The Daily Populous Sunday July 14th, 2024 day edition
Authored by latimes.com and submitted by Thorne1269

Former President Trump, in Phoenix last month, has repeatedly proved himself unfit for office on a scale far worse than a shaky debate performance.

Democrats are in crisis at the moment, divided over whether President Biden should stay in the race after his disastrous debate last month or clear the way for another, younger candidate.

Biden’s shaky performance raised concerns about whether he can win in November, and prompted calls from prominent Democrats, columnists and others for him to step aside. It’s up to the Democratic Party to sort this out. But it’s time to refocus attention on the only candidate in the race who is patently unfit for office — any office — and an imminent threat to democracy: Donald Trump.

It’s unbelievable that the nation is spending so much time on the question of Biden’s verbal acuity, when the greatest concern ought to be that his challenger is a self-aggrandizing felon and twice-impeached election-denier. Trump fomented the Jan. 6 insurrection, shows contempt for the rule of law and shamelessly lies in pursuit of more power. He’s an authoritarian who admires murderous despots, wants to jail his political enemies and has publicly flirted with declaring himself a dictator on his first day back in office.

With fervent support from the Republican Party, he peddles cruelty, racism and misogyny, demonizing immigrants as “poisoning the blood of our country,” demeaning women‘s looks and intelligence, and using disgustingly fascist language to criticize his opponents as “vermin.” He’s a man who lied about his wealth for years to cheat on his taxes, whose business was convicted of criminal tax fraud, and who’s been denounced by many former aides and Cabinet members as a “malignant narcissist” who recklessly puts himself before the American people.

Opinion Calmes: Step aside, Joe. It’s time President Biden should take a well-deserved bow and help unite his party around a younger nominee who stands a better chance not only of beating Trump but also of serving out a four-year term.

Trump is the only man in the presidential race manifestly unworthy of holding a position of power, and has no business ever returning to the White House. If the GOP had any decency left, its members would be discussing whether to dump Trump for a candidate who isn’t out to bulldoze democratic institutions in favor of autocracy.

Voters should resist viewing this contest through the politics-as-usual lens of past elections. This November is not about dueling personalities, middle-of-the-road policy differences, or as some might see it, an 81-year-old man being the lesser of two evils compared with a 78-year-old man. It’s nothing short of a referendum on our 248-year democracy, and a choice between a trustworthy public servant who upholds American values and a serial liar who wants to push the country into authoritarianism.

Opinion Editorial: Even before guilty verdict, Trump was unfit to serve It shouldn’t take a criminal conviction to convince conscientious voters of Trump’s epic unfitness. But those who support him must now reckon with the fact that their candidate is a convicted felon.

Leaders of the Democratic Party have to stop the self-defeating discussion about Biden’s fitness and decide whether to replace him or unify behind him. And Americans must start hearing more about how the records, positions and character of Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and any of the prominent Democrats being floated as possible replacements make them all unquestionably superior to Trump.

mlvassallo on July 14th, 2024 at 02:40 UTC »

Fuck Trump. He shouldn’t be assassinated, but he also shouldn’t be president again.

ifhysm on July 14th, 2024 at 02:08 UTC »

Republican Senators had two opportunities to hold Trump accountable, and they chose their political careers each time. He shouldn’t even be on the ballot

ObviousCondescension on July 14th, 2024 at 02:00 UTC »

Why is this being downvoted?

That candidate getting shot doesn't change that he's a grossly incompetent felon who likely sold state secrets.