Your editorial “Thankful for Trump?” appeared in the November 29-30, 2017 of our local paper, The Citizen. Although I could address several issues with which I disagree with you (your take on the tax reform, for example; your belief that a healthy stock market somehow equates to a better financial situation for the average citizen; and your belief that Senators McCain, Flake, and Corker do not have taxpayers’ concerns in mind when opposing the proposed tax reform), I will focus on just two issues.
First off, you have an interesting interpretation of the excerpt you provided from the Atlantic magazine which said:
“With the Trump administration’s chaos sucking up all the attention, it’s been able to move forward on a range of its priorities, which tend to be more focused on regulatory matters anyway. It is remaking the justice system, rewriting environmental rules, overhauling public lands administration, and green lighting major infrastructure projects. It is appointing figures who will guarantee the triumph of its ideological vision for decades to come.”
You concluded: “That may be faint praise, but it’s praise”. Praise? First off, I fail to see how you discerned praise in the material you quoted. I see a listing of Trump’s actions presented. However, praise is based on the merit of actions, not on simply identifying the actions.
Any forward-thinking, logical person would condemn, not praise, the list of actions and would interpret the excerpt as follows: The Trump administration is willing to peel back regulations (protections) with disregard as to the potential adverse impacts on the environment. Such an interpretation is a far cry from praise.
You also state, “President Trump is appointing conservative judges to federal courts.” In my opinion, that is just as precarious as someone on the left believing it is virtuous for a President to appoint liberal judges to federal courts.
Would it not be prudent to appoint moderate judges to federal courts in order to bring a balanced perspective to cases that come before them? Your interpretation of the excerpt vs. mine underscores the vast differences with which each of us filters information.
Second, and perhaps even more disturbing, is your casual dismissal of Trump’s form (“it could be better”). For a man in President Trump’s position — watched by millions of people, young and old, all over the world — to carry himself in such an undiplomatic and volatile manner is embarrassing and inexcusable. He should serve as a positive role model for current and upcoming leaders of our country, demonstrating how to find common ground amongst people who come to the table with different agendas.
Instead, he seems to delight in creating turmoil and creating an us vs. them mindset. His tyrannical approach in dealing with people who disagree with him is a far cry from the democratic principles on which our country was founded.
So no, I am not thankful that a close-minded, intolerant person is leading our country, and I will leave President Trump off my list of things for which to be grateful.
What I am thankful for is that presidential terms are limited to four years. The best I can hope for is that he and his appointees will leave as little carnage behind as possible.
Marcia Hendershot
Peachtree City, Ga.
