Echo opinions in stereo - Donald Trump does not provide ethical, moral or truthful leadership!

These two echo opinion letters were published in The Lewiston Tribune, an Idaho-Washington State newspaper.

Maine Writer's aside information note: I happen to read news from Idaho, so the newspapers also send bullets to me about the state's coronavirus data. So, my sympathy to the citizens who are living in Idaho and who are challenged by the high numbers of people who are sick and dying with the coronavirus. Sadly, the Idaho coronavirus morbidity and mortality data, when adjusted for population density, seems to be high. This should be a cause to enforce a "wear a mask" mandate. But, I digress. Two opinion letters are echoed here:

VoteBlue!

Donald Trump lies because he can get away with it and Republicans are cowards when they do not call him out about his dangerous behaviors.

Civic institutions help to preserve decency and democracy. We must act to see they work on our behalf. The Supreme Court’s purpose is to ensure that each branch of government recognizes the limits of its own power.

We see the Republican-led Senate has absolutely no power as it has ceded itself to President Donald Trump.

Trump has complete power over the presidency, with few, if any, restraints. With no checks by the kowtowing Republicans in the Senate or House willing to stop him, he is now attempting to bring the third body of government, the Supreme Court, under his control.

We have witnessed other authoritarian dictatorships rise, and fall. We will see this attempt at dictatorship fall as well. We citizens will also have the opportunity to ensure the fall of Trump enablers such as Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Mike Crapo, Jim Risch, Mike Simpson and Russ Fulcher.

Through their actions, and non-actions, Republicans we thought would represent us in Congress have given their power to an authoritarian leader. 

Sadly, Republicans have shown us they no longer believe we should have political freedom and equality. They have shown us they do not represent the people; they will not fight for us.

On Nov. 3, citizens will show the supreme power of democracy is still vested in the people. 

Democracy is not for sale, nor is it obsolete.

We will vote to show Americans still maintain the rights of decency and democracy for all Americans. 

From Pat Bates, in Clarkston, Washington State, the Lewiston-Clarkston community. 

And this encore....

Grow up! #WearAMask

Donald Trump was forced to wear a PPE mask when he was critically sick with the coronavirus.

When I saw the anti-mask protesters recently active in Moscow, I was reminded of the years I had three teenagers. And at times, it seemed as if I told them to do something, they would do the opposite.

These protesters should use mask wearing not to proclaim their individual rights and religious freedom but realize how foolish it is not to wear a mask.

Why do we, the richest and in many ways the best nation in the world with sophisticated medical experts and medical care, have by far the most COVID-19 cases and deaths in the world? 

We are No. 1 with more than 210,000 deaths.

Part of the answer is terrible leadership from Donald Trump with lies, such as the virus will be over by summer, it’s a mild illness and kids are immune; his terrible recommendations, such as bleach and hydroxychloroquine, which don’t work and are possibly dangerous; and his false advice that masks are not helpful.

Unfortunately, another part of why we are No. 1 in the world in virus cases and deaths is people behaving like teenagers. In spite of every expert in the world proclaiming how helpful mask-wearing is to prevent spread of the virus, they choose to protest.

Come on people, be smart, stop acting like teenagers and protest about something else! (For example, why not protest the lack of personal protective equipment for our public safety, hospital, and long term care employees, physicians and nurses.)

David Spencer in Pullman, Washington State