Cleaning house
If Donald Trump gets re-elected, on his first day he’ll initiate Project 2025, which he is well aware of. His first order of business will be to replace many federal employees deemed not loyal to him. Very few will speak up and advocate in their defense. Then even fewer will speak up on the replacement of many state election board members. Then in quick succession removal of illegal and some legal immigrants, nonpartisan prosecutors, state education board members, abortion rights, all who live an alternative lifestyle, civil service workers, restrictions on religious leaders and all perceived political enemies. Finally he will come for me, just an ordinary citizen who speaks of democracy, or anyone who dares speak up disagreeing with his restrictions and mandates. Oh yeah, with me there’ll also be YOU. By then there will be very few left who will be able to “speak up” to curtail his autocratic ruling.
One final thought. There will always be a MAGA mob that will be loyal no matter what he espouses. But joining them will be the Ku Klux Klan, neo-Nazis, white supremacists, far-right groups and from my own personal observation a small group of the Jewish population. Talk about strange “bedfellows.” Although I doubt if we will ever see all his misbegotten followers at a get-together initiating a hootenanny singing Kumbaya. I will state again. Think with your head and not your heart.
Ron Farbman
Somerton
You have to hate Trump
If you believe in equality you hate Trump because he is a known racist. If you believe in equality you hate Trump because he has no respect for women. If you believe in morality you have to hate Trump because he has no morals. If you believe in truth you have to hate Trump because he is a pathological liar. If you believe in patriotism you have to hate Trump who is a draft dodger and said the military and veterans are suckers and losers. He also said Medal of Honor winners aren’t that great because most of them are either dead or all shot up with bullets. Trump is totally against unions and always has been. If you don’t believe it Google anti-union actions by the Trump administration. Sometimes I wonder what the Trump people believe in. It’s ironic that the person who preaches hate is the main person who warrants the hate. Come on real Republicans wake up.
Vince Mosiniak
Torresdale
Safe and secure voting
I have always been a skeptic of the security of mail-in balloting.
Boy, was I wrong.
I recently visited and filled out my mail-in ballot at the local, satellite City Commissioners Office on Grant Avenue. What an absolute pleasure. A fantastic way to vote.
Great, hard-working, friendly staff. Helpful workers who are there explaining to the voters how to navigate the ins-and-outs of mail-in voting. Everyone is taking the time to explain all of the relevant procedures. People are making sure that all ballots are correctly marked, sealed and secured (before they leave the offices). People helping the voters whose primary language may not be English.
A safe and secure drop box outside the office that is monitored by security cameras. Being able to go online and follow the progression of my particular mail-in ballot. Identification and signatures were also all checked. Paper ballots that all come with a unique, numbered label on the outside of the envelope. In and out in less than 15 minutes. So quick and easy.
A fast and easy process that provides confidence that your own, personal ballot will be counted. Voting that comes with security, safety and integrity. Just a wonderful process all the way around.
Kudos to the staff and the offices of the Philadelphia Election Board. All Republican, Democratic and independent voters should feel at ease that a mail-in ballot is a quick, easy and safe way to vote with confidence. Great job everyone. Thank you for a wonderful voting experience.
John Farley
Somerton
4 more years for Trump
Kamala Harris highlighted in her campaign speech that Americans are facing high inflation rates, saying the price for a loaf of bread and ground beef are up 50%.
That’s right Kamala, that’s all from you and your administration’s failed economic policy called the Inflation Reduction Act.
It’s all from the Biden-Harris presidency raising interest rates multiple times throughout their 4 years.
And Harris goes on to say that she wants to close the border on day one if she is elected.
Day one should have been back in January 2021, when the Biden-Harris team purposely kept the borders open, and they still have no intentions of closing the borders.
Are we to keep believing more of Harris’ babbling lies for the next four years?
Harris reminds me of the “Dubble Bubble” gum balls we had as kids.
The more Harris babbles, the more the bubble gets bigger and bigger out of her mouth until it bursts, spewing out her gigantic lies.
Harris and Biden constantly ragged on Trump and his MAGA supporters for being “the” extreme threat to American democracy.
If MAGA was such a threat, then why did Harris go on to copy Trump’s tagline, as she remarked at one of her rallies. that she will make “America great again.”
She can’t even come up with her own slogan but copies Trump. What a phony and a hypocrite.
Yes, we do have a border crisis.
Yes. we do have high crime rates in our cities.
Yes, we do have high inflation, and wages are certainly not rising for the average worker.
Yes, we do have high taxes on the working class to pay for the illegals and the runaway trillion-dollar national debt that Biden and Harris have incurred.
And yes, we do have a working class who have no legitimate savings for retirement.
Again, who’s fault is all the above? It’s Biden and Harris.
And what about all the lost jobs and businesses by the thousands that closed such as Red Lobster, CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens and a list that’s too long to mention here, all within the failed and neglected policies of Biden and Harris.
Harris can say all she wants to do for this country, but there’s no way of sugarcoating all the self-evident realities that us Americans are facing every day, paycheck to paycheck.
Copycat Harris can parrot the MAGA tagline all she wants, but in reality, she’s not MAGA qualified nor MAGA material, and that’s why “MAGA” is synonymous with Trump because he can and he did make America great under his 4 years and will do so again for the next 4 years.
Al Ulus
Somerton
The right to life
A major focus of Kamala Harris is the rights of women and, particularly, what Ms. Harris perceives to be a “right” to abortion.
Yet the Ten Commandments teach “Thou shalt not Kill.”
And the Declaration of Independence states “All (persons) are … endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life … “
Let us hope that Ms. Harris shall consider these vital truths.
Greg Voss
Belleville, Illinois
We need more optimism
I have to agree with Michael’s recent letter stating we need more “optimism” in America.
In recent years, I had come to think the America I grew up in and loved was over.
How could Americans support open borders with all crime, drugs and child sex slavery? The sexual grooming of little children, the calls for defunding police? Seems morally reprehensible. That can’t be us, or could it?
Among the retired, inflation is destroying the final chapter of our lives. Housing costs, insurance and taxes are making the home ownership dream a nightmare for so many.
However, we have a new mayor who at least believes in policing and an orderly city. A glimmer of hope.
Further, we see all the Biden legal attacks on Trump melting away like Joe’s ice cream cone in the summer sun. Then the debate revealed we’ve been ruled by a corporate and Marxist cabal, behind a puppet president.
Could it be the nation has finally awakened to this nightmare, and will return Trump to the White House? No more FBI home invasions against Catholics and MAGA supporters? Wow. Restore the Constitution. A real cause for optimism.
The darkness is lifting for me. Repairs will take some time under Trump, but I do think we will pull together because Americans want to make our country great again.
Richard Iaconelli
Rhawnhurst
Scout agrees with Bashir
Hello, I am from Boy Scout Troop 542 and am taking the communications merit badge. Requirement 7a says to write to your local newspaper about an article and share your opinion. I just read the article America Needs God Back and wanted to let you know I agree with what Aaron Bashir is saying in this article, especially the parts that referred to students. I am currently a senior in high school and see in my everyday life how much people need God and the crazy things our country lets happen within our schools. I think he brought about many good points and explained them very well.
Thank you.
Nolan Grannells
Media propaganda
If someone told you that they know that Haitians have been stealing pet dogs in Springfield, Ohio to eat should you believe him just because he is a political candidate. You should ask for proof. Request that they provide evidence for their claim. A person might say the claim was true because he or she read it in the newspaper or heard it on TV without taking into account which newspaper or station. Is it one from Democrats on the left or Republicans on the right? Do you get your news from MSNBC or Fox? If a person says, “I hear that … ” or “People are saying that … ” it proves nothing. Republican Gov. Mike DeWine said the claim of pet theft was a piece of garbage that is harming Springfield, Ohio.
Again there is no evidence offered.
The claimant could be purposely offering true information, misinformation or disinformation or often just plain outright lies. Ohio Republican Sen. J.D. Vance said that constituents are bringing concerns to him and at least 10 were ”verifiable.” Let’s see that evidence if it exists. By the way, dogs and monkeys and cats, etc. are on the menu, mostly in Asia and Africa. This does not mean that pets are being stolen in Ohio and eaten by illegal immigrants from Haiti. It has been said that a lie can make its way halfway around the world in the time it takes a person to tie their shoes.
Orson Welles’ radio show “The War of the Worlds” was aired in 1938. It vividly described invading Martian armies, mostly through scripted fake news bulletins that interrupted the program, without informing listeners it was a radio play. This caused a short-lived national panic as people told friends to tune in. They, in turn, called others. In today’s world a little research on your computer would confirm or refute political propaganda. Never pass on “something” before you check it out.
Mel Flitter
Somerton
Wake up, America
This is your neighborhood Spider-Man reporting that we have finally heard some reasons why folks vote Democrat other than the usual feeble, “I can’t stand Donald Trump,” and, “I’ve always voted Democrat.” Of course, most reasons given were not the hot-button topics that get most, if not all, of the constant attention/consideration. Most were things that any president would have addressed, not solely the ingenious work of the current buffoon and his fraud VP. I did notice that there was no mention that they also changed the colors of the drapes in a couple White House rooms to go along with the earth-shattering CHIPS and Science Act and American Rescue Plan.
Even the village idiot knows most, if not all jobs that have come back are jobs that already existed prior to COVID, so we need to slow down before taking a bow. One can cast up all kinds of statistics, accurate or not, as both Republicans and Democrats do, but the main numbers virtually all Americans see or care about when shopping for anything anywhere are the exorbitant prices they are paying the past few years.
It is laughable when the border disaster gets blamed on the Orangeman. I and a couple hundred million Americans wonder if the complete opening of our southern border by the clown in the WH made matters across this nation better? The same village idiot can clearly answer that and I think most honest Dems can, too. The bill that was turned down was so flawed that right-minded people overcame those who were desperate for almost anything. And how about an answer to this: If it was so good, why wait 3½ years for it? I think because they knew the damage desired had been inflicted and achieved, so let’s cool our heels.
There was no mention about all the “trans” insanity going on. Are Demos OK with dudes competing/dominating their daughters and granddaughters in sports, then parading around the locker rooms and bathrooms? How about blue DAs and politicians more concerned with criminals than victims? No mention here also. My “spidey-sense” tells me if a terrible crime landed on you or your loved one’s lap, your tune would change. Is it comforting to know how you and your family broke your backs paying off the debts of the children you love, because it was the right thing to do, then have those same big nuts for others get taken care of by the aforementioned clown who was trying to buy votes?
I don’t know who will win in November. I do know 15 million illegals were allowed in to tilt the voting the Democrat way in perpetuity, making America a “one-party” rule nation. At a closer glance, that would put America right there with Russia, North Korea, China and Iran. That is just what the Democrat ticket and a bunch of others want. Socialism and a way of life very different than what we all have known, both Democrats and Republicans. That’s what you get with “one party,” and at another closer glance, has not been very successful, motivating and fulfilling for over 90% of those living under it across the world.
As far as Trump and the bizarre and annoying stuff he says, we all know how he can talk out his &%#. The Republican world of the USA would never allow him to impose any such nonsense, which I think he says to needle people. But he will Make America Great Again for all. Whereas, Kamala & company have made clear what they will do. And that will affect all of us.
Otherwise, how does this sound? The United States of Venezuela.
James McCaffrey
Mayfair and USA Proud
