Letters: Get involved with the Alzheimer’s Association; Comparing presidents

Get involved with the Alzheimer’s Association

The Alzheimer’s Association is encouraging local volunteers here in Centre County to make a difference in the lives of individuals and families affected by Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.

An estimated 6.7 million Americans age 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s. Here in Pennsylvania, there are more than 280,000.

As the size of the U.S. population age 65 and older continues to grow, so too will the number and proportion of Americans with Alzheimer’s or another dementia. It is vital that we continue to raise awareness of Alzheimer’s and engage more community members to consider volunteering for the Alzheimer’s Association.

My wife is living with Alzheimer’s and I share our story as an advocate and also participate in the State College Walk to End Alzheimer’s. I invite residents to join me in the fight to end Alzheimer’s by starting a team for this year’s walk, which will take place on Nov. 4 at Spikes Stadium.

There are many ways that everyone in our community can get involved with the Alzheimer’s Association. Learn more at alz.org/volunteer. For information, resources and support services, visit alz.org or call the 24/7 Helpline at 1-800-272-3900.

Greg Raleigh, State College. The author is a volunteer with Alzheimer’s Association Greater Pennsylvania Chapter.

Comparing presidents

In an April 6 letter to the editor, Walter C. Uhler of State College attacked Trump and Trump supporters. Unfortunately, I think he’s attacking the wrong President.

Joe Biden (White House occupant) is a prolific liar. For a list of lies in just his first year of office, visit cnn.com/2022/01/20/politics/fact-check-biden-false-claims-first-year-2021/index.html. If you wish to see more of his lies, visit www.cnn.com/2023/01/28/politics/fact-check-biden-economic-speech-january-2023/index.html.

While Trump was President, the world was relatively peaceful. Then came Biden’s botched Afghanistan retreat, a war in Ukraine, and a budding alliance of Russia, China and Iran. We even watched as a NATO ally, France, chastised the U.S. in China.

Thanks to Biden, inflation is up from 1.4% to 5%, the average 30-year fixed mortgage rates rose from under 3% to over 6%, and the dollar’s dominance as the world’s reserve currency is in jeopardy.

He’s accused of a 1993 sexual assault (Tara Reade), opened our borders to illegal immigrants and foolishly depleted our strategic oil reserve.

Biden, currently under investigation for absconding with classified materials as a Senator and Vice President, may also find his presidency in jeopardy. According to Mike Davis in Newsweek, “under the Presidential Records Act, a departing president (Trump) can take a personal copy of any of his presidential records — classified or not. The vice president (Biden) is afforded neither of these privileges.”

Hopefully, Mr. Uhler will recognize that his guy, Joe Biden, is a failed leader. On the other hand, Donald Trump did a good job as our 45th President. He deserves to become the 47th.

Terry L Kordes, Port Matilda

Nation’s financial well-being held hostage

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and his MAGA overlords continue to risk serious damage to the strongest economy on the planet by using the debt ceiling to hold our nation’s financial well-being hostage.

Investors buy U.S. Treasury Bills, which finance our national debt, largely because they are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States of America, which has never before defaulted.

The debt ceiling is not the budget. It must be raised immediately, without pre-conditions, to pay back borrowed money already approved and spent by both Republicans and Democrats.

The debt ceiling was raised three times under Trump without so much as a peep. Also during Trump’s administration, Republicans never voiced concern about increasing our national debt by $7.8 trillion while passing a huge tax windfall for the ultra-wealthy. In fact, a similar Republican debt ceiling stunt in 2011 cost American taxpayers an additional $1 billion due to the downgrading of America’s creditworthiness.

Congressional Republicans need to get serious about governing, stop with the political theater, pay our nation’s bills and do the difficult work of proposing and negotiating specific ways to reduce government spending. Holding hard working Americans hostage by threatening to cause them unimaginable financial hardship while destroying our nation’s economic standing is not the answer.

Republicans, particularly those in safe, gerrymandered congressional districts like Glenn Thompson and Scott Perry, are solely to blame. Call and tell them to raise the debt ceiling now and stop playing politics with our economic future!

George Polycranos, Port Matilda