Protester Thanks Those Who Honked Their

Support

To The Reader’s Forum:

I’d like to say a heartfelt thank you to all the folks who beeped, gave thumbs-up, or just smiled and nodded as you passed by our ICE protest on the corner of Sixth Street and Washington today. You have no idea how much we appreciate your support.

It can feel very lonely sometimes, putting yourself out there in opposition to the powerful. We know it’s the quickest way for us to respond to injustices as we see them although, of course, voting is the ultimate response and the only response that can ultimately remove irresponsible and reckless officials and change the way in which our democracy responds to the needs of all the people. Your support not only makes our hearts lighter, but ultimately makes it safer for us all, is to make our (and apparently your) opinions public. Thank you again so much.

Judith Korff

Jamestown

Golden Times For An

Autocrat And His Buddies

To The Reader’s Forum:

Donald Trump ran his campaign on draining the “swamp” and putting Americans first. In the last year we’ve seen corruption run rampant and Americans pushed aside in favor of record profits and contracts for Trump and his Oligarch buddies.

Changpeng Zhao, founder of Binance, pled guilty to charges related to money laundering on Binance. He donated “critical software” to Trump’s new crypto company, World Liberty Financial, and received a presidential pardon shortly after. Trump received a 400 million dollar plane from Qatar. His namesake business later signed a deal to develop a golf course and luxury villas on Qatar’s Coast. Trump announced a staggering deal to sell Saudi Arabia 142 Billion dollars in U.S. arms. A Saudi Government associated developer announced two new Trump residential projects and a golf course in the Kingdom. In June Trump lied about “protecting” American people from drugs. He wanted Venezuelan oil. Ironically, he pardoned Juan Orlando Hernandez, who used his position to smuggle 400 tons of cocaine into the U.S.

What Trump hasn’t focused on is the cost of living, American jobs, health care. Trump said he would bring prices down. But, once elected, he didn’t care if you or I suffered. He said affordability is a democratic con. We don’t hear about it because it’s boring and he said as much. He instructed Congress to figure out healthcare because it’s too much trouble for him. He hasn’t spent ANY time doing the hard part to bring manufacturing back. Taxes (tariffs) on products we buy don’t just cause new factories to spring up. That takes government and equity working together. Trump finds that boring. But he has spent lots of time on his Crypto businesses and fancy parties for other oligarchs at Mar a Lago. He has spent time shopping for marble for his ballroom. He has spent time planning the Arc de Trump and getting sports teams and government buildings re-named after him.

All of this is on the American taxpayer’s back while his buddies got a 1.5 trillion dollar tax break and the U.S. Deficit is at an all time high. We pay for Trump’s vanity projects, political use of his “Winter Palace” and 88 days of golf last year. We pay for the military incursions and promised protection for oil companies in Venezuela. It is costing us billions and billions every day. And Trump and his oligarchs are making billions and billions.

The solution?? Congress functionally doesn’t exist. Our representatives need to do their job as a co-equal branch of government. Press them to do their job or vote them out. There are good people out there.

Melissa First

Lakewood