This opinion echo is like hearing from the ghost of the Civil War Past
A warning, to change our current political path or face the dire consequences - a voice from the Land of Lincoln.
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| "If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves"~ attributed to an Abraham Lincoln prophesy. |
Some letters say that respect is deserved by anyone holding the office of president. But, I believe respect is earned, not handed out gratuitously to one who oozes contempt for his official role.
One commenter concludes that while my facts are correct, my positions are wrong. Another, with a fondness for endlessly echoing unfounded right wing talking points, employs classic projection, accusing me of that practice. The challenge I issue: actually listen to what Donald Trump says and observe what he does.
What is fact? There is no economic miracle is taking place in America. The economy was already in its eighth year of expansion when Trump came in (without majority vote!).
One commenter concludes that while my facts are correct, my positions are wrong. Another, with a fondness for endlessly echoing unfounded right wing talking points, employs classic projection, accusing me of that practice. The challenge I issue: actually listen to what Donald Trump says and observe what he does.
What is fact? There is no economic miracle is taking place in America. The economy was already in its eighth year of expansion when Trump came in (without majority vote!).
Moreover, the national debt just hit a record high of $22 trillion. The annual deficit is fast approaching $1 trillion, accelerated by the “middle class” (aka "tax cuts for the rich!) selective tax cut. Corporate debt is at $9 trillion. America is the 13th-most indebted country globally. Seems the self-proclaimed “King of Debt” (tRump) made good on that promise.
40 percent of Americans couldn’t come up with $400 to cover an emergency. Economic inequality is extreme. Small business confidence is back down to the level it was when Trump assumed office. Retail sales had the biggest drop in December since 2009.
Five months ago, Wall Street’s consensus for Q4 GDP growth was 5 percent. The new forecast has lowered it to almost 0. Given the tax cuts, businesses were supposed to expand production, reinvest, hire millions of people. What they did instead was set new records for buying their own stock, pushing prices to record highs, while laying off employees. Over the past two years, the bot-driven market has seen a net selling of stocks, in aggregate. The exception: self-serving corporate self-buying — over $1 trillion last year, on a faster pace this year to date.
Where is the infrastructure bill, the comprehensive immigration bill (“so easy”), the health care plan that would cover everyone, do it better and cost less? The “horribly unfair” trade deficit with China hit a new record high in January. To be clear, Trump totally misrepresents trade deficits; still, his promise was to end it.
Yet where’s the focus? The fictitious national emergency of abhorrent Latin American migrants, that can ONLY be stopped by a wall “from sea to shining sea.” It’s almost finished, did you hear? The wall is “very, very on its way.” If so, why is more money needed? Why does the CBP say no new walls have been built or financed by Congress based on the prototypes unveiled in 2017? Where’s that elusive check from Mexico (“100 percent”)?
Do you honestly believe Trump’s disproportionate “executive time” is actually spent on the necessary tasks of governing? “No president ever worked harder than me.” Seriously?
In the past we held a general set of common values: national security, rule of law, ethics, freedom, constitutional norms, separation of powers. Now one side justifies Trump’s outrageous behavior as an acceptable trade-off for activist ”conservative” judicial appointments. How many pro-corporate, Citizens United-loving, anti-woman, anti-worker, anti-civil rights judges are required? What will be enough?
All of this distracts from the real, credible threat of a Russian asset in the White House. He submissively parrots Putin’s rhetoric, supports his agenda, discredits our country, even eliminating our cybersecurity coordinator and gutting the task forces protecting elections from foreign meddling. Is this putting America first?
40 percent of Americans couldn’t come up with $400 to cover an emergency. Economic inequality is extreme. Small business confidence is back down to the level it was when Trump assumed office. Retail sales had the biggest drop in December since 2009.
Five months ago, Wall Street’s consensus for Q4 GDP growth was 5 percent. The new forecast has lowered it to almost 0. Given the tax cuts, businesses were supposed to expand production, reinvest, hire millions of people. What they did instead was set new records for buying their own stock, pushing prices to record highs, while laying off employees. Over the past two years, the bot-driven market has seen a net selling of stocks, in aggregate. The exception: self-serving corporate self-buying — over $1 trillion last year, on a faster pace this year to date.
Where is the infrastructure bill, the comprehensive immigration bill (“so easy”), the health care plan that would cover everyone, do it better and cost less? The “horribly unfair” trade deficit with China hit a new record high in January. To be clear, Trump totally misrepresents trade deficits; still, his promise was to end it.
Yet where’s the focus? The fictitious national emergency of abhorrent Latin American migrants, that can ONLY be stopped by a wall “from sea to shining sea.” It’s almost finished, did you hear? The wall is “very, very on its way.” If so, why is more money needed? Why does the CBP say no new walls have been built or financed by Congress based on the prototypes unveiled in 2017? Where’s that elusive check from Mexico (“100 percent”)?
Do you honestly believe Trump’s disproportionate “executive time” is actually spent on the necessary tasks of governing? “No president ever worked harder than me.” Seriously?
In the past we held a general set of common values: national security, rule of law, ethics, freedom, constitutional norms, separation of powers. Now one side justifies Trump’s outrageous behavior as an acceptable trade-off for activist ”conservative” judicial appointments. How many pro-corporate, Citizens United-loving, anti-woman, anti-worker, anti-civil rights judges are required? What will be enough?
All of this distracts from the real, credible threat of a Russian asset in the White House. He submissively parrots Putin’s rhetoric, supports his agenda, discredits our country, even eliminating our cybersecurity coordinator and gutting the task forces protecting elections from foreign meddling. Is this putting America first?
(Attributed to... Lincoln.) He predicted, but probably not in these actual words, in 1828: “America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.” In my opinion, tRumpziism is a threat to American democracy.
From, Nancee Magilson, Alton Illinois
From, Nancee Magilson, Alton Illinois
Labels: Alton Illinois, King of Debt, Nancee Magilson, The Telegraph
posted by Juliana L'Heureux | 5:37 AM
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