Keith Burgess-Jackson, J.D., Ph.D.

In a speech to the nation last week (“Trump makes his case on wall,” Page A1, Jan. 9), Donald Trump deluged the country with half-truths and bald-faced lies, which, according to independent fact-checkers, he previously has done thousands of times. Yet a large majority of Republican senators continue to bow to his will, not because of their belief in the veracity of his views (which they must recognize have increasingly crippled our government and harmed many thousands of our citizens), but because of fear of losing their seats in the next election or because of other sources of outside intimidation.

Trump has threatened to continue a government shutdown until he gets his way. Such is the behavior of a schoolyard bully, unless taught to mend his character. In the absence of such teaching, such bullies, by hook or crook, may eventually evolve into dictatorial tyrants with the aim of destroying democracy and its institutions. Hopefully, the country will not let this happen.

David L. Maxwell

Duxbury

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Great being with the National Champion Clemson Tigers last night at the White House. Because of the Shutdown I served them massive amounts of Fast Food (I paid), over 1000 hamburgers etc. Within one hour, it was all gone. Great guys and big eaters!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 15, 2019

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Here.

Here.

Here is Kurt Schlichter’s latest column.

Donald Trump’s approval rating is 43%. Barack Obama’s approval rating at the same point of his presidency (14 January 2011) was 47%.

Twenty years ago, Newt Gingrich instituted the politics of personal destruction and government shutdowns. It reached its zenith in Donald Trump.

The Republican Party has entered into a destructive marriage with Mr. Trump. Its reputation for intellectual honesty, fiscal conservancy and belief in small government is now on life support. It contributed to the demise by embracing a narcissistic sexual harasser, pathological liar and geopolitical moron. By willingly entering into this corrupt partnership, Republicans adopted as their own: corruption, lack of morality, comprehensive ignorance, intellectual dishonesty, politics of racial division, bigotry and disdain for democratic institutions and norms. The rot afflicting the GOP is now comprehensive—moral, intellectual, political and reputational.

Congressional leaders like Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell embraced a delusional Mr. Trump and sacrificed their party’s integrity as well their own. This Faustian bargain was the means by which Mr. Ryan and Mr. McConnell were able to achieve their avowed goals. Mr. Ryan passed his tax cuts for the richest 1 percent and raised the national debt to stratospheric heights that would have been antithetical to the Republican Party before they gave the party to Mr. Trump.

Fearful that his lies to the middle class had been exposed, Mr. Ryan left Congress. Mr. McConnell bargained away his integrity by supporting Mr. Trump’s government shutdown and refusing to allow a vote on a bill to open the government that he and a majority of the Senate passed two weeks ago. It was a bill Mr. Trump agreed to sign until his advisers at Fox News objected. Mr. McConnell loyally fell prostrate at Mr. Trump’s feet and cowered before Rupert Murdock’s Fox News, openly admitting the Senate will only act when Fox tells Mr. Trump and Mr. Trump tells him.

Hopefully Mr. Trump’s politics of division and bigotry will soon be buried in the dung heap of history along with his sycophants in Congress. The nation needs to again stand for the values that made us the leader of the free world and overcome the shame of attacking our own democratic institutions. We must rebuild our allies’ trust and belief that we keep our promises. It has been shameful having the world watch the president of the United States genuflect at the feet of tyrants like Valdimir Putin, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The midterm election proved the voters have regained the desire for competency, honesty and morality in our leaders. Hopefully we will never again be fooled by a foul- mouthed corrupt grifter.

William Manifesto

Bell Acres

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— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 14, 2019

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