Tracking Trump’s power trip
Re: “It’s about ideology, not oligarchy,” March 30 commentary
Ross Douthat states that the misuse of “oligarchy” by Sen. Bernie Sanders creates a vision of Trumpism as a vision of billionaires calling the shots. He correctly notes that many Trump agenda items are not those of the oligarchs.
What he ignores is that any coherent “ideology” of Donald Trump is contained in Project 2025, which is his model for assuming power.
Project 2025 is explicitly derived from the processes used by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to subvert his country’s democracy and by Russian leader Vladimir Putin to subvert the inchoate democratic movement after the fall of the Soviet Union. The oligarchs in Hungary and Russia support the dictatorship with their monetary gains in return for being allowed to remain billionaires. The dictator calls the shots.
According to former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich, seven oligarchs contributed a total of $1 billion to elect Trump and other Republicans. Elon Musk contributed millions to the key Wisconsin Supreme Court election. Musk, Jeff Bezos, Rupert Murdoch and Mark Zuckerberg support Trump on their mega-platforms.
Again, according to Reich, Trump supporters add to his riches through his cryptocurrencies. Douthat is right, except that the “ideology” of Trumpism should be called “kleptocracy.”
David Schroeder, Arvada
America is worth staying and fighting for
Re: ” ‘I don’t get why anyone would want to stay,’ ” March 9 news story
First, there was the article “I don’t understand why anyone would want to stay” about moving out of the U.S. because of the country’s political direction.
Then, there were the follow-up letters concerning the moves abroad – other countries are also having their problems, etc.
What amazes and distresses me is that I have seen no letters stating my instant, gut reaction when I read the “don’t understand why anyone would want to stay” article:
Because America is worth fighting for – for our future and the future country in which our grandchildren will live.
America has been a beacon of light to the world. That light is dimming. We need to stay and get that light shining again.
I never saw this country as a nation of quitters.
Alvina Mabry, Golden
The playbook to promote division
In what may be the lowest of lows in spreading inflammatory disinformation, Rep. Lauren Boebert, CD-4, issued a press release on April 1 in which she asserted that “Members of the Democrat [sic] Party have made calls for their supporters to incite and engage in domestic terrorism by attacking Tesla vehicles and facilities to protest Elon Musk.” This is utterly defamatory and beyond the bounds of civil political discourse, but it fits with the playbook of the Trump administration and Rep. Boebert’s efforts to create a false narrative promoting division and hostility within our society for their own political ends.
Ralph Roberts, Littleton
Journalist rightfully honored
I wish to offer my sincere congratulations to Sam Tabachnik for the honor of Journalist of the Year, Denver Post reporter, selected by the Colorado Society of Professional Journalists. He is an excellent researcher and writer. You must be very proud to have him on your staff. I anticipate reading his important articles in the Denver Post.
Victoria Swearingen, Denver
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