To the Editor:
What does President Trump really believe about human rights? The answer is important, because his beliefs are shaping his policies on immigration, refugees, health care, non-military and military foreign aid, and other issues.
Fortunately, National Public Radio recently released and interview with Tom Malinowski, former Assistant Secretary of State, who presented his analysis of Trump’s human rights views. These are direct quotes from the N.P.R. transcript, April 4, 2017, broadcast on “Morning Edition”:
1. ”Trump doesn’t seem to have much interest in the United States being a force for good in this world. He said we’re going to be American first. It’s going to be about making deals with whoever is willing to make deals with us for the sake of our own economy and our own internal security.”
2. “Trump has said again and again that America doesn’t really have the moral right to talk to anybody about values, that our own election are rigged, our own press is the enemy of the people. When he’s been confronted by allegations, for example, that President Putin murders journalists he famously said, ‘Well, America kills people too’.”
With these false statements and logical errors, Trump sets aside America’s past human rights traditions and substitutes financial gains ahead of the right and humane thing to do. I believe that Trump is taking us along a dangerous path.
If you agree, get involved. Please call our senators and administrative and executive orders, be made with safeguards to protest human rights.
James A. Lewis
Town of Maine
Volunteer, Friends Committee on National Legislation
Editor:
The “North Woodies” Ladies Ducks Unlimited would like to say “Thank You” to the businesses, individuals that have donated as well as the ladies that attended our banquet to make it a fun filled evening and a wonderful success.
North Woodies Committee
Dear Editor:
Some time ago I wrote that the GOP was America’s greatest enemy. I thought that would stir the pot more than it did. But other than a bit of sarcasm and some very creative name calling, no one rose to the defense of their party. Perhaps it is because the actions of GOP legislators are indefensible. There have been a few further bills and actions that have happened since.
The Florida GOP governor signed a law to drug test welfare and food stamp applicants. The governor is also owner of one of the largest drug testing companies in Florida. Walker wants to do the same here. I wonder, who will profit from that? A great expenditure of tax dollars, Tennessee drug tested 30,000 people since 2014. They found that 55 people, 0.19% tested positive. Rather an expensive process to punish less than two tenths of one percent of those tested.
The GOP controlled House of Representatives has also been busy. HR 861 would terminate the EPA, a department that protects us from poisons in the air, water and food. HR 610 would take your tax dollars from public schools and give them to “for profit” schools while eliminating “Equal Opportunity in Education” and school breakfast and lunch for the poor. The “for profit” education industry donates heavily to the GOP. Looks like they’re getting a good return on their investment. HR 354 would defund Planned Parenthood, an organization that provides health care for poor women. HR 785 promotes a National Right to Work (for less) bill. Right to work for less laws reduce income and worker safety everywhere they are passed. HR 83 would strip federal funding from cities that refuse to enforce expulsion edicts passed on by Trump. HR 1313 would use your tax dollars to force employees to join wellness programs that would use results from your genetic profile to determine whether you get health coverage. If your family has tendency for cancer or diabetes, good luck getting coverage. Eighteen GOP states are proposing laws to make protesting illegal, a direct assault on the First Amendment. Walker and his GOP pals have given us the highest poverty rate in 30 years. Our roads are trash. Our schools are asking for over a billion dollars in referendums because of education cuts in Walker’s budgets. Health care premiums for public servants will double in 2019 with the “self insurance” bill and coverage for the poor, the elderly and women will be harder to get.
GOP legislators are working hard across the country to keep the minimum wage low, break unions, cut welfare, cut social security, cut disability benefits, privatize Veterans health care, cut school funding, cut health care (especially for women) and defund every department that protects consumers. This is an attack as real as any terrorist assault. These changes will, without questions, kill people.
As frightening as this is, an even more terrifying development is that there are over 30 states, including Wisconsin, pushing for a new Constitutional Convention, where they can alter the Constitution that protects us all. Take a moment and think that through. Is there ANYONE in Washington that you would trust to alter the Constitution of the United States? If convened, all our rights would be at the mercy of political ideologues. This would threaten every aspect of our lives. Nothing would be safe. This is regressive. This is repressive. This is dangerous.
The irresponsibility of voting these people into office again and again is staggering. The GOP’s claims of representing and protecting the people are words in the wind. Words and a sack are worth a sack. It is deeds that mark a person. We have to be better informed and educated to see what their deeds are and what they will do to our nation. Teddy Roosevelt once said, “a great Democracy must be progressive or it will soon cease to be a great Democracy.” America has ceased to be a democracy. We now have a Plutocracy, rule by the rich. Not governance by, but RULE by people we never elected.
Doug Curtis
Gleason
Editor,
President Trump has recently resurrected his campaign rhetoric by labeling Hillary Clinton as “crooked Hillary.”
Apparently we need to remind Mr. Trump that he and his campaign organization are being investigated by Congressional Committees as well as the FBI for possible involvement with Russian operatives.
Mr. Trump fails to release his tax returns because he insists he is being audited and no one but the press wants to see the returns. But maybe there could be something that he is hiding? If Trump is not hiding anything what would be the harm in releasing his returns?
Maybe it is time to put the shoe on the other foot and label Mr. Trump as “CROOKED TRUMP?”
Tweet that Mr. President!!
Patrick Hommerding
Merrill