To The Editor:
Over the past 16 years the Republicans have given America war, recession and obstruction and absolutely nothing positive or productive. It has resulted in the absurd refinement of the art of gerrymandering, Citizens United and the gutting of the voting rights act. The political process is now totally driven by money to the point where Congress is beholden to corporations, the NRA and the excessively rich. The end result is a presidential campaign that is about personalities and temperament, not ideas and prospects.
Given a decade and a half of this level of non-governance, it is not surprising that Washington leaves a bad odor in the electorate’s nose. It is also not surprising that this odor would befoul individuals associated with Washington’s doings, rightly or wrongly. This has to be the reason why Clinton has her excessive negatives. The Vince Foster charge is ridiculous, pinning Benghazi on her just didn’t work despite millions spent in the attempt, crediting her with founding ISIS is resoundingly stupid and whatever one makes of her email fiasco, it has little or no bearing on much of anything. Mrs. Clinton has not been indicted for, let alone charged with, anything criminal, making her unique among those campaigning for the Oval Office. One has to conclude that it is innuendo creating the mistrust, because she has indeed been both close to and at the center of this most odiferous period.
Trump represents the party that was on duty on September 11, the party that lied us into the Iraq war, the party that nearly ruined America and brought the world economy to its knees. He stands for the party that insisted our president was born in Kenya, the party whose only business was to see to it that he would be a “one-term president.” Voting for Trump is voting for more of the same. Voting for Republicans down ballot is voting for Trumpism.
If we want change in America, then we have to change the makeup of Congress. Otherwise, sadly, the Republicans will learn nothing from this Trump experience and, sadly, America will continue to be saddled with politics as a smelly business enterprise.
Leo Cohen
Fayston
