Donald Trump motivates his cult by fear - echo from Illinois

To the Editor of the Northwest Herald, an Illinois newspaper:

Donald Trump ran for president to bolster his business interests.

He never intended to win and actually be president. Once elected, Trump never intended to help people or promote democracy, as all of our previous presidents did. His only intention is to flatter his base into reelecting him. Tactically, that requires him to suck up headlines so that his base is not exposed to contradictory ideas or approaches.

He is so lacking in original ideas that his most recent tactic is to announce outlandish, fear-based actions, then back down before returning to the outlandish position. That way, he can consume an exponentially higher amount of air time over a longer period with only one issue.

Most importantly, he knows his supporters are motivated by fear. All of his propositions are based on fear, which necessitates misinformation and lies. His supporters do not know or seem unconcerned that their options for health care are disappearing (both in facilities and affordability); that consumer and employee rights are evaporating; that he is destroying the viability of family farms; that government benefits are decreasing; or that regulations concerning safe food, air, water and drugs are disappearing.

Unfortunately, the main job of the media has changed. It no longer can rely on reporting the daily happenings.

The electorate desperately needs the media to report what is not announced – the changes being made to the social safety net; environmental safety; workplace and worker safety; drug and food safety; and the fact that his new United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement forever bans consumer or government interference with drug prices, to name a few.

Cece Drazek in Marengo, IL