Biden: End candidacy for good of the country

Joe Biden has been the greatest president since Lyndon Johnson, who passed the Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act, the Clean Air Act, and created Medicare. And now Joe Biden, just like Johnson before him, needs to voluntarily give up his re-election campaign.

Biden is too old to continue as the Democratic Party’s nominee.

The greatest task of the nominee today is to defeat Donald Trump and Biden is clearly not up to that task. Given the opportunity and necessity of exposing Trump in Thursday night’s debate, Biden whiffed. All it would have taken to defeat Trump in that debate was to be cognitively present and articulate but Biden couldn’t clear that bar. Trump’s candidacy was strengthened by the debate and that’s intolerable.

Up until now, I’ve been in favor of ignoring criticisms about Biden’s age and rallying behind him but no longer. It’s time for Democrats to clearly tell Biden to give up his candidacy in favor of a younger leader.

Come on, Joe. Do it for the country. And do it now.

— John Fay, Santa Cruz

Biden answered questions while Trump lied

I watched the debate Thursday night and yes, Biden had some awkward moments. But he did answer most of the questions put to him, questions on issues a president would have to face in the running of America. Trump was busy spreading doom and gloom, trashing Biden’s presidency, saying America was “going to hell,” and elevating his past presidency as glorious. I expected him to sprout wings and a halo!

“A lie doesn’t become truth, wrong doesn’t become right, evil doesn’t become good just because it’s accepted by a majority.”

— Martha Dolciamore, Soquel

Country clearly sees an old, feeble Biden

Now that the country sees clearly how old, feeble and frankly dementia laden Biden truly is, the DNC must replace him for appearance sake, knowing Trump is going to win, but hoping to at least put up a slight challenge Nov. 5th. I watched every minute and one thing told the whole story ... or at least all that really matters.

Biden’s three-plus years have seen horrible price increases, world unrest and Americans bitterly struggling. Trump is long overdue.

— Dan Misko, Cherokee County, Ga

Without fact checking, Trump could repeat old lies

I didn’t get this at the time but, soon after the debate started, it became clear.

CNN, announcing in advance that there would be no fact checking during the debate, had given Trump carte blanche to repeat his old lies and the freedom to voice any new ones that should come to mind.

“I never said that” about dead and wounded soldiers being losers, contrasts with: Trump’s own evasion of military service, film clips of him saying (of killed soldiers) “what’s in it for them? They don’t make any money,” and that (Vietnam war hero) John McCain requested his absence at his (McCain’s) D.C. memorial service while inviting Obama (who gave a eulogy), Clinton, and others.

(The day after McCain’s death, Trump had the White House flag returned to full-staff, one minute after midnight.)

Asked directly about his handling of Jan 6, he ran out the clock talking about immigration.

Biden didn’t do particularly well but he still has my vote.

— Edgar Ross, Scotts Valley

A plan on how to help with fire insurance crisis

I sent this message to the Insurance Commissioner, the governor, our representatives in the state Senate and Assembly in hopes that one of them will take action to help homeowners in California.

“The cost of fire/home insurance is out of control due to the risk of wildfires.”

My suggestion is to treat wildfire insurance the same way as earthquake insurance and allow insurance companies to sell fire/home insurance that does not cover wildfires and instead have a separate wildfire insurance available for those that live in an area with wildfire risk, much like the ability to purchase earthquake insurance as a separate coverage option.

— Scott Graham, Santa Cruz