Dear Editor:

“I think you are starting to see a lot of what has preserved U.S. democracy is decorum, not necessarily strong institutions, just good behavior.”  This was said by Ory Okolloh-Mwangi,  a Kenyan political commentator and investment professional who is one of several international election observers to express concern about the volatile political environment leading up to the U.S. presidential election. This is the way the world looks at America now.

As you can guess, this letter is in response to the letter recently printed supporting republican candidates. Given the desperation that republicans are feeling as November approaches, I can understand how panic and duress can make them do things out of the ordinary. But public officials should never tell you who to vote for.

I am not going to waste anyone’s time reiterating all the issues. We all know them and as educated voters, if you don’t you should be researching them. Know your candidate and what they stand for.  Do not listen to what other people tell you about voting records and especially do not let someone else tell YOU who to vote for.  That is not what the democratic process of this country is about. Government “Of the people, by the people, and for the people” means just that. YOU are the people.

You do not have to be a political scholar to know who to vote for. Simply look at where they come from. The democratic candidate, Mikie Sherrill, has earned her seat in Congress through hard work and dedication. She is a Naval Academy graduate, served in our armed forces, worked on Russian policy, has a law degree, holds a master’s degree in Global History, serves on the house Armed Services Committee and the Congressional Science, Space and Technology Committee where she also chairs the Environmental Sub-committee.  She currently sits in Congress representing the 11th District, which includes Parsippany, and has a reputation of listening to and supporting not only her constituents but also all of America as issues of great importance come before her.

Her Republican opponent, Rosemary Becchi, is a tax attorney and a lobbyist. With issues such as the mishandled pandemic, woman’s rights, the affordable care act, environmental rights, and the second amendment on the line, education, and experience, like Mikie Sherrill has, is our best choice to represent the true needs of the American people.

Let’s look at our presidential candidates and their background and education, shall we? Joe Biden graduated from the University of Delaware and Syracuse University with a B.A. from one school and a Law degree the other. He worked as an attorney and decided he wanted to devote his life to politics early in his career.  He was the 6th youngest Senator in American history. He has great compassion for people because of his own hardship of losing his wife and daughter.  He was sworn in at the hospital his son was being treated at. He was re-elected 6 times to the U.S. Senate and worked as an adjunct law professor from 1991-2007 at Widener University in Delaware while he served in congress. Side note, he taught “Constitutional Law”. He then went on the serve as Vice President for the United States of America for eight years. During Congress and VP time he served on dozens of committees dedicated to health care, foreign affairs, and budget concerns. He has stood up for equal rights for everyone, and that includes everyone. No need to list them all here. He chooses a running mate who attended the historical Howard University, obtained a law degree, and served as District Attorney General of San Francisco from 2004 – 2011 and went on to ALSO become a respected United States Senator.

Now let’s look at Donald Trump. His educational record is sketchy because he had his records sealed and threatened to sue anyone who wanted to see them. He says he attended the New York Military Academy, but he was 13 and sent there as a problem child. It was just a New York boarding school. He started college at Fordham University and then for some strange reason, he finished the 2nd half of college at The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He was accused of cheating on his SAT’s. He has no education beyond a bachelor’s degree but somehow ran his own University. We know how that turned out. He has no known previous political experience. He built hotels with his father’s money; he started Trump Entertainment and was a reality TV star. How does it sound so far?  He mishandled a global pandemic, bullies and calls people names, uses racist language, and verbally and possibly physically abuses women. His greatest hits include tweets, the inauguration crowd, Russia, Putin, North Korea, environmental attacks, disrespecting veterans, the Saudis’, nepotism, mocking the disabled, throwing paper towels, porn stars, tax returns, kids in cages, lying profusely, and Covfefe. Every one of these is the truth. It’s a blatant lie his economy was stronger than any other president as he boasts and he favors the rich when it comes to taxes. I prefer Presidents that don’t get Corona Virus.

Now with this more accurate information, make your own choice. I would never tell anyone who to vote for, but I would like to repeat the opening quote:  “I think you are starting to see a lot of what has preserved U.S. democracy is decorum, not necessarily strong institutions, just good behavior.”  The choice is very clear and the voting process is fair, safe, and simple. Good luck, America. We got this.

Laura McCluskey
Lake Hiawatha

Dear Editor:

I read with interest Michael dePierro’s Letter to the Editor in which he called upon the silent majority to vote for President Trump and the Republican candidates up and down the ballot. No surprise there although I do believe that three weeks before the election there are very few undecided voters as evidenced by the nine million Americans who have already cast their ballot indicating that the “majority” won’t be “silent” November 3. I trust that Mr. dePierro believes that voting by mail, whether by Republicans, Democrats and Independents, is an efficient and safe way vote to vote in the midst of a pandemic.

With that said, I hope and expect that Mr. dePierro will join me in expressing his support for the peaceful transfer of power once the votes across America have been counted and certified. With a record number of Americans expected to vote that tally may not be completed on election night or in the immediate days that follow but once completed the American people’s will must be respected and work by leaders on both sides of the aisle must begin immediately to bring all Americans together.

Bob Crawford
Denville

Dear Editor:

As a past School Board member and as a Township Councilman for the past 43 years, I come in contact with many qualified and committed residents in Parsippany who are committed to giving back to our community. They have been involved and have proven their value to our community. That is why I am recommending that Matt DeVitto, Debbie Orme, and Tim Berrios be reelected to the Parsippany Board of Education.

Matt DeVitto has served as a committed member of the Parsippany School Board for 3 years. He has served our community in Intramural Sports by coaching with the Parsippany Soccer Club and the Par-Troy West Little League Baseball for years. He sees the value of extracurricular activities as a supplement to our children’s academic education. Matt feels that today’s children need a good grasp of today’s modern technology to further many of today’s academic goals.

Debbie Orme is and has always been a dedicated and vested volunteer in our community. She served previously on the Parsippany Board of Education from 2006 – 2012. She has volunteered over the years in several communities and the regional non-profit board of directors has served as PTA President, Project Graduation, as Scout Leader, sports coach, and many others. Debbie is grateful to have been appointed back onto the School Board last fall and looks forward to continuing to serve our community on the School Board.

Tim Berrios has been a dedicated and contributing member of the Parsippany Board of Education since 2014. His priorities have been to support student educational programs and extracurricular activities, support teachers, and yet remain aware of the cost to taxpayers. Some of his fondest memories include volunteering with other parents as part of the PHS Marching Band Field Crew. He takes pride in celebrating the achievements of the Parsippany students through all of their activities. He has attended numerous football games, concerts, musicals, and various other school events.

Michael dePierro
Parsippany