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To the editor:
Many of those who voted to put President Donald Trump back in the White House are now saying of his policies, "This is not what I voted for." Obviously, they were not paying attention.
The overwhelming majority of migrants have always been hard-working and underpaid. The overwhelming majority of crimes committed in this country are by people born here. So when Trump promised mass deportations, who did his supporters think he would deport.
Then there's the jailing (he was finally released on a judge's order) of Mahmoud Khalil. His "crime" was speaking against Israel's slaughter of Gaza residents and its support by the U.S. The fact that the attempt to deport Khalil is because of his criticism of U.S. foreign policy should not be a surprise. Trump's response to losing an election was an attempt to overthrow the U.S. government and install himself as a dictator. Why would anyone expect such a creature to respect free speech?
Another example of how Trump supporters tend to be removed from reality is the "Affinities" letter (The Chief, May 30). It starts off by referring to President Theodore Roosevelt's third term. This is fiction. He never served a third term. I don't understand why this was even printed. As Daniel Patrick Moynihan said, "You're entitled to your own opinion, not your own facts."
Furthermore, Roosevelt used antitrust laws to break up monopolies and took strong action to protect the environment. Trump favors no restrictions on big business other than tariffs.
Richard Warren
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Peace through strength: Trump’s foreign policy strategy vindicated?
Trump’s approach to Iran certainly had its critics — from both his partisan opponents and his base. But the brilliant military success, followed up by an important diplomatic achievement, will go down in history as one of the high points of his second term in office.
By authorizing the daring Operation Midnight Hammer, Trump defied the domestic doubters and succeeded. After four years of international apology and retreat, Trump has restored America’s classic foreign policy of ensuring peace through strength.
Teddy Roosevelt's antitrust laws:
Critics of Teddy Roosevelt's antitrust laws, particularly the Sherman Antitrust Act, argued that they could hinder economic growth and innovation by restricting large corporations that were seen as efficient. Some believed that the laws were overly aggressive and could lead to unnecessary government intervention in the economy, potentially stifling competition rather than promoting it.
Typo:
Theodore Roosevelt's third term was adventurous
Correction:
Theodore Roosevelt's campaign for a third term was adventurous.
This quote, attributed to Phoebe Waller-Bridge, effectively conveys the idea of human error:
“That’s why they have erasers on pencils.” It underscores the universal occurrence of mistakes and the fact that everyone is susceptible to them.
Thursday, June 26 Report this
reenjoe
I would add that T. Roosevelt was the brainchild of the progressive tax system, in large part to end generational wealth.
In 1910 TR said "The really big fortune, the swollen fortune, by the mere fact of its size, acquires qualities which differentiate it in kind as well as in degree from what is possessed by men of relatively small means. Therefore, I believe in a graduated income tax on big fortunes, and … a graduated inheritance tax on big fortunes". Trump believes in the exact opposite.
Thursday, June 26 Report this
0000
Franklin D. Roosevelt’s advocacy for progressive taxes to reduce generational wealth has been taken to an extreme, benefiting no one, particularly the most vulnerable in society. Even President Trump’s good intentions have limitations.
Friday, June 27 Report this
0000
Over-taxation is the root cause of the problem, not the solution. Killing prosperity can indeed be counterproductive, as economic growth is essential for supporting those in need. A robust economy enables governments to allocate more resources and provide assistance, ultimately improving the well-being of individuals and communities.
Friday, June 27 Report this
reenjoe
J. Donne, a progressive tax system with high rates on large inheritances was the brainchild of Teddy Roosevelt not FDR. You might need that eraser again.
As for the critics of anti-trust and other business regulating laws, I would point out that those laws protected Americans against the excesses of greedy businessmen for over a century. These laws serve a very important function by banning monopolies, cartels, collusion and deceptive business practices. I suggest you see Arthur Miller's play "All My Sons" to get some perspective.
As for over-taxation posing harm, I believe under-taxation is even more damaging. The U.S. is drowning in debt - going from $1 Trillion in 1980 to over $36 Trillion since tax rates were flattened by Reagan. The top rate in 1980 = 70%, today less than 40%. Inheritance taxes in 1980 began at $175,000, today nearly $14 million.
Not to mention, we now have the worst wealth inequality in American history. Wealth inequality is the number one cause of social unrest in the world as per the CIA.
Friday, June 27 Report this
reenjoe
Interestingly, the same Senate Republicans that handcuffed Obama from responding to Assad's use of chemical warfare in Syria a decade ago by passing a War Powers Resolution, blocked a similar Resolution yesterday that would have limited Trump vis-a-vis Iran. What hypocrites!
Saturday, June 28 Report this
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In simple terms, I am grateful that Trump demonstrated the strength to neutralize Iran’s means of acquiring nuclear weapons. Trump’s actions cannot be compared to Obama’s because the circumstances are vastly different. Thanks to Trump’s actions, Iran’s atomic bomb development is now impossible, thereby making the world safer. I pray for President Trump to always act in the best interests of the United States.
Saturday, June 28 Report this
0000
Freedom is the gateway through which the radiant light of the human spirit shines.
I compose my posts from memory, avoiding the trap of getting bogged down by fleeting statistics that fluctuate from administration to administration.
Repressive laws alone cannot foster the development of a robust moral compass, which is essential for making ethical choices throughout life. On the contrary, ethics education empowers individuals to make sound moral decisions throughout their lifetime.
Arthur Miller’s play “All My Sons” serves as a compelling illustration of Joe Keller, a morally corrupt businessman who ultimately succumbed to suicide. Certainly, Keller’s lack of ethics education played a pivotal role in his downfall.
Regarding economics, I highly recommend reading or rereading Milton Friedman’s influential books, “Capitalism and Freedom” and “Free to Choose,” which underscore the significance of economic freedom and limited government intervention.
If you wish to share statistical information, I am prepared to assist you.
Saturday, June 28 Report this
reenjoe
J. Donne, I have read numerous articles written by and heard interviews from Milton Friedman, including his 1970 NY Times editorial entitled "A Friedman Doctrine". I completely disagree with his conclusions. Friedman argued that government doesn't need to oversee, inspect or regulate business and had used the airline industry as an example. Friedman argued that the airline industry had the greatest interest in manufacturing and operating safe jetliners. He also argued that they know their business better than regulators, making the government superfluous.
The Boeing 737 Max debacle proved Friedman wrong. Not only did the industry fail to protect the public, they lied about it, blaming dead pilots for a faulty product.
Former GE CEO Jack Welsh was a Friedman disciple who ruthlessly fired 100,000 American workers over his first four years as boss and doubled offshore workers to 130,000. By the time "Neutron Jack" was done, GE had half the number of employees and put profits ahead of their customers and product quality. GE never recovered.
Milton Friedman and his ilk killed the adage "the customer is always right" and replaced it with "the shareholder comes first".
Another example of Friedman's disastrous approach to deregulation is the food industry. I remember when all meats had a blue stamp on the fat cap "USDA Inspected". Reagan severely downscaled USDA inspection and we have had safety recalls ever since. Jack-In-The-Box was the first of many food recalls following consumer deaths and BoarsHead was one of the more recent.
Friedman was wrong. Business cannot be trusted to police itself; that is a conflict of interest. The primary responsibility of government is to protect the citizenry.
Monday, June 30 Report this
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I have read countless books on the subject of economics. Consequently, I understand that there is no one solution to the Wealth of Nations.
Economic Theories" as a category for books encompasses a wide range of literature that explores the principles, models, and frameworks used to understand how economies function. This genre includes works that delve into classical, neoclassical, Keynesian, Marxist, and contemporary economic theories, among others. Books in this category often examine the behavior of markets, the role of government intervention, the dynamics of supply and demand, and the impact of economic policies on societies. They may also address the philosophical underpinnings of economic thought, the evolution of economic ideas over time, and the application of these theories to real-world issues such as inflation, unemployment, and globalization.
1) The wealth of nations Adam Smith
2) The General Theory of Employment, Interest, and Money by John Maynard Keynes.
3) Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
Whether written for academic audiences or general readers, these books aim to provide insights into the complex mechanisms that drive economic activity and influence global and local economies.
The notion that Democrats are inherently good and wise, while Republicans are inherently evil and unwise, is utterly absurd. As George Bernard Shaw wisely said, “Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”
Monday, June 30 Report this
Admin
Yes, there are many terrible Democrats such as Bill Clinton, who while registered as a Democrat, had policies that were basically Republican. That's why Barry Goldwater was disappointed in Reagan but thought Clinton was a good president. But Republicans in general tend to be worse and Trump, with his attempts to make himself a dictator and who's reckless policies endanger most people, including those who voted for him, is the worst president. I'm reminded of a comic strip which had a father explaining to his young son the difference between Democrats and Republicans. He uses words such as despicable to describe Democrats. Then he uses the same words, only putting the word "really" in front of them, to describe Republicans.
Thursday, July 3 Report this
reenjoe
Quad-Zero, you completely misrepresent the debate by posting "The notion that Democrats are inherently good and wise, while Republicans are inherently evil and unwise, is utterly absurd."
What I (and many others) have been saying is that a Progressive pro-active government implementing policies that favor the working man is inherently good, while a Conservative, pro-business government implementing policies that favor the wealthy is inherently evil.
Party labels are irrelevant, except that Democrats are clearly the lesser of two evils.
Friday, July 4 Report this
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reenjoe
Your opinion about Democrats and Republicans is your perspective, not an objective fact.
My opinion on Democrats and Republicans is different. Republicans are, in my opinion, the lesser of the two evils.
My opinions are grounded in historical fact, not in the unrealistic dreams of Utopian ideology, which, in reality, diverges from human nature.
4 days ago Report this