For the first time in my life, I am ashamed to be an American.
President Donald Trump and Co-President Elon Musk are turning their back on what makes America great.
Trump is ready to abandon Ukraine. He said as much when he commented that Ukraine would one day be part of Russia. He is siding with a dictator instead of supporting a democracy struggling to survive. He is about to negotiate Ukraine’s fate with Vladimir Putin, with no participation by Ukrainians or our NATO Allies.
Trump wants to ethnically cleanse the Gaza Strip, displacing millions who call it home for no other reason than to placate the right-wing Israeli extremists and his base, or at least some of it. (I wonder what the Moslem Americans who supported him are thinking about now?) He wants America to take over the Gaza Strip. That means sending in U.S. troops, putting them in harms way. And for what result? It will harm, if not destroy, America’s standing in the Arab world and mean body bags of our service people coming home. What it won’t do is bring peace to the region and safety to Israel.
Trump has imposed tariffs which will upset the world trade order, drive up prices in this country and harm both farmers and workers, such as those in the auto industry.
Trump wants to end the vital drive to fulfill the statement in the Declaration of Independence: “All men are created equal …” Given the use of the language in the late 18th century, that can be seen as “all people.” He appears to want to turn the clock back to when white Anglo-Saxon protestants ruled.
Trump is threatening our neighbors, Canada and Mexico. He is even talking about Canada becoming the 51st state. Anyone who knows anything about Canada knows Canadians are not going to do that. Besides, there are 10 provinces, so it would have to be the 51st to 60th state. But that won’t happen except in Trump’s dreams. But will he invade Greenland and Panama? Our president appears to be living in the 19th century.
Co-President Musk is slashing the federal work force and programs to eliminate waste and fraud. Waste there is, but he has offered no proof of fraud, just claims. Those cuts are being made wholesale by people who have no working knowledge about what services the people they are eliminating provide. And the people doing the ax work are computer types, not forensic accountants or experts in the agencies under attack. Would you want an auto mechanic performing surgery on you? And remember: One person’s waste can be another person’s vital service.
Musk has shut down USAID, ending life-saving aid the United States is providing. He is actually signing the death warrant for thousands if not millions, of people. The aid also provided critical help to Ukraine in its struggle to survive. But, then, Trump doesn’t appear to be concerned about that.
The Justice Department and FBI have transferred or forced into retirement many of those agencies’ top experts on such things as terrorism, cyber attacks, etc. Reportedly the new leadership is more interested in illegal immigration than keeping the homeland safe. Of course, if a terrorist attack does occur, it will no doubt be blamed on Joe Biden.
I tremble for the country I love and have served.
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