We’re at the midpoint of President Donald Trump’s first term. Let’s see if he’s fulfilled two of his most important campaign promises: to “drain the swamp” of corruption in Washington, and to “get the best people” to serve in his administration.
Consider the swamp. There are multiple investigations into Trump’s affairs, including his campaign, transition team, inaugural committee, foundation and business organization. Of these, special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russians has already brought 36 indictments and eight guilty pleas or convictions.
Beyond that, several of Trump’s appointees have been embroiled in ethics scandals, often involving profiting inappropriately from their offices. These include Cabinet-level personnel, notably the secretaries of Treasury, Interior, Veterans Affairs, Housing and Urban Development, Health and Human Services and the Environmental Protection Agency, among others. The swamp is thriving.
What about getting the best people? Several Trump appointments had virtually no expertise for the jobs they were picked to fill.
Ben Carson, secretary of Housing and Urban Development, was a pediatric neurosurgeon with no prior government experience.
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, former ExxonMobil CEO, had no foreign service or diplomacy experience.
Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, has no experience in Middle East peace negotiations, China diplomacy or the opioid epidemic, but is responsible for them as senior adviser to the president.
Finally, there’s the revolving door at the White House. According to the Brookings Institution, 83 percent of senior-level White House staff hired under Trump have been replaced. Many were fired or forced to resign. If these were the best people, why did Trump get rid of them? Maybe they weren’t the best after all. Or maybe they were even though Trump got rid of them. Either way, it means that Trump’s eye for talent isn’t so good.
All of this raises serious questions about Trump’s moral compass, leadership skills and judgment. I think we should expect much more from our presidents. If you agree, this should alarm you — even if you support his policies.
John L. Campbell
Lyme
Hartford/Norwich Holiday Baskets Committee thanks all of the Upper Valley residents who sponsored children and donated money to this year’s campaign to bring the holidays to local households with children in need. Here are the 2018 numbers:
■ 343 children from 146 families in Hartford and Norwich participated.
■ 160 sponsors bought gifts fulfilling the children’s wish lists.
■ 146 families received food gift cards.
■ 166 seniors received food baskets and food gift cards.
■ 136 people donated money to the cause.
■ More than 60 volunteers worked to sort and deliver gifts and baskets to participants.
That’s a lot of effort! The amazing thing was the level of enthusiasm we encountered with the sponsors, donors and volunteers. When the gifts were picked up by the parents, we found gratitude and smiles all around. Our participating seniors always enjoy the drop-off visit they receive.
Thank you, Hartford, Norwich and other Upper Valley towns for being so generous. Thank you, St. Paul’s Church in White River Junction, for hosting our gift drop-off and distribution center. Thank you, Boy Scout Troop 232, for helping with set-up and break-down, and to Willing Hands for distributing bountiful fruits and veggies to our participating families.
Our very best wishes for the holiday season.
Sue Pitiger
Norwich
We’d like to thank the Upper Valley businesses and patrons of the CCBA who helped to make our first silent auction a success. The auction benefits the CCBA general fund, which in turn helps to support our mission as a nonprofit providing community recreation to youth and adults in the Upper Valley.
The Carter Community Building Association will be celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2019. Since its inception in 1919 as a unique, community recreation center for the youth of Lebanon, the CCBA has offered programs and services that enable youth to realize their potential, empower people to live a healthy and active lifestyle, offer ways for families to have fun together, and help foster a spirit of community with a caring and welcoming environment.
It is with support from Upper Valley businesses, patrons, volunteers and employees that we are able to exist as a community resource now and for years to come. And don’t forget, you can still make a donation to the CCBA annual fund for 2018. The link is: https://www.joinccba.org/giving/.
Peter Land
Lebanon
The writer is the chair of the CCBA board of trustees.
Kudos to Steve Nelson for his completely accurate description of the many and enormous moral flaws of President Donald Trump. His recent Opinion column, “A Letter to Santa, From God Himself” (Dec. 16), was also quite amusing.
Nelson’s critics are willfully blind to Trump’s noxious character, and are enablers of his evil deeds.
Alice Morrison and Stan Phaneuf
Newbury, Vt.
If President Trump were to walk on water, the corporate propaganda media might call it an act of racism, white supremacy. But, more likely, they wouldn’t report it at all.
Neil Meliment
Hanover