Trump, fires and taxes | Letters to the editor, Nov. 22, 2018

California has paid for firefighting

President Trump’s recent comments that money is “given“ to California to fight forest fires embodies the very worst of a Washington politician. California pays the most of any state in federal taxes, over $400 billion annually. On a per-capita basis, it is also one of the highest-paying states in the nation. The fact is California is paying its fair share and then some to fight its fires. President Trump isn’t “giving“ us anything. We’ve been paying our taxes; can we say the same about him?

President Trump is not above the law

Like most Americans, I am outraged at Trump’s mob boss attempt to derail the Mueller investigation. His appointment of Whitaker without Senate confirmation is not only unethical, but unconstitutional. Congress must act now to undertake its constitutional responsibility to protect the special prosecutor and demonstrate that the president is not above the law.

Time to unite as Americans

The election is over, everyone is either celebrating their win or unhappy that their candidate lost. The thing I am not celebrating is that our national conversation is not any better than when we started this election cycle. There is no acceptance to those who won, not one iota of conciliation to those that lost. It is the same old nasty put downs of the opponent.

I would like to ask, what happened to being a good loser? When did we make fun of those who lost? Didn’t we do that in elementary, junior or high school to our collective regret? Making them “feel bad”? Are we not beyond that idiocy?

Please think about these things as we proceed into our collective lives. We can live together, we can work together, yet we are now vilifying ideas in the name of politics?

We can either decide whether we address our challenges, our problems, our needs, and we can proceed without that hatred , or not. I think we are better than what is now being advocated. We are more worthy than this situation. We are Americans. Let us join together to be an America that cares for all.