Donald Trump’s recent actions toward Muslims and his suggestion (even in jest) that Russia should breach America’s security to obtain Clinton emails were despicable.
Trump’s suggestions that he will make thousands of jobs begs the question, how? Perhaps by building the Mexico wall? By canceling our existing trade deals so foreign goods become more expensive and U.S. companies move manufacturing jobs home? Try doubling the price of an iPhone and see the effect on sales.
Trump’s past actions in his own businesses reveal how despicable he is: he considers his failure to live up to a contract, then renegotiate payments to hundreds of contractors a shrewd business decision. On the world stage, such tactics will not work; can one really expect America to call a halt to global agreements because our president doesn’t like the anticipated outcome?
Since he began his campaign, many thought he was looking for a way to feed his ego and boost ratings for his TV show. Many felt that once he didn’t do well in some primaries, he would fade away. But, because of his unexpected success in winning the Republican nomination, he is now in the position of really having to run — something he most likely never expected.
Trump’s campaign has consistently shown him to be a name-calling bully when confronted, kind of like the kid who owns the only baseball at a pick-up game; if he doesn’t get his way, he takes back his ball and goes home, ruining it for everyone.
His campaign has been peppered with the phrases “trust me,” “only I know what needs to be done,” and his use of simple phrases reminds one of the traveling snake-oil salesmen of our past. They went from town to town touting the benefits of their products; when the product was proven useless, they left town.
When Trump does lose the election, I expect him to throw the biggest hissyfit on record, to call the election rigged, all politics unfair, all reporters biased, all television networks disgusting, and the U.S. population stupid for not voting for him.
Since at that point he will want for take his ball back, I suggest he move to Dubai (America is no longer fair to him), where he can build his buildings with underpaid labor, do his deals (but with non-radicalized Muslims only) and learn to live with his own kind — very rich spoiled individuals.
Robert W. Gronauer Hanover
In an Aug. 5 opinion piece in the New York Times, former top CIA official Michael Morell endorses Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump.
Not surprising, as she indicates she will follow the precedents set by former presidents since World War II. These precedents include subversion and overthrow of democratically elected governments around the world, assassinations of foreign and domestic leaders, and military interventions abroad. The CIA has been a staunch if not the major opponent of any government that didn’t serve capitalism, ostensibly in U.S. interests, but really serving an international financial and corporate elite. As Col. Fletcher Prouty termed it, “the CIA is capitalism’s private army” (The Secret Team, Prentice-Hall, 1972).
Evidently Donald Trump can’t be trusted to carry out the CIA agenda like a well-behaved little servant. All the more reason to vote for him, Jill Stein or Gary Johnson — anybody but Hillary.
Dan LeggettHanover
In the July 5 Valley News there was an article about a World War II vet, “B-17 Gunner From Vermont Gets France’s Top Honor.” He won the French Legion of Honor for 30 combat missions. His job was being a ball-turret gunner on a B-17 bomber, and no doubt he earned it.
There was a man born in 1924, raised and educated in Lebanon, who also flew in a B-17 during World War II. He flew with the 301st Bombardment Group, 353rd squadron. This man held the rank of staff sergeant as a gunner and radio operator. He completed 35 combat missions including the infamous Odertal Oil refineries raid in Germany. Brigadier Gen. C.W. Lawrence, who commanded the fifth bombardment wave, awarded him a certificate of valor for courageous service in aerial combat. By the war’s end, he received the air service medal with three oak clusters, a European Theater of Operations medal with two bronze stars, World War II victory medal, and a good conduct medal. This man was my uncle, Richard Dean. He passed away many years ago and has been forgotten by time but not by his family.
Mike PillsburyEnfield
The policy of free trade is insane for the United States. Ever since we adopted free trade with Japan and especially China, our manufacturing sector has been gutted and future free trade will further the decimation.
Classical economics and history shows that free trade will favor the country with the lowest labor costs; in our case, it is China’s average manufacturing labor cost of $3.50 per hour versus our cost of $24.50 per hour. It’s insane that we let this difference hurt our citizens. Continuance will eventually reduce our average standard of living closer to the poverty level of China. Recently we imported $466 billion from China while exporting only about $126 billion to China. The simplest trade policy adjustment is a substantial tariff on imports to equalize the effects of the wage differential. The tariff amount is easy to calculate and easy to adjust. While our leaders assert the most important job of government is to defend the country, the next most important job is to ensure our economy and our people compete on a fair basis with other economies.
Paul TierneyNorwich
Donald Trump wants to build a wall between Mexico and the U.S. to keep Mexicans out of America. Trump fails to understand that walls are not very effective in keeping people separate. China’s Great Wall didn’t keep people out of China and a wall could not prevent East and West Germans from sharing common goals. I wonder whether President Reagan would have said, “Mr. Trump, tear down that wall.”
Sikhar BanerjeeNew London
Wouldn’t it be neat if everyone was nice to each other for a change? I know it sounds simple, maybe a little Pollyanna, but what’s the alternative? There’s a lot of people running around not using the “N” word and being tolerant of who gets to use which toilet. They may feel satisfied with themselves, maybe even a little socially evolved, yet still turn a blind eye to the barbarity that happens in living rooms and on street corners in America. I know, I know, baby steps, but still wouldn’t it be neat if we were all nice to each other for a change!
Pat TherrianHartford