not murder,” translated loosely as “respect human life.”

Unborn babies are human lives. Abortion is the killing of another human being. The unborn baby must be recognized formally as a human life before birth.

The Democratic left seems to believe the Ten Commandments are the Ten Suggestions. I also suspect that God is not first in their lives. The commandment “Love God above all things” can’t be replaced by proclaiming yourselves god of your own lives. Most of the leftist Democratic Party is suffering from “truth decay.” By the same token, the extreme right Republican Party lacks compassion for medical or social conditions.

We must nationally stop abortion as a method of birth control. The government should do all it can to prevent pregnancies through birth control education and supply birth control to all women/men that need it, free.

The liberal left and the radical right are lost. The middle ground is required.

Abortion should only be necessary if the life of the mother or baby is in jeopardy or because of rape/incest. We should be considerate of the woman’s desires in that case. The family should be involved in the decision. We need exceptions for understanding and compassion.

Dan Yaklich

Delmont

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Westmoreland County does elections right

What a difference transparency makes.

There is a crisis of confidence in Pennsylvania’s elections. There are many reports and social media posts about election observers being denied meaningful observation. This erodes confidence and raises suspicion.

I had the opportunity to observe the processing of mail-in and provisional ballots at the Westmore­land County Election Office during the recent primary election.

Arriving with proper credentials, I was greeted professionally and escorted to the room. The rules were explained, and I took my place behind a roped-off area. Shortly thereafter, the manager, director and others offered explanations of the process at various stations.

The election workers displayed confidence, pride and a structured process with checks and balances. When issues arose, they diligently worked to identify and rectify the root cause. Throughout the day, the director and manager provided detailed answers to my questions. This welcoming experience was repeated when I returned to observe the review of provisional ballots. I gained a much richer understanding of the process.

Instead of thinking “What have they got to hide?” the actions of the Westmoreland County election staff conveyed “We have nothing to hide, let us help you understand.”

Transparency and meaningful observation can go a long way to restore confidence in Pennsylvania elections. Other counties should follow Westmoreland County’s best practices to ensure transparency, report discrepancies and commit to continuous improvements.

What a difference transparency makes. Kudos to the excellent team in Westmoreland County Elections!

Rebecca Kardell

Murrysville

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Is Mark Madden rooting for Pirates to fail?

I’ve never written a letter to the editor in all my 66 years. But Mark Madden has gotten me fired up enough to give it a shot. Is he ever positive about the Pirates? In his column “Bryan Reynolds’ contract turning out to be bargain for Pirates” (July 6, TribLive), even when he was being complimentary about Reynolds, he throws in a shot. He’s been especially critical of Rowdy Tellez, who is playing (offensively and defensively) quite well right now. It’s like he is rooting for the Bucs to fail so he can say “I told you so!”

We’re not looking for a “homer” Mark, but throw them a bone once in a while.

Barry Newlin

South Solon, Ohio