Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor,

President Trump claims his actions are what the American people overwhelmingly voted him into office to do. If that is true, why should we be shocked by the things he says and does. Is this really what everyone who voted for him expected him to do? And was he really voted in overwhelmingly? I haven’t heard the latest statistics on the final tally of the popular vote but the last news I heard after the election was that it was not an overwhelming victory. Some people I’m sure voted for him simply because they didn’t like Kamala Harris, some voted for Kamala because they didn’t like Trump and there is no way of knowing how many people didn’t vote for president at all because they didn’t like either choice. There wasn’t a mandate from the people from this election.

President Trump has made some really outlandish statements, and it seems to be producing results for him. He threatens Canada and Mexico, and then they agree to increase the border security measures on their borders. It seems to be a strategy that has worked well for him. He makes a shocking statement, and it gets everyone’s attention and puts him in a better bargaining position. He threatens Ukraine with working with their enemy to stop the war without their involvement and now I hear Ukraine is talking about giving United States access to their valuable minerals “to pay back” for U.S. help with the war. So, do we ignore his statements believing it’s just part of his strategy to get a better bargaining position? Does he really mean to force Canada into becoming our 51st state? Does he really plan to, with Israel’s help, drive all the Palestinians out and rebuild Gaza into a profitable tourist attraction?

It is concerning to me what seems to be a thirst for power. By signing his name to paper, he has declared the name of the Gulf of Mexico to be changed to the Gulf of America. Everyone surely knows he has no more authority to do that than he has authority to change the names of the Atlantic or Pacific Ocean or even the names of the great lakes. Then when the Associated Press doesn’t go along with that, he bans them from press access to his administration. Is this just a test by him to see how much power he can get? Why else would he do that? I think President Trump and his followers have decided that our constitutional form of government just doesn’t work anymore, and they are going to change it.  Change it to what?

Marie Bundy

Barnesville