Letters to the editor for Nov. 19

Why I celebrate a new President

I am an Independent voter. Here’s why I celebrate a new President. My three most important measures for that office: honesty, work with both sides of the aisle, and bring divergent groups together.

I will give Trump credit for keeping us out of new wars, being tough on China, getting NATO members to pay their share, and keeping a bustling economy going in the right direction.

But he failed miserably in a time of crisis, costing him a chance for reelection. How many lives could have been saved? He shielded us from the truth, undermined credible health professionals and continued to blame China without leading an effective national response. While the nation suffered great physical, emotional and financial peril, he spent plenty of time on the golf course and at ego-boosting campaign rallies. He could only remind us that he stopped travel from China early on and got many ventilators produced, while blaming Obama officials for leaving the emergency cupboards bare. If those cupboards were bare, he had three years to replenish and plan for pandemic response. Instead, he pitted governors against one another to obtain emergency supplies.

He blew his chance for reelection. Now, can we all attempt to understand different points of view, while having civil dialogue.

I believe Joe Biden will surround himself with an outstanding support team. His priority mission is to bring us together to solve problems and reassure the world we return as global partners boasting a strong and secure democracy.

Craig Sternagel, Olympia

What Election 2020 tells us about America

Many of us were appalled that the presidential election was even close. A pandemic that every week kills twice as many Americans than 9/11 is deemed unworthy of significant effort by the president, and there is a question about his ability to lead America? Not only is he incapable of understanding the science that could reduce the death toll, he is blatantly disdainful of it. And, he is typical of a significant number of Americans. Not completely understanding the science is understandable, but to hold science in such contempt that Americans die rather than listen to scientists’ recommendations defies belief.

The pandemic’s tremendous toll on American lives should be a wake-up call to all Americans that we have lost ground to countries that hold education and science in high regard, and they will succeed where we fail. Natural resources are valuable, but industrious, intelligent people are an essential asset for a 21st century country. This pandemic demonstrates that you can’t B.S. a virus, you have to fight it intelligently.

If we truly want America to be great, we can’t get there by dumbing down our society; the rest of the world will trample us. We better be the innovator that give countries an edge or else we will lose our privileged status as the “leaders of the free world” to a country that takes science seriously — perhaps one that is not even “part of the free world.”

Jeff Loyer, Olympia