Letters: Trump’s actions should scare all Americans; Chaos, not efficiency
Trump’s actions should scare all Americans
I would like to comment on some of President Trump’s actions:
His dismantling of the merit-based Civil Service System to fill jobs with loyalists, that may even be incompetent, is a return to the corruption and inefficiency of patronage. It may be part of a slow-rolling coup to keep Mr. Trump in power extra legally.
Mr. Trump’s abuse of his official position to punish law firms that represent dissenters is a heavy blow to freedom and equal protection.
His promise was to work “day one” to bring prices down. Once elected, he did the opposite. Keep that in mind when evaluating future promises. Fool me once ...
If a person can be deported by an “administrative error” anyone can be deported.
A good faith broker of Ukraine peace would be willing to exert the same hardball pressure on Mr. Putin, as he did on Mr. Zelensky. Sanctions have little effect. An effective threat to Mr. Putin would be to increase military aid to Ukraine and lower restrictions on its use.
An objective survey of Mr. Trump’s anti-democratic and authoritarian actions should frighten all Americans. The political tools he is forging now can be used to bring our country down by an even greater future authoritarian.
Congress has failed us by not checking or questioning Trumpian excesses that would have been unimaginable even a decade ago.
Every citizen should feel duty bound to demand action by our congressional representatives. If they can’t or won’t stand up, we need to vote them out.
Chaos, not efficiency
Who doesn’t support increasing government efficiency? Efficiency makes sense, but wholesale dismantling of government won’t make it more efficient, and it certainly won’t make it more effective.
When it comes to managing our home budget, we don’t haphazardly slash expenses (we can’t eliminate rent or mortgage, or stiff the babysitter), we collect what’s owed us, and don’t spend frivolously.
Trump’s war on government is anything but efficient.
The chainsaw approach to cutting the federal workforce is already impacting the economy with private sector layoffs, price hikes and supply issues — and all with no discernible taxpayer savings. Consider, for example, that the federal health workforce makes up less than 1% of HHS’s budget. Add lawsuits to defend unlawful actions, unemployment compensation, and cost increases that will result when those services are sold off to private, for-profit contractors, and Trump’s “savings” are an illusion!
Massive cuts to the understaffed IRS mean that half a trillion dollars that’s owed to the federal government — primarily by ultra-rich tax cheats — go uncollected!
In the first two months of Trump’s second term, he’s spent 25% of his days playing golf (at his own clubs) at a cost of $26 million! His multimillion-dollar trips to the Super Bowl, the Daytona 500, and the NCAA Wrestling Championship are the definition of frivolous.
As Thomas Jefferson wrote, “[t]he care of human life and happiness and not their destruction is the first and only legitimate object of good government.” Trump’s cost-cutting is the antithesis of good government.
School board candidate would put students first
I am writing to express my wholehearted support for Jennifer Black in the upcoming SCASD school board election. As a parent and community member, our students, teachers, and staff deserve thoughtful, empathetic, committed leadership. Which is what Jennifer Black will bring to the board if elected.
She understands the challenges our schools face and has the vision to work through them with her background in education and community involvement. She is a strong advocate for mental health and has shown a deep commitment to our community through her history of teaching and volunteering.
What sets Jennifer apart is her ability to listen to parents, teachers, students and community members. She will work to encourage open communication throughout the district and find ways to bridge the gap between our community, teachers, administration and board members. She is also focused on making sure every child in our district has the opportunity to succeed.
Our school board needs voices that are informed, compassionate, and willing to do the challenging work. I urge my neighbors to join me in voting for Jennifer Black for SCASD school board. Let us support a candidate who truly puts students first.