Letter: Donald Trump — The man is a menace

Posted 5/21/20

To the editor:

The man is a menace.  There have been 13 Presidents in my lifetime. Each deserved some respect. Through the years I’ve believed in the two-party system, for we need in a …

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Letter: Donald Trump — The man is a menace

Posted

To the editor:

The man is a menace.  There have been 13 Presidents in my lifetime. Each deserved some respect. Through the years I’ve believed in the two-party system, for we need in a reasonable world the creative tension between the two parties and the policy compromises that result.  Political opponents in America have, by and large, accepted the principle of the loyal opposition.  

Now everything has changed.  President Donald Trump calls political opponents enemies and traitors.  He calls public officials scum if they fail to be loyal to his views.  He operates as if the laws do not apply to him.  He calls white nationalists good people.  He calls the mainline press enemies of the people.  He claims to have the best people when dozens of senior officials have left in disgrace or have been fired or sidelined for expressing facts and opinions that run counter to his personal views.  He has ignored briefings and warnings of great importance from intelligence agencies.  He has caged foreign youngsters whose families tried lawfully to apply for asylum.  He has lied demonstrably thousands of times by Twitter, in rallies, in news conferences, and even in addresses to Congress.  One could go on and on.  The question is why. 

We may never know.  What is clear, what we do know, is that his actions have divided our country to an astounding degree.  Trump has made no effort to broaden his base of supporters, instead using extreme language aimed at denigrating everyone who is not in the MAGA camp 100%.  

The predictable outcome of his dark efforts is easy to see: a large percentage of Americans operate with opinions over facts, deny science, and show contempt for major institution, including public education, universities, the Congress, corporations, and many religious sects.  It seems little wonder that Trump’s focus on perceived enemies has given rise to increased virulence against African-Americans, Jews, Muslims, the LBGQ community, and “foreigners.”

There can be no doubt that, liberal or conservative policies aside, Donald Trump is a menace.  One might ignore his lies or even overlook his misogyny.  The fact remains that this President, using the Justice Department as a cudgel and siding with Putin over our intelligence agencies, for example, is a threat to our democracy, a wedge between our diverse communities, a monkey wrench to our Constitution, and a cloud over our better angels.  He has no shame.  He will not change.  

We have a choice in November to counter all this damage and division.  For the sake of us all, I hope Donald Trump is a one-term President and that between now and November his wrecking ball does not damage America irreparably.  

Will Newman

Tiverton

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A lifelong Portsmouth resident, Jim graduated from Portsmouth High School in 1982 and earned a journalism degree from the University of Rhode Island in 1986. He's worked two different stints at East Bay Newspapers, for a total of 18 years with the company so far. When not running all over town bringing you the news from Portsmouth, Jim listens to lots and lots and lots of music, watches obscure silent films from the '20s and usually has three books going at once. He also loves to cook crazy New Orleans dishes for his wife of 25 years, Michelle, and their two sons, Jake and Max.