To The Reader’s Forum:

The state of the 2024 presidential election has changed since President Biden decided to drop his candidacy for president. There has been a tremendous surge for the Democrats in naming Kamala Harris (current VP) and Tim Walz (Governor of Minnesota) as their candidates for President and Vice President, respectively. Even though I planned to vote for Biden, the changes are welcome because of their youth and energy!

On the Republican side, Trump is now the oldest candidate and JD Vance are, well, not suited for the jobs. Trump has 34 convictions for fraud, is still under indictment for his role in the “J6” case, and, even according to many Republicans, is rambling and incoherent when speaking. Trump has lost his only advantage – age – in this election. JD Vance can’t compare to Tim Walz as a vice presidential candidate, especially in political and other, personal experience that’s relatable to American voters.

The Republican/MAGA party has no agenda of what actions they intend to take to “Make America Great Again” even though they have had months and years to do so. They are trying to distance themselves from Heritage Foundation’s “Project 2025,” the blueprint for a Trump presidency. Even so, Trump and Vance have apparently adopted “Project 2025” as the so-called Republican platform for governing. The GOP has no “platform” on how Republicans/MAGA will protect women’s rights, protect voting rights, deal with inflation, create jobs, protect U.S. vital interests abroad, improve the situation at America’s borders, etc.

However, rather than just discredit Project 2025, I suggest that Harris will want to continue Biden’s policy agenda. Other than calling both Trump and Vance “weird”, the Dem candidates have an agenda which protects women’s rights with a law/Constitutional amendment to let women control their own bodies, protect voting rights similarly, control skyrocketing profits of big business that are the main cause of inflation, improve the U.S. infrastructure, continue to create good-paying jobs, pass an immigration law with border control and slow down the effects of climate change.

America must continue to be a world leader through job creation and expanding personal rights. Voter’s choice is clear – go backward into dark times with MAGA or move forward into the future with Harris/Walz!

Paul L. Demler

Jamestown