Response to ‘The Trump Path’
In the November 7 edition, Elle Feldman asked us all to join her on what she calls the “Trump Path,” so let me tell you what the Trump Path means to me:
It means that Trump still denies the existence of climate science, because he says he doesn’t believe in it.
It means that we’ve alienated many of our traditional democratic allies in favor of dictators like Putin, Erdogan, Bolsinaro, Dutarte, and Un.
It means that whenever there is another mass shooting, Trump will urge us to pray for the victims, rather than supporting meaningful gun control legislation, such as background checks and the banning of assault weapons.
It means that our government endorsed a policy of separating families and putting children in cages at the border.
It means that we really do treat immigrants from Latin America like rapists and murderers, as opposed to the America I used to know, which welcomed refugees and treated asylum seekers with respect, kindness, and due process.
It means that we unilaterally backed out of a nuclear deal with Iran which had caused them to stop building nuclear weapons, so they are now free to resume building those nuclear weapons.
It means that with Trump’s appointees to the Supreme Court, a woman’s right to choose what to do with her own body is now in danger.
It means that Trump’s administration has experienced unprecedented turnover because the people whom he appointed and said were the absolute best people available, suddenly became traitors and liars when they disagreed with him.
It means that we have a President who has embraced and emboldened white supremacists and Nazis.
It means having a President whose guiding principles on foreign and domestic issues is how they will personally impact him politically and financially.
It means having a President who constantly lies, and who attacks and belittles everyone who disagrees with anything he says or does.
It means trying to dismantle the health care system for over 20 million Americans with no plan to replace it.
It means that, unlike traditional conservative Republicans, fiscal responsibility and a balanced budget no longer exist.
The Trump Path also apparently leads to amnesia, as you’ve forgotten that President Obama inherited a recession from the Bush Administration, and saved us from a recession with bold leadership. And you’ve also forgotten that President Clinton balanced the budget, whereas under Trump we now have a yearly deficit of $1 trillion because of Trump’s failed tax reform plan.
If being “average” means treating people with respect and dignity, respecting all the institutions of our government, and honoring our relationships with our traditional allies, as we did before Trump took office, then I’ll take “average” in a heartbeat.
So, if you’re able to find 2 or 3 Palisadians who want to join you on the Trump Path, have a nice journey, but as you go, look at the polluted rivers and lakes, the soil destroyed from oil drilling, and the foul air along the way.
Also, look at the wildfires, hurricanes, floods, and tornadoes which result from Trump’s “deregulation” of industries and denial of climate science. And take note of all the farmers who now depend on government subsidies because of Trump’s disastrous trade war with China
As you continue along the Trump Path, look for the red billboards along the way which represent the essence of everything Trump does: Money, Greed, Abuse of Power, Science is Fiction, Racism, Bigotry, Lies, Corruption, Fearmongering, and Demagoguery.
The Trump Path isn’t leading to the shiny city on a hill that was envisioned by President Reagan, where other nations and peoples looked to us for guidance and inspiration. No, the Trump Path has made his administration the butt of jokes for people around the world, and will lead you over a cliff of epic proportions. I just hope that you don’t take the rest of us with you.
Steve Cron
Better Communication
The recent fires in our neighborhood have taken us all by surprise. I first witnessed the fire while at school on Monday, October 21st. At first, I gave it no real thought, continuing about my day. Getting out of swim practice at 7:30, I attempted to drive home.
LAFD did a great job containing the fire, but the traffic going up Palisades Drive had been backed up all the way down Sunset to PCH. I waited in line for over an hour with no movement. Starving, tired and wanting to get home, I gave up waiting in line and spent the night at a friend’s house.
I’m so very thankful that the LAFD was able to quickly and efficiently put out the fires, but I felt a lack of organization. For the next few days, I had no idea if the road would be opened or filled with police escorts or even momentarily closed. This made my daily commute a lot harder than it needed to be.
I received alerts saying whether the road was open or not; however, I felt frustrated that I could never estimate how long it would take to leave or return home.
As a high school student balancing homework, studying, practice, work and sleep, this was the last thing I wanted to think about. I hope that next time there’s a fire, we can all organize as a community to communicate better. I felt like we all handled the crisis great, but there’s room for improvement.
My blessings and regards go out to anyone who was affected by the fires. I hope that can all push toward a safer community.
Cole Bardin
Thank You
My name is Allie Idelson and I am a senior at Crossroads School in Santa Monica. With the recent events of the fires, I was compelled to write to my local newspaper praising the work of our first responders. I live in the Highlands and was extremely worried when the Palisades fire broke out.
To our first responders:
I want to start off by saying “thank you.” Thank you for the sleepless nights spent fighting the fire so the local Palisadians could sleep well. It was settling to know that I could sleep in my own bed the same day the fire started due to the work of our first responders.
Thank you for the fast and accurate updates, and the preparations that went into them. I know that I and so many others are thankful for the effort put into fighting our fires.
When the Palisades Fire broke out, I was sitting in English. I got a Nextdoor alert and watched the live stream of the fire racing up the mountain. I watched as more and more fire trucks fled to the scene and I watched you save house after house.
All I kept thinking was, “This house is surrounded by flames. There is no way it survived.” But time and time again, I was proved wrong.
I observed as you fought through steep and rugged terrain, and against all odds, not lose one house. You’re risking your lives for others and not looking back.
Thanks to you and your strenuous work, my community is safe. Thank you for everything.
Allie Idelson
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