To the Editor:

In response to Veronica Hempstead’s letter of 1/1/2021 (The Newtown Bee, “The ‘Why’ Of The Vote”): I am a senior citizen, but believe age is irrelevant. Wisdom comes from knowledge and research, not age. I voted for Biden, knowing that he is the person who can undo the damage from the last four years and restore order, dignity, and respect to the oval office. I could write a chapter on each one of the items in her letter, however, I will highlight the facts that immediately came to mind when I read the list.

When Trump was campaigning to become president, the southwest border had 654 miles of primary barriers. That has increased to 657. Trump’s administration mainly replaced barriers; Mexico has not paid for any construction.

His campaign promise was to negotiate a new deal with Iran. Where is it?

Cyberspace is a concept describing a widespread, interconnected digital technology, around since the 1980s. Trump did not start it.

Tariffs are paid by the final consumer, not the country that sells the goods. All it did was increase prices. Thanks to the tariffs, the US had to give farmers $16 billion to bail them out.

In 2018, the Trump admin disbanded the US Pandemic Unit at the CDC, which was supposed to raise the alarm on a possible pandemic in other countries. How many lives could they have saved and could more people have been saved if Trump encouraged wearing a mask? Does it matter to him, because while talking about COVID-19 at a rally, he said the elderly are virtually nobody: “Now we know it. It affects elderly people. Elderly people with heart problems and other problems. But they have other problems... You know in some states, thousands of people [are infected] — nobody young... They have a strong immune system, who knows. But it affects virtually nobody. It’s an amazing thing.” —D. Trump

Operation Warp Speed accomplished creating and manufacturing the vaccine. However, half a plan is useless. There is no Federal plan or aid to get it into the arms of the people. States are overwhelmed treating patients and lack the staff or money to deliver the vaccine to the people.

The economy was doing great — aided by deregulation, lower taxes, and higher government spending, which always inflates the GDP. The first hurts the environment, the others inflated the national debt at the expense of future generations. The plan that lower taxes would cause investment in expansion failed to happen. Much of the tax savings went to stock buybacks, adding to the wealth of the rich. Middle class tax cuts are being phased out, corporate cuts are not.

To summarize: I am a registered Republican slightly left of center in most cases. However, I am an American first. I choose the Constitution over sedition. I choose Rule of Law over unfounded accusations. I choose common sense over hyperbole. I choose to love my neighbor as myself. I choose peace and love — all things Trump has undermined.

Best regards,

Antoinette Cargill

187 Julia Court, Newtown January 8, 2021