LETTER TO THE EDITOR: No qualified Republicans running for president

I would like to reply to a letter from Mr. Reid K. Beveridge printed on Aug. 9. Mr. Beveridge and I have been disagreeing with each other for several years, and I have to say his opinion letter has mistakes. At least, he does admit that some people (especially me) feel that the Republican candidates for president next year are “unusual,” to say the least. I would call them a menagerie. Not one single one of them comes even close to being a good candidate for the presidency of the U.S. Where Mr. Beveridge is wrong is on his commentary of the Democrat possibilities. Hilary Clinton is far and away more qualified than any other candidate, unless Joe Biden decides to run. She has lived in the White House for eight years, been a senator from New York state, and served as Secretary of State for about four years. There is no Republican running who might come close to matching her experience. Mr. Beveridge makes his most grievous mistake when he equates Bernie Sanders’ socialist beliefs to communism. I have clearly explained to Mr. Beveridge before that the two beliefs are not synonymous; perhaps he said that to irritate me. I do not think socialism is a good economic system for the U.S. I have seen some of the excesses in France. But I do think we need more regulation of business in the U. S. Pure capitalism will not work, either. Just look at the times when what regulation there was has not been used: the stock market crash in 1929, the big recession in 2007. So, my opinion is pretty obvious. There is no Republican candidate for president that is anywhere near qualified. There are two, maybe later, three, Democrat candidates quite qualified, based on experience and beliefs, for the good of ALL of the U.S.

Grover W. Johnson Viola