Letters: Comparison of candidates; Misplaced outrage

Comparison of candidates

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and other Democrats continue to tell us that Donald Trump is a threat to democracy. But Trump — notwithstanding his sometimes unconventional approaches — finished his term with U.S. democracy intact and with the country in much better condition than it is today: very low inflation, a COVID vaccine developed in record time, high employment including for minorities, a southern border under control, an absence of major global conflicts, and progress in the Middle East (Abraham accords, recognition of Jerusalem as capital) which most believed impossible. In contrast, a Harris/Walz administration would represent a tangible threat to democracy as we know it via the pursuit of structural changes with lasting and negative impacts; e.g., creating easy paths to citizenship for the many millions and growing numbers of illegal immigrants — thus hugely expanding the Democrat voting base and insulting the legal immigrants we need and enthusiastically welcome, eliminating the electoral college, eliminating the filibuster and the protection against legislative excess it has provided to both parties, receptiveness to statehood for Washington DC and Puerto Rico expecting them to be forever blue, and increasing the Supreme Court from 9 to 13 — filling the new seats with liberal-leaning judges. And this list does not include a plethora of other aggressively liberal objectives; e.g., reparations, attacking the need for voter ID, advocating/tolerating biological male trans athletes competing in women’s sports, great generosity to illegal immigrants compared with that to U.S. citizens in need, etc.

A straightforward comparison to consider in the final days of the campaign.

Misplaced outrage

They’re playing another commercial depicting rage toward illegal immigrants due to a handful of cherry picked violent crimes committed. Where is the same outrage toward the white American male, with their automatic rifles, committing mass murders across the USA ... in schools, grocery stores, churches, bars, music venues? When has an illegal immigrant, with any automatic rifle, shot up a school or anywhere else? Over 4,000 women are killed in the U.S. yearly, most by their American spouses or partners. Where’s the outrage over that?

They’re taking away our jobs! What jobs? Unemployment is at 4% … “For Hire” signs are up everywhere — if you want to work.

Fentanyl deaths were at 75,000 last year. Deaths from alcohol average 175,000 yearly ... 11,000 dying from drunk drivers. Where’s the outrage over that? Smoking causes 1/5 deaths yearly, over 450,000. All three are caused by people’s own choice in life, yet illegals are scapegoated because of fentanyl. Maybe we should make all drugs legal?

Yes, illegal immigration is a problem. But after you round up all the illegals and ship them home, the elephants will still be in the room. America won’t be any safer, entitled individuals will still complain, addictions will still kill, and prices will still be high due to corporate greed.

Senate debate needed fact checks

It’s unfortunate that moderators during the debate between Senator Casey and Dave McCormick were not permitted to fact check their claims because McCormick told some whoppers.

For example, he used the standard Republican lie that Casey and the Biden administration were hindering development of energy sources. In fact, Pennsylvania’s natural gas production is 43 times higher today than when Casey was elected to the Senate in 2006. Senator Casey has never supported a ban on fracking, but has demanded that fracking be done in an environmentally responsible manner.

What is especially unfortunate is that McCormick continues to toe the party lie that support for clean energy harms our country.

Good grief! Is the rich man’s bubble he lives in preventing him from understanding that these extreme weather events are causing horrific, catastrophic losses for our fellow Americans and costing us billions of dollars? Scientists have warned us for decades (including Exxon’s scientists) that climate change would wreak havoc on our planet’s natural systems.

And unfortunately, that day has arrived.

The fossil fuel industry has received subsidies in the form of tax breaks since the early 1900s, and still receives those tax benefits today. If we’re to slow the pace of climate change, we need to go all-in on clean energy and the only way to do that is for our government to help us move to a clean energy future.

The main impediment to us getting there is Dave McCormick and his Republican party.

Better off today than 4 years ago

Were you better off four years ago than you are now? Donald Trump wants to know.

To be honest, no. Four years ago many of us were still feeling the effects of Trump’s mismanagement of the nation’s response to the COVID pandemic. I lost money because my magazine shut down for at least two months and I didn’t get a paycheck.

Now that we’re back in business, my monthly paycheck averages 60% more than it did under Trump. Our personal savings account is fatter than ever.

If that’s an example of Bidenomics, give me more.

MAGA cruelty spills over into communities

If you think Donald Trump’s nastiness and lawlessness don’t spill out into our communities, think again.

Voters throughout the state have reported widespread removal and destruction of yard signs supporting Harris and other Democratic candidates. These illegal actions show MAGA Republicans’ complete disrespect for private property and the rights of their political opponents to express their views.

In his closing pitch to voters, Donald Trump has doubled down on his violent rhetoric, encouraging police to be extra violent with suspects and suggesting that a woman heckler ought to “get the hell knocked out of her.”

MAGA Republicans don’t want to engage in discussion and debate; they want to destroy their opponents — the hallmark of authoritarianism.

The party that claims to be “law and order” is anything but. Their vandalism of opponents’ yard signs is a page from Project 2025. That Republican plan to dismantle American democracy is a 920-page guidebook brimming with inflammatory language pitting citizens against each other. One of the architects of the plan, for example, recently said: “We’re not interested in placating leftist agendas in the bureaucracy, we’re going to demolish them.” “Systemic rot” is the term used for the federal bureaucracy that the far-right seeks to commandeer, do away with, gut, demolish, destroy, kill.

Slicing and dicing yard signs is a small taste of what MAGA Republicans will do nationally if given the chance. We can’t let that happen. Vote for Kamala Harris and down-ballot Democrats.

Thompson lawsuit is shameful

Shame on Congressman Glenn Thompson. He is suing to have ballots from 25,000 Pennsylvania voters living overseas — many from military families — set aside “pending more stringent verification of voters identities,” according to a recent article in this newspaper.

This is a brazen move. It is, as the PA Dept. of State said, “a bad faith argument,” a cynical “solution” for a problem that does not exist.

Mr. Thompson likes to present himself as a reasonable moderate. But he declined to vote to certify the 2020 election results in Pennsylvania. He has refused to say that he will certify the 2024 results. And now he has joined a frivolous lawsuit designed to sow baseless doubt about the integrity of our election process, the foundation of our republic.

That’s not moderate. That’s not reasonable. That’s not right.

Protect reproductive health with your vote

I remember when abortion was illegal in this country. To ensure we never go back, I want everyone to know what that was like.

Before 1973, even consensual, monogamous, heterosexual sex was risky for women.

An unintended pregnancy was frightening and dangerous. With few choices, women were forced to pick the least bad one:

• “Back-alley” abortions, for those with the money and connections to get one, left many women seriously injured, infertile or dead.

• Rushed motherhood disrupted education and blocked careers due to scarce child care and workplace discrimination. Undesired marriage was often needed to obtain social acceptance and economic security.

The Supreme Court decision to legalize abortion (with restrictions) reduced, but didn’t eliminate, risks. Since Roe v. Wade, a steady stream of laws narrowed the decision, ultimately leading to its overturn in 2022.

Abortion access is now subject to the whims of legislators and judges — and unintended pregnancies are as common, and dangerous, as ever.

So, I continue my decadeslong fight to protect reproductive health. I give time and money to pro-choice candidates and organizations. I march and rally. I wear the same buttons: “I’m pro-choice and I vote.” “My body. My choice.” “Keep abortion safe and legal.” One simply showing a hanger in a red circle with a line through it.

Together, we can win the fight — and not pass it onto future generations. We must elect Harris, Casey, and down-ballot Democrats. Unlike their opponents, Democrats believe in reproductive freedom.

Reclaim your power. Vote.

Think twice

Do you worry about inflation? Well, then, pray that Trump does not get elected.

Several economists have warned that a tariff is basically a tax, raising the cost of imports. Trump plans to raise tariffs across the board, which will raise the prices of everything since so much of what we buy comes from abroad. The idea is to encourage U.S. firms to manufacture in the U.S. Granted, there is a case to be made for that, but in the end, you, the consumer, will pay for these tariffs. Will it be worth it? Just add 10% to the cost of everything you buy and you’ll get the idea.

Much worse is his idea of mass deportation. Who do you think picks the produce you buy? Just ask the mushroom growers what the raids did to their industry in 2017. Or ask Floridians when farmers who cheerfully voted to get rid of illegals suddenly had produce rotting in the field. Do you want all illegals gone? Get ready to pay through the nose for food. You can also say goodbye to and be prepared to pay a higher wage for much-needed caregivers, construction and hospitality workers, and gardeners.

Yes, we should have a better system. But we don’t. Immigration in this country needs to be fixed. Fixing immigration properly takes time and the cooperation of Congress. Raids and deportation are not solutions.

Do you want inflation under control? Vote blue.

‘Irreparable harm’ of another Trump term

His MAGA supporters lived through the chaos, destructiveness, and cruelty of his failed presidency. They know all about his two impeachments, multiple criminal and civil convictions, and failed insurrection attempt. Trump has even referred to them as “basement dwellers.”

Unfortunately, none of this seems to matter. Trump has exploited their fears, prejudices and resentments conning his followers into believing he actually cares about them.

His tax breaks are for the already rich. He has no interest in governing or solving problems at the border, caring about immigration only as a useful campaign grievance. He lies about emergency responses to devastating hurricanes even though he plans to eliminate the NOAA, which tracks hurricanes and climate change.

Trump desperately tries to backpedal from his efforts to end women’s access to reproductive health care even though he facilitated the end of Roe v. Wade. Decorated General Mark Milley calls Trump “fascist to the core” and “the most dangerous person to this country.”

Now that Trump’s hand-picked Supreme Court has placed him above the law, he can utilize Project 2025’s plan to replace the government workforce with sycophants as he seeks to prosecute his enemies, use the military against American citizens, and revoke the broadcast licenses of media outlets that criticize him.

Independents, Democrats, and Republicans who recognize the irreparable harm another Trump administration would do to our great nation, must turn out en masse and vote for Kamala Harris.

Charge those who are rich in this world that they be rich in good works.

Confident in Kamala Harris

I support Vice President Kamala Harris to become president. First, she is eminently qualified, a brilliant woman experienced at state and national levels. If she before 2020 espoused “liberal” themes, remember first that “liberal” is absolutely not a bad word. The very idea of America as a nation of laws serving the people, not a monarch, is liberal. Liberals fought slavery; conservatives opposed them. Liberals created Social Security; conservatives opposed them. Liberals sided with minorities in the fight for civil rights; conservatives opposed them. Liberals fought for women’s bodily autonomy, and for equality for gay people; conservatives still oppose them. She has served quietly under Joe Biden, biding her time as a VP must, giving advice and handling chores as requested. I am confident that she has learned well what works and what does not; has absorbed the lessons of power and its limits as well as its possibilities. Furthermore, with her assistance Biden has produced a well-recovered economy. Though inflation was bad, it was bad all over the world and has now subsided here. She will be a fine president, and it is high time that we elected a woman to the office.

On the other hand, I am horrified by the possibility that the candidate with the initials DJT might actually win again. He is a senile man, evermore full of idiotic sound and fury, signifying nothing good. He has committed many crimes and undoubtedly would commit more, expecting impunity. He must be stopped. Vote him down!

Consumers pay the price for tariffs

This is in response to the Oct. 16 letter by Helen Sheehy of Tyrone regarding tariffs. As a graduate of Penn State with a degree in accounting, years of work in internal auditing of a large corporation, and working with others very experienced in finance, I am qualified to answer with an affirmative, “she is correct.” Higher tariffs will be passed on by shippers, suppliers and retailers to the consumer. Consumers on both sides, the producing nation and the importing nation, will pay the price. Tariffs work about as well as “trickle down economics.”

Takac reelection would be victory for environment

The Sierra Club is proud to endorse incumbent Democrat Paul Takac for reelection as State Representative for the 82nd District.

Paul has demonstrated his environmental commitment throughout his first term in office. He consistently voted for legislation to protect the resources and health of area residents. His efforts helped secure funding for environmental restoration, parks and trails, and EV infrastructure. He strongly supports investment in workforce development to create family-sustaining careers as we transition to a renewable energy economy.

Paul looks for shared goals with other House members and works in a bipartisan manner to secure positive outcomes, and is an outstanding communicator with his constituents.

With your help, Paul’s reelection on Nov. 5 will be a victory for the environment and the people of the 82nd District.

This story was originally published October 26, 2024 at 7:00 AM.