Tribune readers offer their take on presidential election: ‘It’s grim’ | Opinion
Forget Biden; look at Trump
Many of you watched the presidential debate last month. So let’s forget what happened with President Biden for a few minutes and focus on his “deranged” opponent.
What did you see? I saw a tidal wave of self-serving lies.
Mr. Trump said:
1. Nancy Pelosi was responsible for the Jan. 6 fiasco. Trump claimed he offered 10,000 troops, which she turned down. The tape he referred to explicitly showed her looking for alternative help because he would not authorize the National Guard.
2. By the way, the people who went to the Capitol on Jan. 6 were ushered in by the police. Really?
3. Talking about abortion, he claimed Democrats would do-in babies in the eighth and ninth month, even after birth. Not him.
4. Trump repeated he’d never had sex with a porn star. Yet, he was convicted on 34 felony counts of covering it up. He did say that the judge and jury were corrupt.
5. He claimed responsibility for the great economy during Biden’s tenure. But only the good stuff.
6. Under Biden, we’re like a third-world county, he said, and not respected. The list goes on further and gets more absurd.
And you want this guy?
Mike Broadhurst
Cambria
Resign now, Mr. President
At the NATO Summit in Washington, President Joe Biden introduced Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as “President Putin.” President Biden need not withdraw his candidacy for the Democratic nomination; he should resign from office now and let Vice President Kamala Harris lead the administration, and let the Democratic Party select a nominee for president at its convention. Enough is enough.
John Barbieri
San Luis Obispo
Future is looking grim
In the earliest days of our republic, the founding fathers were concerned about two very serious potential pitfalls looming on our horizon. First, they were careful to remind their progeny never to allow the office of the president to acquire the kind of unlimited power historically assumed by kings.
The second warning was to be mindful of the unhealthy effect of the then-nascent political parties appearing on the scene. Political parties, over the years, have unfortunately proved unstoppable. Thus, we are today faced with a very unhealthy choice of only two candidates for leadership of the nation: one seems to be on the edge of senility; the other is very clearly on the edge of insanity.
The nation fortunately has at least heeded the first piece of advice — until now. However, Donald Trump and his minions on the Supreme Court have now blithely transgressed that commandment. As a result, we are about to hand over the reins of a more-than-ever powerful office to one of those most unfit candidates who are today seeking the position (merely to assuage the ego of one, the megalomania of the other). The future has rarely seemed so grim.
Gene Strohl
San Luis Obispo
Morro Bay battery plant
“Would Measure A-24 block Morro Bay battery plant project?” (sanluisobispo.com, July 8)
I will be voting against A-24. Measure A-24 is an all-or-nothing proposal. The risk in denying Vistra the permit to build the plant on 24 acres of their property is enormous. Vistra will take its case to the Energy Commission. We don’t know what the decisions of the Energy Commission or the Coastal Commission will be.
If the city permits Vistra to build the battery facility on the worst-polluted 24 acres of their 107-acre property, then they will remove the old power plant and stacks. The city’s land use plan will determine how the remaining 83 acres are developed. This is a coup for the city.
Estimates are that the plant will generate $10 million per year in local taxes. This is better than wasting taxpayer dollars on a fight with the property owner (Vistra), the Energy Commission and the Coastal Commission. It will also be a savings to utility ratepayers by building the storage facility next to the existing grid.
I will be voting no on A-24. Please think long and hard before you cast your ballot on this costly, all-or-nothing gamble.
Carol Swain
Morro Bay
Help senior veterans
More than half of the 17,000 veterans living in San Luis Obispo County are over 65. However, far less than half of all our veterans take advantage of our VA Clinics and an even smaller number are members of Central Coast Veterans Organizations.
Like most seniors, senior veterans basically need to not be abandoned and forgotten.The U.S. Surgeon General recently declared a “public health crisis of loneliness, isolation, and lack of connection in our country.” This is particularly true with senior veterans, who reportedly often feel disconnected from the civilian life experience. In a 2018 VA Study, “56.9% of all veterans expressed feelings of loneliness.”
So what can any of us do to make senior veterans feel less lonely? When you see one of us old, gray-haired guys (or gals) wearing one of our caps designating military service, do more than just say “Thank you for your service.”
Stop and introduce yourself; ask about the senior veteran’s life situation; invite him or her to participate in community activities; exchange phone numbers with the veteran and offer to stay in touch.
Paul Worsham