To the editor:
Those of us who are Democrats but independent face a dilemma. Even without the open question of cognitive impairment, we are asked to vote for a president who many among us believe has failed. Here are the reasons.
Joe Biden put the American people at risk when his Secretary of Defense did not inform him for three days that he would be in the hospital and unavailable. The Defense Secretary did not even contact his deputy who was vacationing in Puerto Rico. No elaboration needed. Billions of dollars were siphoned off in fraud during the pandemic bailout for the sake of speed over the need for monitoring. This is well documented. Biden’s Afghanistan withdrawal has been labeled a disaster, even in the liberal press. The fact that Trump signed off on the withdrawal date does not change this fact. For environmentalists, President Biden played the diversity card by appointing Secretary Haaland. The former Interior Secretary under Clinton (Babbit) criticized the Dept. of Interior in a column in the New York Times for failure to take an active part in negotiations for water rights among the states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. The secretary has also been unresponsive in the clamor to protect endangered gray wolves. Any wolves who stray outside Yellowstone can be shot, trapped, or run down by snowmobilers. Qualifications must transcend diversity in cabinet positions.
Putin got over on Biden when, at the last minute, instead of two Americans in exchange for the notorious arms smuggler, Victor Bout, the U.S. received only Brittney Griner. Historically, the Russians have always tried to remove one prisoner at the last minute in any prisoner exchange. Reference the Gary Powers incident. Biden should know this. We are left with the impression that Briner provided positive news and glitter with Paul Whelan left a prisoner in a Russian Gulag going on six years.
Ukraine. President Biden has provided just enough arms at just enough speed for Ukrainian patriots to defend themselves, but not achieve victory. This view is held throughout Ukraine and among many in NATO. The reason given is fear of provoking Putin to go nuclear. Biden has allowed Putin to engage in nuclear blackmail while Ukrainians continue to die.
In Gaza, Biden alas has allowed Netanyahu to ignore his pleas for restraint. American forces killed a fraction of a fraction of women and children when they retook Mosul and Fallujah because they took their time in planning, and exercised restraint. Of the 38,000 people killed in Gaza, two-thirds have been women and children. This is not self-defense. During the 80’s, when the government of Israel invaded Lebanon and began shelling civilians, Ronald Reagan made one phone call to Tel-Aviv with one laconic message: Stop, or I will stop all military aide. The shelling stopped next day.
In case the Democratic nominee for President becomes Harris, we have one more reason for a third-party vote. A Kamala Harris candidacy would be a selection made by party bosses, politicians who chair congressional committees, and West coast billionaires. Those of us who object to a Harris candidacy in favor of a choice by we the people have been treated to the epithet: “racist, sexist.” Such epithets eliminate any chance for change and growth within a political party.
A third-party vote would send the message that some Americans have enough ethical standards to refuse to vote their party when their party has failed them.
Forest A. Ormes
Ellinwood
