Letters: Biden not too old for POTUS requirements; Boalsburg pharmacy will be missed

Biden not too old for POTUS requirements

An octogenarian wants to join an Everest expedition, and is told, “No; you’re too old.” No one asks, “Too old for what?” The meaning is clear: too old to meet the requirements to accomplish the job.

If the same octogenarian wants to be president, and a detractor says, “He’s too old,” it is reasonable to ask, “What essential functions of POTUS are impaired by advanced age?”

Some say, “Biden is too old; he shuffles when he walks,” but the ability to walk shuffling-free is not a POTUS job requirement. Similarly, “Biden speaks too haltingly.” Measured speech is a sign of having thought through things. The opposite is to speak rashly.

Some say that advancing age impairs the ability to act quickly and decisively in a crisis. Presidents do face crises, but hardly ever of a nature demanding an immediate response. FDR waited a day after Pearl Harbor before asking Congress to declare war.

A crisis that did require an immediate presidential response was the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, but it was not forthcoming. It is ironic to believe Biden is too old for making immediate decisions in a crisis, so let’s entrust the presidency to one who, when such a decision was required, miserably failed the test.

President Biden’s tendency to consult advisors, analyze a situation carefully, and avoid too-hasty decision-making are hallmarks of a wise and mature man. These attributes come with age. They are assets.

Marilyn Goldfarb, Boalsburg

Boalsburg pharmacy will be missed

On Tuesday, March 5, there was a front page article about the Boalsburg Apothecary moving to Centre Hall. We are sad to see it go as the wonderful staff there shepherded us through our children’s growing years. Having a pharmacy in the same building as the doctor was a wonderful convenience. And when our family switched to general practitioners, Boalsburg Apothecary was right in our neighborhood. We felt the article put a best face forward on the move, but at the same time it left us with two questions. Why is the move is happening so quickly? Who owns the building and are they planning to replace Boalsburg Apothecary with another pharmacy? It would be nice to have those answers. Having said that, we will still use the apothecary’s new location and their delivery service; loyalty for the outstanding service they have provided our immediate and extended family for decades.

Dotty Delafield, Boalsburg

All should be outraged by Trump

Are you as outraged as I am?

After Super Tuesday, Donald Trump is now the presumptive Republican Presidential nominee. Think about that. A treasonous conman found civilly liable for sexual assault, who has been using election funding to pay his legal bills, and is currently facing 91 criminal charges, including using fraud to obtain business loans, is the best the Republicans can do?

As former presidential candidate Nikki Haley said, chaos and confusion swirl around him. He led an insurrection against his own country, admires and praises the world’s most brutal dictators, including America’s perennial enemies, Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Xingping. He has voiced opposition to helping Ukraine defend itself against Russia’s brutal and unprovoked war. If the U.S. repeats in Ukraine the mistakes that led to WWII, Europe will be next, drawing America into World War III.

To our NATO allies who have not yet increased their defense investments to 2%, he says Russia “should do whatever the hell they want!”

He quashed a tough, desperately needed, and long-overdue bipartisan border deal, written by a conservative Republican, because he’d rather America suffer than allow what he perceives as a Democrat win. This morally bankrupt and mentally unfit man actually said he hoped the U.S. economy crashed before the election so he doesn’t get the blame for a downturn if he wins a second term!

And yet Republicans think he should be president? If you’re not as outraged as I am, you should be.

William J. Rothwell, State College

Guilty PA GOPers

Donald Trump’s 91 indictments, four criminal trials, numerous bankruptcies, and constant lies should embarrass any normal political party and instantly disqualify him from consideration for office. But his Republican enablers across the country, who haven’t the courage to send him packing, have allowed him to continue his bullying campaign to return to the White House.

In Pennsylvania, seven current Republican Congressmen ran from the insurrectionist mob on Jan. 6, 2021, then returned to vote, without evidence of voter fraud, against certifying the Electoral College results. They then had the gall to run for reelection to sit in the Congress of the country they tried to destroy. They are guilty of aiding and abetting Donald Trump’s anti-democracy schemes.

The Pennsylvania Seven, who don’t want you to remember their cowardice on Jan. 6, 2021, and who don’t have the courage to speak against Trump even now, are Pennsylvania’s Republican Congressmen John Joyce, Mike Kelly, Dan Meuser, Scott Perry, Guy Reschenthaler, Lloyd Smucker and Glenn Thompson.

They share responsibility for the continuation of the Trump cult that is a danger to their own party and to our country.

Donald Trump would have been exposed as a shallow “Emperor with no clothes,” long ago except for the Republicans who put party above country.

If Trump is still the GOP nominee for president in November Pennsylvania voters should send him packing. And we should send the cowardly Pennsylvania Seven along with him.

This will start the healing that America so sorely needs.

Bob Potter, Boalsburg