Sounding off: With no evidence of voter fraud, let's please move on

It is unfortunate that in these times anybody can throw out any sort of nonsense, and so many people will believe anything.

Letter-writer Al Bianchini, offering no evidence, states that the election was “a fiasco” and “mail-in balloting is a disaster” (“U.S. voting system is a disaster,” Nov. 11, TribLIVE). And yet, one by one, President Trump’s desperate and empty lawsuits are being thrown out, often by Republican judges. Presidential transitions can be a dangerous time; Trump and his minions are creating chaos which is dragging this out.

Voter ID, which Bianchini insists upon, is a transparently partisan effort to suppress Democratic votes, like so many other Republican schemes to cheat. The incentive is clearly manifested by the fact that student photo IDs are not accepted under most ID laws. No coincidence that students usually vote Democrat. There is no evidence of meaningful voter fraud. Who would risk a federal rap for an extra vote?

Mail-in voting was necessary because of covid-19, which Trump has insisted is nothing to worry about and has done little about, except a belated partial ban on Chinese travel at a time when it was coming from Europe. Republicans object to mail-in voting because they take their covid-19 advice from Trump; Dems listen to doctors and scientists. Another easy way to cheat — force the Democrats who believe covid-19 is real to choose between voting and getting sick.

The sooner the sore losers can accept reality, the sooner we can move on. The people have spoken. Aren’t we tired of Trump’s lies?

Al Duerig

Salem

We all should support fixing election system

Approximately 70 million Americans are questioning the U.S. election results due primarily to distrust of the use of the new mail-in ballots and alleged irregularities in the processing and counting of ballots at polls around the country. Pennsylvania did not escape criticism. If mail-in ballots are the wave of the future, then serious adjustments to their use need to be addressed before the next election.

Frankly, Pennsylvania already had a mail-in ballot. It’s called an absentee ballot, and a process for using that ballot has worked effectively for years. There was no legitimate reason to implement a new mail-in ballot.

Despite assurances by Gov. Tom Wolf regarding the election process, at the very least, the alleged irregularities gave the appearance of impropriety.

Consider the following:

1. To our legislators: Rescind the use of mail-in ballots and tighten the regulations for ballot collection and counting.

2. To voters who are complaining: Get involved in the political process. Become a poll worker or poll watcher.

3. To those who voted for Joe Biden: Support the reform. You should want to fix the system, too.

Unless these problems are remedied, election chaos, distrust and division will be the continued result. No one should want that.

Terri Faye

Greensburg

Polio was conquered; covid-19 will be, too

There was a virus that consumed our country some years ago called polio, poliomyelitis or infantile paralysis, since it affected many children. In its early stages, its symptoms acted as the common cold or the flu, but in the advanced stage, it attacked the spine and lungs. This caused paralysis of the limbs and lungs. Remember the iron lung?

The general public was in a state of concern and worry over this virus, but our country was not shut down. We attended school every day, went to work, went to church and shopped.

The medical community told us that this disease was spread through feces and the air. Through it all, there were no rules or regulations about social distancing, washing of hands, disinfecting of surfaces and especially the wearing of masks. Life went on.

Finally, there was a savior in our midst, Dr. Jonas Salk, who developed a vaccine that killed the virus and saved us all. I received the injection when I was in elementary school.

There will be treatments and a vaccine to combat this pandemic. Stay strong! Critically think of what you are told and by whom. Only then will you cure this problem.

George W. Bahnak

Penn Township, Westmoreland County

Harris, Biden and Roethlisberger

I was all set to write a letter saying “Take that, Democrats” after the election, but alas, the outcome was very shocking and contrary to what I expected.

As a supporter of President Trump, I realize he did it to himself; his big mouth and ego couldn’t be toned down, and people who voted for him in 2016 had enough of his bragging and obviously treating the pandemic as a minor problem. He sabotaged his own reelection with his huge ego and wouldn’t listen to advice.

But I remind all who voted for Joe Biden: “Be careful what you wish for,” because I see him and Kamala Harris as very radical, and I think the outcome will be a big mess, although I hope not. Questionable things happened during the election, but not enough to change the results. I’m sincerely frightened about what is to come with Biden and Harris ruling.

On another subject — the headline “Big Ben on reserve/covid-19 list” in the Nov. 11 print edition: I’m not against Ben Roethlisberger, and wish him and his family good health, but how does he deserve the headline when there is so much more important news to report? That’s what the Sports pages are for.

Archie Atkinson

Lower Burrell

Left’s hypocrisy on display

The hypocrisy of the left revealed itself on Nov. 7 with the media’s proclamation that Joe Biden will be the country’s 46th president. Despite businesses boarding up their windows in preparation for mass chaos, there were no signs of violence or looting by the more than 70 million people who submitted their ballots in favor of the current president. Instead, it was Democrats who engaged in large street celebrations that would be labeled as dangerous superspreader events if swapped out for Trump rallies.

President-elect Biden preached unity in his acceptance speech just two weeks after calling Trump supporters “chumps” and one day after an Obama administration official promoted an accountability project to document and punish Trump staffers for serving the country under his leadership. Progressive pundits forcefully disregarded investigations into potentially fraudulent actions by the U.S. Postal Service and election officials after four years of relentless focus on election interference by Russia.

In the same way that the pollsters can rest easy knowing their inaccurate predictions will be quickly forgotten by a biased media, liberals will continue to throw stones from glass houses and burn a few in the name of social justice while an enabling public looks the other way.

Ryan Navarro

Shadyside

Not all disabilities are visible

I have nothing but respect for veterans. I have several in my own family, and applaud stores that have designated parking spots for those who have served our country.

But the letter “Veterans deserve ‘primo’ parking spots” (Nov. 9, TribLIVE) stating that handicapped spots should be given to those who deserve them misses a key point in the handicapped world — not every handicap can be “seen.”

I have had both hips replaced, a plate and screws in one arm, and arthritis that wears me down every day. I have a handicapped parking sticker in my car. Unless they have X-ray vision, no one can “see” my handicap.

Using a handicapped restroom stall is definitely easier for those with hip replacement — the commode is higher and it’s easier to maneuver. Because I don’t look like I went through months of physical therapy to enable me to walk doesn’t mean I don’t deserve to use a designated parking place or facilities.

I remember clearly being just off my cane, in a restaurant, and had to use the bathroom. Of course, I used the handicapped stall. Coming out, I was faced with a woman on a walker and her husband, glaring at me. If looks could kill, I would have died on the spot.

This letter is a reminder that not every handicap is visible — and please, keep the dirty looks to yourself.

Sonia Porco

New Kensington

Why won’t Democrats take action?

I’m baffled by what I see and hear from the Democrats about this shameful, immoral Republican effort to steal the election from Joe Biden — nothing!

Where are the protests? Where are the voices? I see and hear virtually nothing.

Are we going to be mute for the next two months until they eventually steal it? I guess so.

Too many Democrats strike me as being timid and spineless. They seem to be intimidated by conservatives. At least the right-wingers fight hard for what they believe in and what they want. Sometimes I get the feeling that Democrats think that “making nice” to the ranting right-wing bullieswill somehow “work.” It won’t.

We need to speak up and fight harder for the humane values we believe in and stand for. It’s about time that we faced down our political adversaries.

Stewart B. Epstein

Rochester, N.Y.