Letters to the Editor: Of course disqualifying Trump would restrict voters’ choice. That’s the point

To the editor: I listened to the Supreme Court argument and read numerous articles in The Times on whether former President Trump should be disqualified from the 2024 election. Most raise the issue that the application of Section 3 of the 14th Amendment would have the anti-democratic effect of preventing citizens from voting for their preferred candidate.

Of course it would! The main purpose of that clause was to do exactly that — to preclude voters, Southern voters at the time, from electing Confederate heroes.

The idea of allowing back into power those who had so violently and brutally violated their oath to the Constitution was abhorrent, of course. The framers of the 14th Amendment had the foresight to make it apply to any future insurrection as well.

And, of course, it applies to the president. The linguistic pretzels the Supreme Court ties itself into attempting to make this an issue is almost humorous.

Even if Trump won 51% of the vote, his devotees should not be able to subject American democracy to a president whose oath of office means nothing to him and is willing to attack constitutional government to stay in office.

Paul Stull, Carpinteria