‘No, Biden didn’t do that’

Re “Inflation hurting Biden’s gains on economy,” April 14

Your article on why citizens do not credit President Biden for improving the U.S. economy missed the most obvious explanation.

More than half of us make less than the average U.S. income, but all of us pay almost 20% more in prices and sales taxes than we did before Biden’s presidency. And those wage gains the article mentioned come with higher income tax rates that take away part of the gain.

As for post-COVID-19 pandemic job creation, no, Biden didn’t do that. We got our jobs back because the pandemic ended and life got back to normal, albeit with the highest inflation in 40 years.

Rex Malott Woodland Hills

Re “Biden, Trump brought the pain, poll says,” April 15

The new poll from the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research showing how voters think each of the presidential candidates has harmed the country paints a superficial picture. Not one mention is made of the overriding effect of Biden and former President Trump on democratic principles.

Of course, the issues raised in the poll are significant. But the only references made to how Trump is hurting our democracy are a brief sentence mentioning voting rights and election security and a photo caption saying, “Former President Trump has harmed the country on a considerable range of issues, the poll indicated.”

So, in an obvious attempt to seem impartial, the poll raises issues that put Biden in a bad light but downplays the terrible effect that Trump’s had on the democratic fabric of our country.

One appropriate, if not complete, question would have been this:

“Which candidate has caused more pain and division in the United States among families, friends, co-workers and democratic institutions than any other president in the last 100 years?”

Lynn Lorenz Newport Beach