Letter to the Editor: How Far Will It Go?

In a March of 2016 editorial, the Chicago Tribune cited 50 uses of the word “disaster” by candidate Donald Trump. Examples of “disaster” in Trump tirades were the Affordable Care Act, urban crime, the TPP, NAFTA, immigration laws, the Electoral College, and everything relating to Hillary Clinton. The writer made no claim that this list of 50 examples was exhaustive, and the list has grown exponentially since Trump took office, notably with the insults and accusations he has hurled at the media and at the intelligence community on which he must rely.

The real disaster in this humiliating national nightmare we are experiencing now is Donald J. Trump. This ignorant, reckless and irresponsible demagogue is now an unfit president, a national disgrace, and he desecrates the White House and delegitimizes the institutions that he was elected to uphold. He has undermined democracy as our government has sunk deeper each day into a chaotic tailspin as he concocts endless diversions to distract attention from his lies and misdeeds. Dragging the UK into his baseless and preposterous accusations of wiretapping by the Obama administration? Seriously? Meanwhile the Republicans engage in a desperate and futile effort to make an appearance of solidarity as the Democrats voice their justifiable rage. No real business can be done in this toxic climate.

To this extent, I agree with Trump that the Electoral College is indeed a disaster, since it is the Electoral College who elected him and clearly not the voice of the majority of the people.

How far do we have to go down this path?

How many Americans have to lose their health insurance?

For how long do we have to abide the ignorant rhetoric of climate change denial, in spite of the science that supports it?

How far do we have to go down the path of cruel and shortsighted immigration policies that fly in the face of everything that our country stands for?

For how long do we have to tolerate a government based on a culture of fear, insults and enforcement?

For how long do we have to feel embarrassed to be American?

How far do we have to go down this path before we can come together in a groundswell of support for any legal and constitutional means of impeaching Donald J. Trump and reclaiming our country and our destiny.

Gail Jacobs

Ellison Bay, Wis.