{"id":329,"date":"2025-04-04T17:52:42","date_gmt":"2025-04-04T17:52:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ezcpv.com\/?p=329"},"modified":"2025-04-07T14:41:27","modified_gmt":"2025-04-07T14:41:27","slug":"letters-trump-isnt-running-an-oligarchy-its-a-kleptocracy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/ezcpv.com\/index.php\/2025\/04\/04\/letters-trump-isnt-running-an-oligarchy-its-a-kleptocracy\/","title":{"rendered":"Letters: Trump isn\u2019t running an \u201coligarchy.\u201d It\u2019s a \u201ckleptocracy.\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tracking Trump’s power trip<\/h4>\n

Re: “It’s about ideology, not oligarchy,” March 30 commentary<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

What he ignores is that any coherent “ideology” of Donald Trump is contained in Project 2025, which is his model for assuming power.<\/p>\n

Project 2025 is explicitly derived from the processes used by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orb\u00e1n 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.<\/p>\n

According to former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich<\/a>, 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.<\/p>\n

Again, according to Reich, Trump supporters add to his riches through his cryptocurrencies<\/a>. Douthat is right, except that the “ideology” of Trumpism should be called “kleptocracy.”<\/p>\n

David Schroeder, Arvada<\/em><\/p>\n

America is worth staying and fighting for<\/h4>\n

Re: ” ‘I don’t get why anyone would want to stay,’ ” March 9 news story<\/p>\n

First, there was the article \u201cI don\u2019t understand why anyone would want to stay\u201d about moving out of the U.S. because of the country\u2019s political direction.<\/p>\n

Then, there were the follow-up letters concerning the moves abroad \u2013 other countries are also having their problems, etc.<\/p>\n

What amazes and distresses me is that I have seen no letters stating my instant, gut reaction when I read the \u201cdon\u2019t understand why anyone would want to stay\u201d article:<\/p>\n

Because America is worth fighting for \u2013 for our future and the future country in which our grandchildren will live.<\/p>\n

America has been a beacon of light to the world. That light is dimming. We need to stay and get that light shining again.<\/p>\n

I never saw this country as a nation of quitters.<\/p>\n

Alvina Mabry, Golden<\/em><\/p>\n