Make informed decision in November; Unconvinced by Justice Barrett
Make informed decision in November
Donald J. Trump wants to be your next U.S. President.
This former President had and still has close alliances with extreme authoritarian leads of Russia, North Korea and Hungary. Still to this day, he boasts about his love and respect for these thugs.
Trump has been convicted on two cases: one for defrauding banks; and one for defaming a woman. Combined, he is facing penalties of almost $500 million, which is coming due soon. Additionally, he is facing four criminal trials involving 91 felony charges, one of which begins in March. Any one of those trails could put him in prison.
Trump is using the party’s treasury as his personal piggy bank. He’s already siphoned off $50 million from its coffers leaving it with minimal funds at a time when financial demands will ramp up to the party’s highest needs. This, in comparison to the Democratic Party’s $140 million at the time of this writing.
Trump has a great plan for raising money: He’s selling sneakers for about $400 a pop. At that price he only needs to sell 1.25 million pairs to cover his penalties. Great plan …
Donald Trump must never set foot into the White House ever again.
Voters, you must all make your own decision for the next president in November. Please don’t be a blind follower. Get your information from multiple sources and make an informed decision. This may be the most consequential decision you ever make.
Ron Dotts, Bellefonte
Unconvinced by Justice Barrett
According to an article in the March 6 CDT, Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett told an audience she wants to “convince you that this Court is not comprised of a bunch of partisan hacks.”
But then, in the very next paragraph, we read that she was speaking at an event where she was introduced by none other than the hypocritical Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell, who rammed her nomination through the U.S. Senate in the waning days of the Trump administration … after refusing to take action on an earlier Court nomination by a Democratic President. And then we read that Barrett was also the featured speaker at a gathering of the extreme right-wing Federalist Society.
But she wants us to believe she isn’t a partisan hack — even though she is a celebrated speaker at extreme partisan events. Seriously, how dumb does she think we are?
Howard Bond, State College
Trump’s many violations
Followers of Jesus, do you believe in the primary precepts of the Bible? In everything, “do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets,” Matthew 7:12. “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself,” Leviticus 19:18. “Do not take revenge,” Romans 12:19. “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,” Matthew 5:43-44. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself,” Galatians 5:14
“You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. Do not steal. Do not lie. Do not deceive one another,” Leviticus 19:11. “The judges must make a thorough investigation, and if the witness proves to be a liar, giving false testimony against a fellow Israelite, then do to the false witness as that witness intended to do to the other party. You must purge the evil from among you,” Deuteronomy 19:18-19.
The person who lies from a position of power is “a person who stirs up conflict in the community,” Proverbs 6:1. Is it not Trump who vows revenge that may ultimately plunge us into civil war and bloodshed. Trump has proven to be a liar by the judges, and faces many other violations we should consider evil, purge him!
Doug Keith, State College
Keep religion out of government policies
The First Amendment to our Constitution states that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.” The Constitution explicitly omits reference to God, Jesus, or Christianity, emphasizing the founders’ clear separation of religion and government.
But many Republicans don’t care.
The Alabama Supreme Court quoted the Book of Genesis and cited Christianity in its ruling that embryos formed through in vitro fertilization are “children.” But definitions of “life” and “personhood” vary across religions. And the Constitution makes clear that legal decisions cannot be based on religion.
The Oklahoma state superintendent for public schools invoked his Christianity in refusing to consider changes to school policy after the death of a nonbinary teen, denying that such people even exist. “There’s not multiple genders. There’s two. That’s how God created us.” The superintendent is entitled to his beliefs, but the Constitution makes clear he is not entitled to use his religion to create public policy.
House Speaker Mike Johnson described his view of public policy by saying “Go pick up a Bible … and read it. That’s my worldview.”
Donald Trump pledged that “no one will be touching the cross of Christ” if he is elected.
The positions taken by Trump and Johnson violate their oaths to defend the Constitution.
The separation of church and state is foundational to our democracy. The First Amendment is quite clear: Christian nationalism has no place in public policy.
Republicans need to show they understand that.
Martha Young, State College