To The Reader’s Forum:

This is February 2024, but before you know it November 2024 will be here, and election season will be upon us. No doubt, 2024 is a strange year as far as the presidential election is concerned. While we don’t know for sure who the major party candidates will be, the front runners, Joe Biden and Donald Trump, are “old” and only 3 years apart. In other words, what’s age got to do with it?

There are many factors in Biden’s favor! The biggest is that Biden is unindicted – as opposed to 91 charges in 2 federal and 2 state indictments for Trump. I expect Trump to be found “not guilty” for some of the charges, but I assume at least 1 charge will be upheld.

Don’t forget grand juries of ordinary people, not “Democrat” partisans, who saw evidence, not simple accusations and believed there was sufficient evidence that crimes were committed. It will still be up to other juries of Trump’s “peers” to decide if the charges are valid. In other words, NO “partisan” prosecutor or judge will make those decisions.

To me, a big question is: if Trump is innocent, why has he “opposed” speedy trials by causing delays? If you believe his claims of innocence, and his stated desire to become president again, it seems logical that Trump would want “innocent” verdicts before the election period. I also want Biden to run against an opponent who is not encumbered with false charges; thus, a speedy trial for Trump is good for both front runners. On the other hand, if Trump is guilty, it’s not fair to voters who will vote for him to believe he is innocent. (If people vote for Trump, or anyone for that matter, who is found guilty of felonies, well, that’s unimaginable and mind boggling!)

I am totally opposed to Trump as president. I would oppose Biden similarly if the shoe was on the other foot, so-to-speak, but the fact is it’s not! I “witnessed”, on TV, the “J6” attack on the US Capitol. I heard calls for VP Pence to “hang” because he didn’t do what some people wanted. Trump did not oppose those calls. It’s criminal and a disgrace to our Constitution! As a former federal employee, I swore an oath to defend the Constitution. I don’t want Trump to be in a position to violate his oath again!

Paul L. Demler

Jamestown