Why We Must Vote in November

 Letter to the LNP Editor as submitted on 26 July 2026

 Author and conservative political consultant Rick Wilson titled his best-selling 2018 book about the first Trump presidency “Everything Trump Touches Dies.” We see the truth of that in the fate of the White House Rose Garden, once filled with beautiful living plants and flowers, now covered with dead slabs of concrete. And tragically, we see it in coffins bearing the bodies of brave, faithful soldiers, killed in Trump’s senseless, unlawful war in the Middle East.

On a national level, we are collectively witnessing the death of the high regard and trust once extended to our country by our international partners and allies. According to the Pew Research Center our standing in world opinion has dropped considerably since their last survey. Their most recent polling in 36 nations shows a 57% unfavorable opinion of the U.S. versus 37% favorable. International views of Trump himself are even more extreme, with 76% expressing no confidence in his leadership of world affairs.

 One thing he has managed not to kill is his bank account. As reported in the New York Times, “President Trump reaped a stunning windfall in his first year back in the White House, including about $1.4 billion from his family’s cryptocurrency businesses, a new filing shows. All told, the president pulled in at least $2.2 billion….”

The conflicts of interest, suspect international dealings, and ethical lapses in all of this are far too numerous to list here. Suffice it to say that legal scholar and former federal prosecutor Barbara McQuade is not wrong when, in her new book “The Fix,” she describes Trump as governing like a mob boss.

Our best chance to stop this rampant lawlessness is to elect a Congress in November who will reclaim their power, enforce the Constitution and the rule of law, and hold the regime accountable. Make sure you are registered; then, for the love of our country ~ VOTE.

 

Thoughts on the U.S. 250th

 Letter to the LNP Editor as submitted on 30 June 2026 

During the coming days we will be celebrating the Declaration of Independence and the beginning of our nation. It will be a time of parades and festivals, fireworks and family gatherings. And it will be a good time for us to reflect on what our country is today, and what we want it to be going forward. 

Will we commit to the goal that no one goes hungry, or will we let precious food rot in warehouses and cut support for those who can’t afford nutritious meals? Will we recall the poem on the Statue of Liberty and welcome the “huddled masses yearning to be free,” or will we turn away those who come to our border and brutally expel the ones who have already made a life here? Will we cherish the progress we’ve made toward including everyone on an equal basis, or will we marginalize others on the basis of gender, belief, and color of skin? 

As many highly-skilled observers agree, right now we have a governmental regime intent on curtailing our right to vote and to choose the direction we want for our country. They seek power rather than democracy, and with great power comes great corruption. This is evident to anyone who relies on accurate, honest reporting. We who would choose a nation built on decency, justice, compassion for others, and the rule of law have our work cut out for us. Let us be strong and of good courage, support each other, and continue on toward realizing the vision of our founders.