Age limits
Re “Feinstein, 90, at home after fall, hospital visit” (Aug. 10): Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., is no longer capable of doing her job. On July 27, she had to be prompted multiple times to vote “aye” on a defense appropriations bill.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has fallen three times this year, even suffering a concussion. McConnell froze during a recent press conference and was escorted from the podium; the freeze could have been a ministoke. I agree with a recent poll conducted for Newsweek that shows the majority of American voters want him to resign.
President Joe Biden has tripped or fallen numerous times in public. He often appears dazed and confused, routinely stumbles while speaking and has a list of gaffes a mile long. He’s barely up to being president now, much less a possible second term.
Airline pilots, military officers and judges in 32 states face mandatory retirement. Close to 25% of Congress is older than 70 years old, which is the highest it has ever been. Biden is the oldest serving president in U.S. history. A 2022 CBS News poll showed 73% of U.S. adults support a maximum age limit for elected officials. This isn’t a partisan issue; it’s a human one.
Joe Naneville, Windsor
Disfunction
Re “Why US debt deserved a downgrade” (Other Views, Aug. 13): The Heritage Foundation attempts to explain the downgrade of U.S. debt as deserved due to current out-of-control spending. In reality, debt as a percent of GDP peaked at the end of the Trump administration and has been declining since.
Revenue as a percent of GDP, however, is projected to decline. Lower revenue is mainly a function of the excessive and disproportionate tax cuts under former President Donald Trump on top of the tax cuts under former President George W. Bush on top of the tax cuts under former President Ronald Reagan, all of which were structured to benefit large corporations, real estate investors and high earners. The Fitch downgrade was justified by them, in large part, due to government disfunction particularly with respect to the debt ceiling. That was also some of the reasoning for the more significant downgrade in 2011. In both cases, that disfunction falls on Republicans in the House of Representatives and their apparent willingness shut down government rather than pay debts already incurred.
Peter Poirier, Virginia Beach
Facts first
Are we headed to anarchy? Our democracy and way of life depend on law and order. Without it, we slip into an abyss of chaos. Although no organization that involves humans is perfect, the justice system has generally been successful. Unfortunately, we are now drowning in a tidal wave of mistrust for our justice system. The legal woes of both former President Donald Trump and Hunter Biden have highlighted the malignancy of this situation.
Millions are prejudging these cases before the trials and without knowing all the facts. Some say there is a conspiracy, or a deep state or that no crimes were committed. Bias theories are further fueled by TV hosts who are primarily concerned with their ratings and by politicians who want to please their base. Many are “deniers” who have no solid proof to substantiate their contrarian positions. Instead of facts, we are deluged with opinions, beliefs and political talking points. The combination of all these factors is a breeding ground for discontent, physical threats and even violence, thereby placing an unnecessary strain on both our justice system and our country.
However, part of the solution involves we the people. Even though the process is often slow, we must be patient and promote evidence for determining judicial outcomes.
Page Brinkley, James City County
