NEWS

I would think that those who voted for Trump would now have regrets. The promise to
reduce grocery prices: now he says it is “too complicated” to do so. Gas prices: again
reducing the cost of gasoline is too “complicated.”

Trump is making enemies of our allies — threatening to buy Greenland, threatening
high tariffs on Mexico and Canada, dropping out of the Paris Accord and the World
Health Organization. Leaders of other nations either fear Trump’s undependability and
lack of cooperation or privately laugh at his lack of understanding of the world.

The war in Ukraine has not ended on Trump’s day one as he pledged. The main
qualification for Trump’s cabinet positions is loyalty to him, not in having the
qualifications required for the posts. Republicans tout “justice according to the law.”
Pardoning 1500 J6 rioters who were convicted by the law does not support the law or
the police.

Trump has pledged to not let immigrants take American jobs. That pledge has holes.
Elon Musk, for one, as well as Trump — “must” have H1 visa workers. Agriculture
producers depend on immigrants; many of our service workers are immigrants. Many
businesses will suffer or close for lack of workers. Besides the economic effect, there
also will be the deprivations found in the “immigrant camps.”

What about Trump’s promise to help the middle and lower classes? His “entourage” of
mostly ill-qualified cabinet nominations and advisors have a total income of over $230
billion. Numerous others have donated millions to curry his favor. Trump cannot
displease his donors, so where is the money coming from to support his tax “reform”?
Probably, from the most needy.

Rational congressmen want to trim the national debt, but Trump’s last tax plan added $7
trillion to the national debt. Where are the funds going to come from to make up for the
losses? For those not of the elite class, look at prices now, the unemployment rate, the
inflation rate. If Trump enacts his “beautiful” tariffs and does not justly tax corporations
and the rich, prices will go up drastically.

Those who voted for Trump refused to see Trump as a con man promising most
anything for votes, but not planning to deliver. Will Republican leaders have the
gumption to stand up against his punitive or ill-advised edicts and plans?

Mary Williams
Rural Cecil