Letters: Americans deserve better; Misuse of executive orders
Americans deserve better
Americans reasonably assume that the President of the United States will put our nation’s financial well-being ahead of his own self-interest.
So, Trump’s fixation on tariffs and trade wars just doesn’t make sense when virtually all economists, and even the conservative Wall Street Journal, say that tariffs increase inflation, lead to layoffs, and force hardworking Americans to watch their retirement savings evaporate.
The radical imposition of tariffs was one of the major causes of the Great Depression.
Financial deregulation, another one of Trump’s priorities, led to the mortgage crisis and recession of 2009.
The whole world relies on a strong U.S. dollar and Treasury Bills as a safe haven for investments in uncertain times. Trump’s trash talk and threats of firing the Federal Reserve’s Chairman, whom he himself appointed, spooked the stock and bond markets as investors lost confidence in the U.S. economy because of the uncertainty created by this recklessness.
Since Trump’s hurtful tariffs have done nothing to bring down inflation or strengthen our economy, he clearly must have another more self-serving motive.
Tariffs are being used as a mafia-like strategy to amass power by extorting obedience from impacted nations and businesses. Sadly, this cowardly Republican-led Congress has done nothing to protect us from Trump’s unconstitutional power grab.
Americans deserve better! Call your Representative and Senators to demand they do their job and defend our Constitution and nation from this dictator-wannabe who’s completely willing to incinerate our economy so long as he gets to rule over the ashes.
Misuse of executive orders
Executive orders can be legal, constitutional and smart. Unfortunately, Donald Trump has signed a blizzard of “executive orders” that are illegal, unconstitutional and stupid. Courts are rightfully striking them down one after another.
A president cannot use executive orders to bypass laws made by Congress.
A president cannot use executive orders to shutter or gut federal agencies created by Congress.
A president cannot use executive orders to defy the Constitution, as Trump’s “Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections” tries to do. Trump issued that order on March 25. On April 23, U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly soundly rejected it. Why? Because the Constitution grants states and Congress the power to regulate voting and elections. Not presidents.
Trump supporters complain that no other president’s orders have been met with so many rejections in courts nationwide. There’s a simple reason why: Before Donald Trump, no other president has insisted on trying to rule by just firing off orders. (That’s what a king does.)
Congress, do your job. Use your constitutional power now, before you lose it. Impeach this loser. Get him out of office. It’s what most Americans want.
Keep public broadcasting vibrant and viable
As a listener, viewer and sustaining member of WPSU FM/TV for more than 30 years, I am writing to urge our community to take action against the proposed federal cuts to public broadcasting. Having recently joined the WPSU Board of Representatives, I have had the opportunity to hear first-hand about the current administration’s threats to eliminate federal funding for public media. These attempts are far-reaching and extremely dangerous to our free press. Without federal funding, stations like ours could be forced to cut essential services. Some could even be forced off the air.
Public media stations like WPSU FM/TV reach almost 97% of Americans, including rural and underserved areas. Public media is a trusted institution. Cutting federal funding would leave many Americans, especially those in rural communities, without the critical services local public media stations provide, from robust education resources to important public safety communications to essential local, state, and national news and information.
Federal funding amounts to about $1.60 per person per year. Less than .01% of the federal budget. Yet it makes public media possible. Eliminating federal funding for public broadcasting would mean the end of our universal delivery of these essential services to the American people.
I urge everyone to visit and let our members of Congress know that we want to keep public broadcasting vibrant and viable. Your voice matters! Together, let’s ensure that communities across our region and our country continue to benefit from the invaluable services provided by public media.
Have empathy for those battling depression
Because May is Mental Health Month, I feel inspired to write the following in hopes that others might try to understand and have empathy for someone battling clinical depression:
As usual, a high-profile individual is unmercifully chastised and ridiculed for their battle with clinical depression. Although I don’t agree with all of the issues for which U.S. Senator John Fetterman stands for, his ongoing battle with clinical depression stands out.
I write this because I have battled many episodes of clinical depression for over 40 years. It is so debilitating and markedly shamed by others, leading many people to suicide. For me, I become a different person as I am fighting this dreadful illness, and many people shy away from me. The looks of disdain are almost impossible to fight.
The blank expression that normally emanates from a depression victim is misinterpreted negatively most of the time: “What’s wrong with you?” in a very negative manner is asked repeatedly of the depressed. This is the worst thing one can do to a depressed person and can cause the depression to worsen.
I have been following Senator John Fetterman’s clinical depression fight ever since he was elected, because I relate to his deplorable treatment by others. I admire his willingness to share about it.