Donald Trump is a selfish grifter

Echo opinion letter published in the Holland Sentinel newspaper, in Michigan:

Donald Trump will never change.(Ya' think❓)

Approximately four years ago, I saw Donald Trump in the Oval Office, at the Resolute Desk, with a smarmy grin on his face. He was hawking a donor's products. Since then, I have refused to purchase anything Goya®. Donald Trump always has been and always will be a transactional grifter.

"Do something for me (give me money), and I will do something for you (use the Oval Office to sell for you)."

Do you have a "that's enough" moment? No matter what he tells you, Donald Trump cares about only one person: himself. Nothing has changed. Think carefully on November 5th. (IOW Vote Blue❗)

From Barbara Webbe in West Olive, Michigan

Donald Trump default on his bail is the result of a litany of criminal behaviors

Trump fails to obtain bail for the $464 million for fraud conviction

Reasons Trump is the political “boogeyman” is because Trump has no moral character.  Echo opinion letter published in the Holland Sentinel a Minnesota newspaper:

The facts are these:

• Found guilty to have sexually assaulted a woman
• Twice impeached by our Congress
• Tax dodger for HIS benefit
• Draft Dodger for HIS benefit.
• Gave tax breaks to billionaires for HIS own benefit.
• Created a fraudulent charity for HIS own benefit.
• Received millions from foreign enemies in office for HIS benefit (as did HIS own family).
• Stole classified documents AND showed them to our enemy.
• Loves Putin, Chairman Xi and Kim Jong-Un — admires them greatly.
• Lied about the value of his properties for HIS benefit.
• Committed treason trying to usurp our election for HIS benefit.
• Currently has 91 criminal indictments in 4 criminal cases.

This list goes on and on and on ...

He lies, lies, lies, and lies again. All while he claims in every trial that “he is a victim.” He’s “doing this for you.” Give me a break!

Trump is morally bankrupt and it astounds me that anyone with a moral conscience would even consider him for office again. Yes, I do see this man as the “boogeyman” because I respect moral character. I know you do as well. Think about the moral choice between these men.

From Michael Mooney in Park Township, in Ottowa County, Minnesota

Trumpism is a dangerous alternate reality!

Trumpism is an American tragedy!

Echo opinion letter published in Michigan's the Holland Sentinel

As commentators and wise men have been saying over the past 20 hours, this is not an occasion for celebration or joy, rather Mr. Trump’s indictment is a sad and solemn moment, an “American tragedy” as the New Yorker put it, a time to mourn an American president’s fall and … oh, heck. An American tragedy?

The American tragedy isn’t Trump’s indictment, it’s his existence. His indictment is the first glimmer of American redemption since his defeat in 2020. Not in our lifetime has a single American so heedlessly made so many tens of millions of people so miserable for the sake of his own pathetic self-enhancement — so the hell this isn’t an occasion for celebration.

As for those complaining about a witch hunt (notice no one actually claims Trump is innocent), they might want to brace themselves, because this isn’t the end, this is only the beginning of the end. 

At least two other indictments are coming, for his attempt to commit election fraud in Georgia (which could happen soon) and obstruction of justice on the federal level (by summer). Will “Teflon Don” go to jail? Not if he dies or flees the country first, which I’ve been predicting for four years, especially should he get so much as a whiff of an indictment for, say, incitement, for which he might well not be released on his own recognizance.

However slow and deliberate in the coming years, life for Trump and his family holds for them nothing but decline and ruin. 

Americans will witness his fortune dwindling. His freedom will grow more precarious. His political base will become incrementally smaller and manifestly crazier. As the mists clear, his reputation as the presidency’s greatest loser will appear. Eighteen months from now he won’t even own Mar-a-Lago, let alone his fate.

Steve Erikson in Pullman, Michigan

Republicans that deny the 2020 election results are not Americans

Republicans have fallen! Obviously, they cannot get back up!

Stop the madness; stop electing Republicans

Echo opinion letter published in HollandSentinel.com in Michigan.

The Republican Party is no longer the party of Bill Milliken and Gerry Ford, a party that valued fiscal responsibility, rule of law, government integrity, and honoring their oath of office. 

Bereft of a party platform, today’s Republicans offer few policies, opting instead to ignite fears and grievances that divide the nation — 30 percent of Republicans believe “true American patriots may have to resort to violence” to save the country. Really?

The last Republican president ignored his oath of office, claimed election fraud and attempted a coup. The vote count, the recounts, the court rulings, Bill Barr, and even Kellyanne Conway agree: he lost. We heard him asking Georgia’s Secretary of State to “find” 11,780 votes and we watched him organize and incite an insurrectionist mob at the Capitol. 143 Republicans voted to reject Joe Biden’s electoral college votes, our votes. Unashamed, Republican politicians eagerly seek Trump’s endorsement, and red states passed new election laws allegedly to stop voter fraud but manifestly hindering Democratic voters.

Remember when Republican presidents represented the United States of America?

Republicans are ignoring important issues like public education, domestic terrorism, drug costs, wealth inequality, immigration policies, etc. Instead, they pursue red herrings like critical race theory, “don’t say gay,” “woke” math books, QAnon, birtherism, vaccine refusal, Muslim bans, and replacement theory. Following 68 school shootings since 2020, Republicans offer “thoughts and prayers” but don’t find military assault weapons or any gun as a problem.

Republican Party: A Road Map to Political Chaos

Prominent conservatives left the Party of Lincoln after it became the party of Jefferson Davis. White separatists, Proud Boys and neo-Nazis found acceptance in the GOP when its party leader called people wearing swastikas and chanting anti-semitic slogans “good people.”

The remedy for all this is simple: stop electing Republicans. I’m not saying become a Democrat, but I am saying a Republican vote makes you part of this problem.

Richard Kamischkein in Grand Haven Township, Michigan

P.S.  Rep. Liz Cheney vows to oppose Republican candidates that deny Trump's election loss. In other words, do not vote for Republicans.

Republicans and dangerous chaos

Stop the madness; stop electing Republicans

Echo opinion letter published in the Holland Sentinel in Holland, Michigan:

The Republican Party is no longer the party that valued fiscal responsibility, rule of law, government integrity, and honoring their oath of office. Bereft of a party platform, today’s Republicans offer few policies, opting instead to ignite fears and grievances that divide the nation — 30 percent of Republicans believe “true American patriots may have to resort to violence” to save the country. Really?

Obviously, the last Republican president ignored his oath of office, claimed election fraud and attempted a coup. The vote count, the recounts, the court rulings, Bill Barr, and even Kellyanne Conway agree: he lost. We heard him asking Georgia’s Secretary of State to “find” 11,780 votes and we watched him organize and incite an insurrectionist mob at the Capitol. 143 Republicans voted to reject Joe Biden’s electoral college votes, our votes. 

Unashamed, Republican politicians eagerly seek Trump’s endorsement, and red states passed new election laws allegedly to stop voter fraud but manifestly hindering Democratic voters.

Republicans are ignoring important issues like public education, domestic terrorism, drug costs, wealth inequality, immigration policies, etc. Instead, they pursue red herrings like critical race theory, “don’t say gay,” “woke” math books, QAnon, birtherism, vaccine refusal, Muslim bans, and replacement theory. 

Following 68 school shootings since 2020, Republicans offer “thoughts and prayers” but don’t find military assault weapons or any gun as a problem.

Prominent conservatives left the Party of Lincoln after it became the party of Jefferson Davis. 

Evil white separatists, Proud Boys and neo-Nazis found acceptance in the GOP when its party leader called people wearing swastikas and chanting antisemitic slogans “good people.”

The remedy for all this is simple: stop electing Republicans. I’m not saying become a Democrat, but I am saying a Republican vote makes you part of this problem.

Richard Kamischke,  Grand Haven Township

Stop dangerous chaos!  Stop electing crazy Republicans!