Sounding off: Trump, Biden top week's letters

Criticizing Trump doesn’t equate to support of Biden

I am compelled to respond to those letter-writers who think criticism of Donald Trump automatically means the person criticizing must love and support President Biden. How nice to be able to see the world is such black and white terms! No need for any critical thinking.

This lack of critical thinking also allows Trump supporters to believe every criminal indictment of Trump is a “witch hunt,” that every warning about another Trump presidency from his previous administrators is a lie.

I have to ask, do you even consider that just maybe he did some of the things he is being accused of? When did Americans start blindly following greedy politicians?

I also see letter-writers ask if we were better off four years ago than today. In Trump’s last year of the presidency, he completely botched the covid response. We were faced with shortages unseen in my lifetime. Unemployment was at an all-time high. At this point, $8 trillion was added to the national debt, and inflation kicked off.

Does this mean I love Biden? Not at all. There are many things I’d love to see change with his presidency. But I love my country, and I do not worship our “dear leaders” like so many do today. The so-called culture wars are just to make us fearful and distract from politicians getting rich off of our blood, sweat and tears. We cannot allow for autocracy/dictatorship and must return to the foundation of this country — the executive branch is to be equal with the legislative and judicial branches. Vote!

Karla Thomas

Hempfield

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Trump will get fair trials

In the letter “Trump charges sign of election tampering” (May 7, TribLive), we find the question, “How can we possibly perceive the roughly 90 felony charges leveled against the Republican candidate by multiple Democratic prosecutors in multiple Democratic-led cities as anything other than blatant election tampering?”

The defendant in these cases has the presumption of innocence in advance of trials by juries of his peers. These juries will not be composed of only Democrats. Yet the writer presumes that the grand juries that issued the indictments are guilty of election interference.

But the writer’s mistakes go beyond this fact-free accusation. Jack Smith, the prosecutor for two of these cases, is not a Democrat. This is a matter of record and easy to verify. He is also a highly respected prosecutor of cases in American and international courts with a record of fairness. In addition, the judge in one of the cases was appointed by Donald Trump and has done her best to indefinitely delay the trial in the Republican state of Florida.

It is ironic that Democrats are falsely being accused of election tampering when Trump allegedly did everything he could to tamper with the election of 2020.

Robert J. Reiland

O’Hara

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Trump’s small gesture shows his character

As a speech teacher, I told my students about a boss who was hiring new employees. He deliberately left a book on the floor and waited to see who would stop to pick it up. Then he planned to hire that candidate.

Recently, Donald Trump was about to board Marine 1. One of the Marines standing at attention had his cover (hat) blown off by a strong wind. According to Marine protocol, he did not move. Trump kindly picked up the hat and placed it on the Marine’s head. The wind blew it off again and Trump attempted to catch it. He bent over again, picked up the hat and gave it to the Marine.

Often the true character of a person is illustrated by little courtesies like this.

Dan Manka

Fairmont, W.Va.

The writer is a former Regent Square resident.

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Lawmakers should be keeping us safe

It is difficult to understand how women and mothers can be against safeguarding our families. Two of our legislators, who happen to be women, Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward and Senate Judiciary Chair Lisa Baker, are obstructing sensible gun-safety legislation.

Protecting its citizens is the first responsibility of government. Yet it seems Ward and Baker would rather cater to the extreme position that favor gun rights at any cost, over sensible gun-safety laws that would support our right to live safely in our communities.

These lawmakers are ignoring the wishes of a vast majority of citizens in our communities. Our police support gun-safety policies. How can they support the police but not support policies that augment safety?

I urge fellow citizens to vote for lawmakers who will fight for our safety by supporting sensible gun-safety regulations.

Mary Ann Lauffer

North Huntingdon

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We’re a republic, not a democracy

Recent articles and cartoons have opined that our national government is a democracy and not a republic. Unfortunately they are wrong.

Article IV, Section 4: The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government, and shall protect each of them against Invasion; and on Application of the Legislature, or of the Executive (when the Legislature cannot be convened) against domestic Violence.

James Madison wrote in Federalist 39; “we may define a republic to be, or at least may bestow that name on, a government which derives all its powers directly or indirectly from the great body of the people, and is administered by persons holding their offices during pleasure, for a limited period, or during good behavior. It is ESSENTIAL to such a government that it be derived from the great body of the society, not from an inconsiderable proportion, or a favored class of it; … It is SUFFICIENT for such a government that the persons administering it be appointed, either directly or indirectly, by the people; and that they hold their appointments by either of the tenures just specified.”

The word “democracy” does not appear in any of our founding documents for a reason; it ultimately empowers the majority to squash the minority. Our constitutional republic protects the minority from the majority.

A democracy at its core allows the mob to rule. It is unstable and prone to civil disorder. Remember that every time someone says that MAGA wants to destroy our democracy.

Dr. Bill Choby

Latrobe

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Marc Fogel a victim of politics

The editorial “Difference between Brittney Griner and Marc Fogel? One came home” (May 4, TribLive) sent a powerful message regarding Fogel’s struggles in Russian custody. He lives in pain from all the surgeries he had, and possibly medical marijuana was the only option to relieve some of his pain.

When Griner was taken into custody for a similar offense, it seemed like President Biden was only concerned about her release. As we all know, this ended up as a trade for an arms dealer known as the “Merchant of Death.” Why didn’t Biden stand his ground and say we wanted Fogel returned to the United States, since he was in prison for a much longer period and had major health issues which would become worse over time?

We all know the answer to that: It was all political. I was not interested in watching the Griner interview. No U.S. citizen should be in a Russian prison, but as the editorial stated, no one even says Fogel’s name.

My only question is, why didn’t Robin Roberts invite all the families of currently held prisoners to that interview? Or is she also making this political?

Ann Stanton

Baden

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Killer nurse tragedy could have been avoided

After pleading guilty to three counts of first-degree murder and 19 counts of attempted murder, Harrison nurse Heather Pressdee, who admitted to administering insulin to nursing home patients who did not require it, was justifiably sentenced to spend the rest of her life in prison (“‘She is evil personified’: Victims’ families face killer nurse Heather Pressdee in court,” May 2, TribLive). I have no problem with that. She deserves worse.

But I have several questions. Aren’t nurses in nursing homes assigned specific patients? If they aren’t, why not? If they are, aren’t the drugs they take from the pharmacy or dispensary monitored and checked to see if they apply to the patients they are in charge of? If these drugs are monitored, why wasn’t this stopped?

I believe these needless deaths could have been prevented. The nurse could have been suspended and had her license revoked so that she could never work in that capacity again and lives could have been saved. What a tragedy!

George Silowash

Penn Township, Westmoreland County