Letters to the editor | Sunday, March 15, 2020: Coronavirus demands effective leadership

When credibility is shot

Amid the usual chaos, clutter and corruption attending this presidency, one classic truism has resurfaced. It was first revealed long ago in a children’s tale, “The Boy Who Cried Wolf.” The moral of the story has never been as relevant as it is today, in the midst of the coronavirus scare.

President Trump lies repeatedly and regularly, averaging over six lies per day. His RINO apologists will say that these are usually little lies, like the size of the crowd at his inauguration. Sharper critics will point to big lies, like the birther slander directed at Obama. However, his lying seemed strange but inconsequential.

Then the coronavirus appeared. Americans waited to be reassured by the commander-in-chief. Is the government prepared? Will it spread? Are we safe?

Trump appeared at a briefing. He sent out his usual spate of tweets. “Trust me,” he said. “There are only a few cases. The virus will disappear. I have a hunch,” he said. “Trust me.”

But the wolf was at the door this time. There had been too many lies. Even the stock market would not trust the president.

Who can we trust?

He knows more than the generals. Now he knows more than the doctors. He knows more than anyone not named Vladimir Putin.

This stable genius is none other than our Twitterer-in-chief. He implores us not to believe mainstream press or media ( Fox and recently decorated Limbaugh excepted). The only source this serial liar (over 16,000 since the election and easily over 100,000 in his pampered lifetime) wants us to believe is him. So, naturally, with the current Covid-19 crisis, he wants all information to come from him — through his chosen mouthpiece, Mike Pence.

Why not have a government task force of medical and scientific experts brief us daily? Simple — the true and factual information may be contrary to Trump’s political whims.

Covid-19 is a worldwide health crisis — not an opportunity to lie, distort and self-aggrandize. Every Trump (Pence) statement is prefaced by some reference to the incredible leadership of the president.

Hopefully, in November, voters will add this abysmal and scripted self-serving health crisis response to the hundreds of acts of corruption and misdeeds of this man and elect anyone else.

A recipe for socialism

It is very difficult to understand why numerous members of the Democratic Party act surprised to have produced a socialist constituency. I agree that most of their policies have been a pandering to one group or another for the sole purpose of gaining or retaining power. But one would think someone in the intelligentsia of the party would have recognized that over the years, the logical cumulative effect of their political manipulations would lead to a socialist structure of government.

I’m led to believe that the result is intended, and the surprise is feigned. What has really, recently happened is that the current socialistic push by certain party members has gotten ahead of the end-game plan and is temporarily being discouraged. The end-game plan being a slow, incremental introduction of government control over most aspects of our daily lives in order to have a relatively small group of bureaucrats control society, supposedly for “the greater good.”

The words “democracy” and “socialism” as applied to government functions have almost entirely opposite meanings. We would be much better informed of the aspirations and direction of the party if the name were changed.

Trump dominates in debates

The self-admitted liberal author John M. Crisp feels there is no need for presidential debates this year. He cites President Trump’s dissatisfaction with the debate format, stoking polarized positions and a self-evident knowledge of who the better candidate is.

How about this for the real reason a liberal writer wants to cancel presidential debates; the one Democratic candidate (Sanders) presents as an out-of-control, unabashed socialist while the other Democratic candidate (Biden) folds in a competitive debate format. There is no telling what nonsense Biden might spew when confronted with the success of Trump’s presidency and sharp-witted responses.

Let them debate so we can see the real candidates and decide for ourselves who has the better ideas and positions.

Rethinking female candidates

Bernie Sanders would be a better Democratic nominee than Joe Biden. Bernie is at least dedicated to his positions; Biden is baffled by his surroundings most of the time. Just think of the hours of enjoyment we will have if Bernie is the nominee, waving arms, shouting, railing against the unfairness of capitalism, and free everything. A capitalist versus a democratic socialist; how much better can it get? If there are debates just imagine the things President Trump will come up with.

If you that believe gender is of great importance and that a woman should be the next president in 2024, how about the following: Nikki Haley, Joni Ersnt, Liz Cheney, Mia Love, Condoleezza Rice, Jan Brewer. They are all proud conservatives and would be great candidates for the presidential nomination. Is it truly a woman’s gender or their politics you are for? If it’s politics then you should reevaluate your position. It’s what’s between the ears that’s important for leadership. If the identity politics crowd keeps nominating off-the-wall women for the highest office, they will always lose.

Lock him up

On the Internet there is a frequent question: “Does Trump deserve four more years?” The answer: Yes, but not in the White House. Leavenworth is more appropriate.

He loses on climate change

Copernicus and Galileo concluded, contrary to church dogma, that the earth revolves around the sun. The church rejected the evidence and punished Galileo. Based on overwhelming evidence, 97% of climatologists warn that human-caused climate change is wreaking havoc. Trump rejects the evidence and is endangering all life on earth. Using a baseball analogy, when Trump took office, we were losing to climate change 5-2. Due to Trump’s destructive actions, we are currently losing 9-1. If Trump is re-elected, by 2024 we will be losing 13-0 in the bottom of the ninth with two outs and the third strike on the way.

Trump is exploiting chronic lying, hypocrisy, divisiveness and disgraceful denigration of patriots to pave the way to an authoritarian regime. Fully 157 presidential scholars already rank Trump as one of the worst three presidents. Because of climate change impacts and the throwing of justice, morality, civility and democracy to the wind, within 20 years, almost everyone will rank Trump as the worst president ever. If re-elected, Trump will face no accountability.

Do you like having a dark-sider as a role model for our children? Open minds will choose a compassionate person as our president.

Our country has never been so divided, except for the Civil War. There are conflicts between different cultures, people of various economic means, education, religions, and certainly of political perspectives.

Mention “global warming” or “climate change” and blood pressures rise instantly. To whatever extent man-made pollution does result in overall global warming, any discussions of this subject produce rising body temperatures and much hot air.

Might there be a different approach to this subject where we could all agree and work together? Let’s agree that everyone has a responsibility to take good care of the place where he lives. Even the homeless do not have the right to pollute the space where they camp.

All of us live on this earth. How any one person or group treat this home does, to at least some extent and fashion, affect others in this home. So let’s all do the best we can to work together to keep the air, land, and seas of our home as clean as possible. The result is a healthier, more pleasant life for everyone.

Everyone counts in Census

Every 10 years the U.S. Census Bureau conducts a count of every person in the country as outlined in the U. S. Constitution, Article 1, Section 2. “Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States...according to their respective Numbers...determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons, … every subsequent Term of ten Years…”

Instructions now are available from the U. S. Census Bureau on how to respond to the census — online, by phone or mail. April 1 is the official Census Day; everyone will receive an official invitation to participate. You do not have to be a citizen. There is no citizenship question on the census. Between May and July, representatives will do in-person interviews for those who haven’t responded.

Why is this important? Well, it’s how we determine how many representatives we have in the House and how federal money is disbursed; if we don’t have an accurate count of people, we may lose money for schools, fire departments, Medicaid, etc.

Ignore the fake information that’s floating around and check out 2020census.gov for the facts about the Census.

Because you count, you should be counted.

This story was originally published March 15, 2020 at 8:25 AM.