Devious political enviornment as national debt balloons over 3 trillion

Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette two echo opinion letters to the editor:  "Vladimir Putin laughs...." (Maine Writer agrees. I suspect there are vodka fountains inside the Kremlin!)

1.  Ethics in government

Our country was founded to represent a strong moral code. It was intended that our government would represent a wide range of occupations and interests: farmers, doctors, landowners, lawyers and businessmen of all types. As a group, they would share a mutual respect for truth, honor, and our American code of conduct.

Today I note that a majority of our politicians are attorneys by trade and background. We have entered into a devious environment where moral ethics hold little or no weight. The question has shifted away from, "Is it right or wrong? to "Is it legal?"

We are a nation of law, to be sure, and that is a good thing. But I would suggest that Lady Liberty holds scales which are meant to maintain the balance between law and justice.

So is there a solution? I believe there is. The era of the professional politician must come to an end. We need to re-establish the diversity of our representation. We must establish term limits.

So is there a solution? I believe there is. The era of the professional politician must come to an end. We need to re-establish the diversity of our representation. We must establish term limits.

Wayne Gisler, Springdale

2.  National debt grows

How many people have noticed that our huge national debt has increased by over $3 trillion since Donald Trump took office? 

I personally heard Trump say that if elected he would reduce the debt, which then was $20 trillion. It's now over $23 trillion. The United States nation has to borrow from China to make payments on the debt. If the largest country in the world ever cut off loaning us money, our nation could go bankrupt.

It seems terrible that we must depend on a communist nation for loans when we reportedly spend more on defense than China, Russia and eight other top industrial nations combined. Our military-industrial complex, in my opinion, calls the shots on military expenditures and Congress, with the exception of GOP Sen. Rand Paul and a few others, does nothing to stop it.

Russia's Vladimir Putin sits back and laughs while we go broke trying to fund 905 military bases around the world. Presidents Trump, Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton all made feeble attempts to rein in our military spending, but none was successful because of the industry's power through lobbyists and the pocketbook.

I'm sure all of us want an adequate defense, but money alone won't make it happen.

At least Trump appears to be making an effort to get other nations that we allegedly defend to pay their fair share. I doubt, however, that those who don't pay will be punished.

Vernon McDaniel, Ozark