Dear Mr. Langworthy,

I read your April 29 newsletter celebrating President Trump’s first 100 days in office with equal parts astonishment and rage. Since you have isolated yourself from your constituents, refuse to stand before them defending your actions (and inactions) and instead spin positively the bad judgement of the President, we’re left with little choice but to refute your claims on the editorial page.

You bragged that the president has lowered gas prices 7%. In fact, the price of crude oil has dropped significantly because of the looming threat of a global recession caused by his tariffs.

You brag that the president has secured trillions of dollars in US-based investments. In fact, the global bond market nearly crashed because of the president’s threats to fire Federal Reserve Chairman Powell. No longer is the US the safest haven for capital and trillions of dollars have left our sinking stock markets and a capital flight out of the US has begun. The uncertainty he has created about the financial strength of the US economy and constitution will raise interest costs for the US Treasury and impede the ability of our government to finance its operations.

You claim President Trump has “restored America’s leadership in the world by implementing peace through strength.” No, President Trump has alienated our allies and made economic enemies of the rest of the world. The US is no longer trusted and has left a leadership vacuum that China is exploiting.

In fairness, I need to list a few more of President Trump’s “accomplishments” during his first 100 days of office that you omitted and ask you for your response.

Have you already forgotten he pardoned the over 1,500 dangerous felons who stormed the US capital, some of whom had other convictions or who have already been arrested again for criminal conduct?

President Trump has alienated our closest ally, largest economic partner with whom we share the world’s longest peaceful border? Our Canadian neighbors are now boycotting American products and will likely never resume buying them regardless of whether tariffs are withdrawn.

The recent stock market plunge that wiped trillions of dollars from American retirement accounts which the president blamed on Biden but which economists universally agree was the result of his ill-conceived tariffs.

Travel to the US is expected to plummet this summer as Canadians and foreigners are dropping plans to travel to the US. Why is this making America stronger?

Have you forgotten he has trampled the constitution after taking an oath to protect and defend it and stands in defiance of court orders requiring corrective action? In such times as these when many believe we are in a constitutional crisis, your silence speaks volumes.

Have you forgotten the President has gutted cultural institutions and withheld funding appropriated by congress? Why’s is America better off with a crippled Lincoln Center and Smithsonian Institution?

Does the President’s insistence on loyalty over competence of his cabinet members give you reason for concern? Or that Elon Musk’s code monkeys were given access to sensitive information including our nuclear secrets? Or that his loyal but incompetent national security team is using unsecure messaging apps to communicate top secret military operational details?

Have you forgotten the silliest actions he has taken including mandating that the US government only purchase plastic straws?

Have you forgotten about his assault on institutions of higher learning and science and his threats to revoke their tax-exempt status? Why is his administration meddling in the affairs of scientific medical journals? Why are facts and science the enemy of the President?

Have you forgotten his over-reach into the affairs of individual states? While the President wants individual states to determine abortion’s legality, he is responsible for countless examples of over-reach into their affairs in so many other areas. Do you see a contradiction to long-standing Republican doctrine of small government and letting states run their own affairs?

Have you forgotten the millions of dollars given to the President’s library fund by tech oligarchs seeking his preferential treatment. And aren’t you as little bit curious about the President’s reading list and what books the shelves of his library will contain or whether his library fund will ever see the light of day? Do you remember all the unanswered questions around his inauguration fund or his disregard for the emoluments clause of the constitution during his first term?

Have you forgotten he promoted Tesla automobiles from the lawn of the White House and is enriching himself and family in the crypto currency markets, which happen to be one of the best places to launder money? Have you forgotten he told Americans to “buy on the dip” when he single-handedly crashed the market and don’t you wonder even a little bit how many of his friends and family benefitted from insider trading while millions of Americans saw their retirement savings evaporate?

There are countless other examples of President Trump’s ineptitude that you have not spoken to, much less stood in opposition to. Why have you abdicated the authority granted to Congress by the consitituion to determine tariffs or appropriate funding and handed that authority to Trump? Why did you vote for a budget that includes millions of dollars for a military parade on his birthday?

And why did you find it so important in this critical time to sponsor legislation mandating that American flags be made in America when the American flag is more disrespected than ever before and will likely be burned in record numbers? As our reputation around the world has plummeted, the irony of your misplaced priority is astounding.

Does the President posting an AI generated image of himself dressed as the Pope give you pause and how do you reconcile this with the Catholic community?

How much corruption and overreach by the President are you willing to tolerate before you find the courage to stand for restoring the checks and balances guaranteed by our constitution? The longer you wait, the less relevant our constitution becomes.

Do you support a President who lacks empathy and compassion and who demands apologies of others when he has never accepted blame for his mistakes? How is our country to unite in a time of crisis behind an incompetent President who only knows lies, blame and retribution?

Please step forward, Mr. Langworthy, answer our questions and give us some meaningful, accurate information in your next newsletter.

Andrew Dickson is a Jamestown resident.