Donald Trump and maga Republicans need a history refresh about "We Hold these truths- All men - and women- are created equal"

Opinion letter to the editor published in the Maine Pen Bay Pilot/Talk: No President has been so historically illiterate
By Jim Matlack

On July 4, 2025, American just celebrated the 249th Anniversary of the founding document of our nation — the Declaration of Independence. 

I am proud to have a direct family link to the facsimile text of the Declaration, so widely published in days celebrating our nation's independence. That precious text — carefully written out on vellum with a quill pen was the handiwork of Timothy Matlack, who is often called the Scribe of the Continental Congress assembled in Philadelphia in 1776.

Timothy was a Quaker and sometime small businessman who was called upon to draft various legal documents due to his skill with a quill pen. He joined the militia in a battle against British troops in New Jersey early in the war for which he was thrown out of his Quaker meeting. Through the rest of a long life he was active in Philadelphia and Pennsylvania state politics on behalf of expanding the vote to ordinary (white, male) citizens.

I take pride in the family connection to the Declaration and its "created equal" affirmation however short we have fallen at times from this ideal that lies at the heart of our political heritage. 

Never more so than now under the corrupt and lawless conduct of the Trump Administration.

In countless ways Trump has violated both law and custom under the Constitution in a shameless quest to establish authoritarian rule. The long list of offenses by King George in the Declaration can be matched one for one by modern-day counterpart episodes of misconduct by Trump. The legacy of the founders and their caution about an over-strong executive have been swept away by mindless MAGA support for Trump's excesses.

This whole situation was exemplified in a recent encounter in the Oval Office. On May 2, when Trump was seated at the Resolute Desk while Terry Moran (ABC News) was standing beside, looking about the office. Their exchange was recorded and later broadcast for all to see.

In addition to all the gaudy gold newly installed by Trump — a vulgarian's notion of how to look successful — Moran noted a framed version of the Declaration on the wall. Rumor was that Trump had tried to get the original text written out by Timothy Matlack but was wisely denied by the Archives. 

Instead, a vintage printed version may be involved since the frame has a curtain to draw across in order to reduce fading due to bright light.

Moran said: "I see that you have the Declaration there. What does it mean to you?"

Trump's astonishing reply was: "Well, it means exactly what it says. It's a declaration. It's a declaration of unity, love and respect and it means a lot and it's something very special to our country."

What the Declaration of Indpendence really says is this: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." It further establishes that governments are instituted to secure these rights and derive their just powers from the consent of the governed..."

Trump reveals his ignorance of the actual content and significance of the document. No President has been so historically illiterate or done more to betray the promise and the ideals enshrined in the Declaration of Independence.

From Jim Matlack, who lives in Camden, Maine

Republicans must make Donald Trump's wrongminded policies right! "Do your job!

Echo opinion letter published in the Penn Bay Pilot, a newspaper circulated in Midcoast Maine- Rockland, Camden, Thomaston.

MAGA Trump cult Republicans will protect even the most flagrant errors and malign policies by misguided president.

American consumers will pay for it❗

"My country, right or wrong" is a motto often heard from zealous would-be patriots. 

It is derived from a toast offered by Stephen Decatur, a U.S. Naval officer who fought the "Barbary Pirates" off North Africa, in the early 1800s.

A modified version by Carl Schurz in 1872, changed mindless affirmation into a more balanced expression of patriotic support. Schurz was a German immigrant who served as a Union General in the Civil War and later as a U.S. Senator. Shurz said:

My country, right or wrong.
When right, to be kept right;
(But....) When wrong, to be put right.

With every passing day under the Republican Trump Administration there are more things "to be put right." A major example is Trump's sweeping and delusional TARIFF SCHEME❗

At the heart of the damage done by Trump's tariffs is the truth that he still does not know how a tariff works.

Trump believes that the sending country pays the fees rather than domestic importers and consumers in the U.S. Thus his proud but mistaken claims that he will make China and other nations pay so many billions that he will be able to do away with the income tax.

Even his former Vice President Mike Pence knows the truth that "The Trump Tariff Tax is the largest peacetime tax hike in U.S. history."

The burden of tariff payments falls most heavily on lower income consumers.

The Income Tax was introduced in 1912, precisely to compell wealthy citizens to share in paying for government services.

Trump now wants to reverse this corrective innovation. He also falsely assumes that import levels will remain the same after imposition of U.S. tariffs.

Further, Trump seems to ignore the likelihood of punishing counter-tariffs imposed by our trading partners in response to U.S. levies. When the U.S. imposed tariffs in Trump's first term, return tariffs did such damage to our agricultural exports that we had to spend $27 billion in payouts to save farmers from bankruptcy.

The path to "put right" the crisis in U.S. and world trade caused by Trump's tariffs lies in re-assertion of Congressional authority over tariff policy.

Trump is enabled to manipulate tariffs because he declared a dubious "emergency" after which he could take tariff policy decisions away from Congress.

Fearing the mounting damage and with the votes of four Republican Senators, a recent vote in the Senate partially nullified Trump's "emergency" declaration.

Alas, Speaker Mike Johnson will not allow a vote on this issue in the House. In a further contortion to prevent a vote, Johnson passed a bill that defines the whole rest of this Congressional session to be considered as a single extended legislative day. 

MAGA Republicans will protect even the most flagrant errors and malign policies by their misguided president.

From Jim Matlack,  lives in Camden, Maine

Evidence about Donald Trump being infected with hallucinations and delusions

Echo letter to the editor published in the Pen Bay Pilot Talk section, a Rockland and Camden Maine Midcost newspaper.

Donald Trump's utter disconnect from reality

Mon, 03/03/2025 - 7:25pm
Jim Matlack

In the wake of Donald Trump's repeated delusional assertions that the U.S. will "take over Gaza" after some two million Palestinians are summarily evicted (also known as genocide!) so that he can carry out his biggest real estate and renovation deal a remarkable AI video appeared on Trump's Truth Social site in support of this cruel genocidal fantasy.

It provides a vivid illustration of Trump's utter disconnect from reality (also known as "crazy) and the scale of his self-imagined projection into grandiose worldly success.

In place of near-total destruction in Gaza the Trump video portrays a massive makeover into a successful tourist mecca with high-rise buildings, a large Trump Gaza Casino, and a photo-shop image of Trump and Netanyahu sun-bathing on the beach together.

Gone are the Palestinians! But they never will or should relinquish their claims to their lands in Gaza, despite brutal conditions imposed by Israeli attacks and cut-offs of humanitarian supplies. Trump will never transform this killing field into a vacation playground.

The most extreme illustration of Trump's self-indulgence and ego enhancement is embodied in an image featured in the AI video--a giant statue of businessman Trump flanked by palm trees and tall buildings (also known as hallucinations!). Against a glowing sky an immense replica of a resolute Trump stands at least 50 feet high and is covered in gold (or solid gold?). There could be no better example of his self-worship to offset his actual psychological insecurity.

In the Biblical story of Exodus, the Children of Israel make their way out of Egypt and into the area of present-day Gaza, where they betray their spiritual heritage by worshiping a golden calf. 

"thou shall not have false gods before me" is found in Exodus 20:3, and is often referred to as the first commandment

The MAGA followers of today should learn from their Scriptural example. (MAGA followers who are Bible Thumpers seem to skip over the place where God directs the Isrealites not to worship strange gods).

Jim Matlack lives in Camden, Maine