Letters to the Editor: What is the future of democracy in the United States?

To the editor: There may be a silver lining to the cloud that the Supreme Court has cast over American democracy by immunizing the president from criminal liability. Even more than the Dobbs decision that took away from women the right to abort a pregnancy, the immunity case upends the contest for the White House.

Now that a president can effectively violate laws with impunity, can voters trust Donald Trump to govern America? Are voters willing to give that kind of power to the man who tried to overthrow an election by force and fraud? Or will they vote for a man who, although less entertaining, has served our country throughout a long career and is known as a man of character?

This outrageous overreach by the Supreme Court majority gives voters a new incentive to defeat the extremist authoritarianism that threatens American democracy.

Eleanor Egan, Costa Mesa

..

To the editor: The Supreme Court decision on Trump’s immunity is a classic example of the old adage about being careful about what you ask for — you may not like the answer. Had Merrick Garland, Jack Smith, Fani Willis and Alvin Bragg not been so eager to prosecute Trump for perceived and actual offenses, the opinion never would have been issued.

As we learned from Watergate, there are good reasons not to prosecute ex-presidents for crimes in office. Gerald Ford was right to pardon Nixon for his offenses in Watergate; we got on with the business of the country quite well and Nixon remained in disgrace until the day he died. The same should have been true of Trump.

Instead, the prosecutors made a martyr of him and he is now the odds-on favorite to return to the White House. As it stands, we now have an opinion that may, as Justice Sonia Sotomayor indicated, open the door for Trump or any future president, including a Democrat, to do just about whatever they want with no worries about future consequences after they leave office. Thanks but no thanks to Garland, et al.

Christopher Blake, San Diego

..

To the editor: The U.S. is in trouble. And the only path forward is for every Democrat, every fence-sitter and every Republican who cannot abide the disturbing prospect of a Trump presidency to vote — whether it’s for Joe Biden or a last-minute substitute.

A normal president has a good solid team advising and executing Oval Office policy. Donald Trump will have feckless and reckless sycophants around him, possibly executing his enemies. If you’re worried about Biden’s health, remember he has a team that works for him and for us. A Trump team would work only for Trump.

And think about this. It’s dubious at best that a right-wing Supreme Court justice would retire during a Democrat administration. But a Trump presidency might see one or two vacancies. Do you really want someone like Judge Aileen Cannon on the high court?

What a wonderful privilege we have in this country — the right to vote. Failing to exercise that right actually could spell an end to the great American experiment. Vote!

Steve Arvin, Los Angeles

..

To the editor: Let’s not forget that the Democratic presidential ticket is Biden-Harris.

If for some unfortunate reason President Biden cannot finish his term in office, I have great confidence that Vice President Harris will do a fine job as president protecting our democracy and freedom.

Russell Jung, San Clemente

..

To the editor: Let’s look back: John F. Kennedy had Addison’s disease, Franklin D. Roosevelt had polio, William Howard Taft had health problems related to obesity, George Washington’s teeth fell out. Yet somehow, they all served their country just fine as POTUS.

Give me a break, man. Biden is doing the job of president as well as or better than any of them. He’s not a dynamic debater. Get over it.

The other guy, an experienced media performer and con artist extraordinaire, now has the Supreme Court’s imprimatur to destroy the American Experiment.

As a friend of mine says, I’d vote for a baked potato to keep Trump and his mob from regaining the White House.

Eyes on the prize, folks.

Jane Drucker, Studio City