Reply to Helen Jaeger on “Trump wins you won’t see on CNN, MSNBC,”
You made some good points. Please consider my quickly written counterpoints, which you might not see on FOX. (My information comes largely from CNN, MSNBC, award-winning stations, and the New York Times, an award-winning newspaper).
Re: No. 1: Most top economists say that tax reform signed by Trump was primarily for the benefit of the wealthy and corporations.
Yes, there were a few bonuses and raises. But this tax bill tremendously increased the U.S. debt.
Because of this deficit, economists expect that the administration will institute cuts in Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid. Were you aware of that?
Re No. 5: I hadn’t heard of the 9 million fewer people on welfare than under Obama.
No. 6: Part of the increased manufacturing jobs would be based on Obama’s saving the auto industry.
No. 9: Many top U.S. and world diplomatic leaders advised against moving our embassy to Jerusalem. It will now be virtually impossible for the U.S. to lead in brokering a peaceful solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict.
No. 13: We do not have a trade deficit re goods and services with Canada, but mainly with China.
When services are included, we have a trade surplus. Tariffs will affect the cost of materials our manufacturers need and cut exports of our farm goods.
Trump seems to enjoy alienating our allies. He asked Prime Minister Trudeau if Canada burned our capitol building?
Trudeau asked when Trump if he was referring to the War of 1812?
Trump, not well versed in U.S. history, asked when was that? Trudeau replied that the British burned the capitol. Canada was not even a country at the time!
No. 15: Not long ago, Congress instituted some new sanctions against Russia, and Trump, put on the spot, reluctantly approved it. Are they implemented yet?
No. 19: Firing civil servants for just cause sounds good, as long as it is not used to obstruct the special investigations of the FBI and the Justice Department.
Never before has a president denigrated the efforts of the FBI and Justice Department like this.
The civil servants of the FBI and the Justice Department who serve for the good of our country are supposed to act in a nonpartisan manner, and many of them, contrary to what Fox would have us believe, hew to the Republican or conservative line of thinking.
No. 27: Prison reform is needed.
We need to curtail the use of private for-profit prisons to ensure the health of prisoners, and to reform the bail system (even Rupert Murdoch supports it).
Sentences for non-violent low-level drug violations need to be reduced, which would cut the prison population. But, we do not know what actions this pro-business administration will take.
Trump seems loathe to rule on the side of compassion.
No. 28: The administration has done everything it could do to sabotage the Affordable Care Act.
Large numbers of people are no longer able to secure health coverage. The Trump administration just recently has decided to no longer protect people with prior disabilities who seek insurance coverage.
This seems to favor the health-care industry, but is it humane?
No. 29: Draining the Swamp?
This administration is, I think, the most overloaded with appointees who do not respect the very department they lead.
Ben Carson, housing – spent several thousand on furniture for his office, as he belittles the needs of people asking for assistance.
Scott Pruitt now faces 12 or 13 investigations overspending, such as a sound-proof telephone, costing about $43,000, several $1,000 pens, and more while he has terminated staff from his agency, the EPA.
The media would be remiss if it did not report on this malfeasance and corruption!
Yes, it’s good that he has focused on arresting members of MS-13, aided in the release of hostages from North Korea and Venezuela, and is meeting with Kim Jung Un (all covered by MSNBC and CNN).
What I can’t understand is why he is the first president to so vehemently attack the press, the freedom of which is based on the first amendment.
The free press is one of the most important elements of a free society.
If you watch the history channel or heeded the events studied in history classes, all the evil demagogues in history to the present day, have sought to curtail the freedom of speech and of the press to better control their people.
Carol Kharivala
New Hyde Park
