Readers sound off on abandoning Biden, the immunity ruling and the Gateway tunnel

Disillusionment does not necessitate surrender

Rockaway Beach: A beautiful, intelligent, politically active friend told me one recent morning: “I can’t, in good conscience, vote for President Biden now.” You would have heard my scream if your windows were open.

The idea that a well-meaning person felt it is now wrong to vote for Biden worries the hell out of me. Who else is thinking, “I can’t vote for him, so I’m just not going to vote”? Not voting is equivalent to stepping behind the curtain and voting for Donald Trump.

Another friend, trying to bolster our shaken confidence, said that Biden had a wonderful, powerful speech in North Carolina the next day: “You should listen to it, he had such strong words to say. He made such sense.” I’m sorry. Standing up to deliver a speech that some marvelous speechwriter wrote to counter the lack of verbal acuity the night before does not turn this around for me. In the clutch, it was clear: Our president didn’t just fumble one play. He was an athlete who should not have been in the game.

I am every bit as distressed as anyone else. I am behind whatever the in-crowd of managerial politics comes up with to ensure that the other guy doesn’t get in office. Of course, I regret that a man who has had a wonderful career in public service should have to step down in this very public embarrassment, but this isn’t just an age thing. The presidency demands a leader who can stand up, think on their feet and follow a train of thought all the way through. We deserve better. Maggie Hill

Losing time

Brooklyn: Some fare Father Time better than others. It’s not just the debate, it’s the future of our country. Jill Biden is ego-hungry. She will never give up her position. Hunter Biden is not who we want advising anyone, let alone the president. I would hope President Biden would be strong enough to be honest at this dire time. I would hope there would be a great candidate to go against Trump. Unfortunately, things seem bleak on all fronts. Mariann Tepedino

Same team

Bronx: To Voicer Paul Backalenick: In response to your comment that we should get to know Kamala Harris better: There’s nothing to know other than that she’s an empty pantsuit. The Democratic Party is working to destroy our nation. There is not one policy this administration has made that hasn’t been detrimental to our country. The Dems own every inch of every ill our nation is facing. Biden takes his orders from Barack Obama, whose goal was the fundamental transformation of America into a Marxist country. Trump ’24, baby. Ross de Marco

Undue loyalty

Rochdale Village: To Voicer Geidy Perez-Storch: After reading your letter, I have to say that I am in total agreement with everything you so eloquently stated. I am deeply troubled by the fact that so many of our fellow American citizens seem to have come down with an extreme case of selective amnesia. The not-so-distant past with all that it entails, from COVID-19 to the instigated insurrection on Jan. 6, seems to have been forgotten. In their eyes, #45 can do no wrong. And with the recent Supreme Court ruling, that may well be the case. This is why I would implore each and every one of you who cares about the future of our democracy to vote as if your very life depends on it, because it does. Carlos R. Edwards

Within the law

Yonkers: Your headline ” ‘Above the law,’ ” (July 2) with Trump’s picture is not an honest assessment of the Supreme Court’s immunity case. The court gives presidents limited immunity for official acts, as other elected officials enjoy a certain immunity for their official acts. All the deranged predictions about the death of democracy and dictatorship with respect to this opinion are simply more manifestations of “Trump derangement syndrome.” Trump was already president for four years and democracy is still here — no thanks to today’s Democrats, who think they are entitled to power and who seem to be willing to do anything to acquire and keep it. Leonard F. Villa

False statements

Brooklyn: Based on what we know now, the three justices appointed by the convicted felon lied when they were under oath during their confirmation hearings concerning Roe v. Wade. When asked about this decision, they affirmed that it was “established law” and that they would not vote to overturn it. Bald-faced perjury! With this knowledge, President Biden, I believe, has the right to remove them from the bench, especially now that he enjoys immunity for his actions while in office. He must replace them with constitutionally minded judges to take the places of the lying traitors. Gary Butler

Local hero

Staten Island: Now that the Fourth of July is here, I need to acknowledge what the comic strip “Baldo” did on Memorial Day. As a two-time Vietnam veteran and a Staten Islander, I was very surprised and pleased to see that the strip honored Staten Islander and Navy Cross recipient Marine Sgt. Angel Mendez. I contacted “Baldo” writer Hector Cantu and artist Carlos Castellanos and thanked them. I sent them photos of Mendez and his grave located in Mount Loretto Cemetery. I told them I would gladly take them there to pay respects. Our Staten Island Marine Corps League Detachment is named after Mendez. I posted the strip on Facebook, emailed as many people on Staten Island as possible and brought it up at the American Legion, VFW and Vietnam Veterans of America meetings. Please thank them for us! Vincent J. Maligno

Engineered overage

Manhattan: The endless delays and escalation of project costs of a short 2.5-mile Gateway rail tunnel under the Hudson River is preposterous beyond belief. It’s about time the two governors brought in a team of independent engineering experts to examine the $16 billion cost. Perhaps the FBI should also be asked to investigate the engineering firms that stand to make a fortune the higher the cost goes. As a civil engineer and a lifetime member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, I’m outraged! George Haikalis

White-centric

Brooklyn: Voicers Bob Lowell, Thomas Murawski and Jenifer Badamo are feeling excluded and lament how there is no month celebrating average white guys. Their arguments are flip and disingenuous, and bespeak an ignorance I can’t measure. A comedian was not being funny when she said, “Every month is White History Month.” The history of white men in this country is taught in schools every day of the school year. Our country has a history of excluding non-whites from schools, employment, neighborhoods and the American dream. Republicans continue to be hostile toward inclusion and diversity. Now we are seeing how Republicans and so-called white evangelicals are attempting to hijack, ignore and whitewash American history by censuring Black history. This propaganda allows whites to continue to enjoy privileges and entitlements in this country that Blacks continue to have to always fight for. Taplow Vincennes

Still confused

New City, N.Y.: Once again, I ask the same question hoping to get a response. Since when do we capitalize all races except white? In an article in Friday’s Daily News (“77-yr.-old hit with scooter in racially charged faceoff,” June 28), you wrote “Black” and “Hispanic white” in one sentence. When did “white” become a lower-case term and why? I can not seem to get an answer. Evelyn Ringel

Steadfast principles

Purchase, N.Y.: Voicer Susan Cassano condescendingly labels me a “MAGA faux Christian.” Well, if that means speaking out to protect innocent babies growing in their mothers’ wombs from cruel, undeserved death, then I proudly wear the MAGA hat. If that means speaking out against drag shows for tots (and we all know the intention behind those shows), then I proudly wear the MAGA hat. And if that means speaking out against gender reassignment for minors, then I again proudly wear the MAGA hat. It seems that those of Cassano’s ilk have no regard for morals and advocate for an anything-and-everything goes world. Sorry, but it is that kind of thinking that has helped plummet our society into the deplorable mess it is in. I say all this with the only label of being a proud Jewish pro-life woman. Marlene Danoff