To the editor:
I am a retired factory worker and I love my country. I am writing this letter to encourage my fellow Americans to do several things. First, I believe we should thank President Obama for guiding our country away from a potential economic collapse. Second, I believe we should reject Donald Trump’s message of hate and division. Third, I think we should support Hillary Clinton for president.
Like many Americans, I recently watched the national party conventions. I listened closely to the speakers and I concluded several things. First, Obama deserves much credit for turning the country’s economy around, despite little cooperation from Congress. When Obama took office, the economy under President Bush was on the brink of collapse. It was difficult to borrow money, businesses were closing every day and people were losing their jobs and homes by the tens of thousands each month. Despite all of the bigotry and racism directed at the president, he withstood the insults and threats and did his job with great success.
Think about all the industries that are better today than in 2008. Obama also inherited a series of international conflicts not of his creation, in Iraq and Afghanistan and the continuing war on terror, which Bush declared was “Mission Accomplished.” Nothing could have been further from the truth. In my opinion, Obama has served our nation with distinction under the gravest conditions. He deserves our admiration, respect and thanks for a job well done.
That brings me to my second point: Trump is a complete fake. He is a con man. He has insulted his way to the top of the Republican Party. Any candidate who announces he alone is the only person who can fix our nation’s problems is not simply arrogant, he is delusional and messianic. In reality, Trump doesn’t have a clue on how to run a government. He has also shown he cannot run a business without multiple bankruptcies and cheating workers out of their hard-earned money, while he pocketed millions. It cracks me up that he has bamboozled so many in the Republican Party. But it is also clear that many Republicans are running from Trump’s incompetence, his impulsiveness and his poor judgment. It is remarkable that the so-called party of Lincoln would select a man like Trump as its nominee. No one would ever persuade me that Lincoln would support a charlatan like Trump. Lincoln was a man of honor and substance. He was a man of principle. He was a statesman. Trump is a bigot in the tradition of George Wallace, and he will say anything — Lying Ted, Little Marco, Crooked Hillary — to get himself elected. I hope my fellow Americans will not be fooled.
I am supporting Hillary Clinton and the Democrats because their vision of America is mine. Love trumps hate. There is enough in the world for all of us, especially if the top 1 percent must share. Clinton has the knowledge, experience and temperament needed to serve as president. She is a stateswoman, known by leaders around the world. She is known as a hard worker and a well-prepared representative. She served the people of New York with distinction in the Senate. Her opponent, Trump, could hardly be less qualified. This isn’t reality TV; we are talking about the future of our country and our role in the world. Clinton may have her faults, but she is far superior to Trump by any relevant measure.
When you go to the polls, I hope you will do so with compassion and love of country. I hope you will reject racial privilege and bigotry. I hope you will reject Trump’s message of “Make America White Again.” America will only be great when all of us — whatever our religion, our gender, our sexual orientation, our race, our class — have an equal chance at the American dream. Donald Trump is the American nightmare.
D.E. Fair
Delaware
