Past is past - change the future

Dear Editor,

“We can’t do anything about the past, but we can change the future “ This quote from Heather Cox Richardson, Historian, Author, Professor at Boston College really resonates with me as I think about this past year. There were so many outrageously bad moments created out of the White House that it takes your breath away. From the start —hiring people with no experience (only loyalty) to lead in their designated areas; reducing large numbers of staff (1mil+) in the name of “efficiency” in departments who service millions in the US and abroad (USAID, SNAP, etc ); the war on immigrants both legal and illegal without due process; pardoning Jan 6 convicted criminals and many others because they support the White House; extreme budget cuts in the Department of Education; withholding emergency funding for a variety of situations because they are in a blue state or have a democrat as governor;  the complete INACTION of the GOP to make decisions on providing the extended ACA or a plan for Healthcare; the renaming of the Department of Defense to the War Department and severing ties with our global allies and unauthorized aggression on other countries; the impact tariffs have on our economy and farmers in rural America; the continued ignoring of the rule of law and open biases of any citizen who isn’t white; the continuous self indulgent expenditures for personal gain—golf trips to Mara Lago, White House embellishments, tearing down historic east wing of the White House without authorization; conjuring up a peace prize alternative and putting the incumbent’s name on everything; expressing caustic and dehumanizing rhetoric, and on and on. These are just a few reminders of the unAmerican behaviors exhibited this year. But after all of this, the incumbent wrote the most inappropriate, mean, untrue post this past weekend regarding the death of Rob Reiner—a man who is an outspoken defender of democracy and that has made some of the best and memorable movies of all time ( For All Good Men and Harry Met Sally). The incumbent has spoken in sound bites and heartless lies and outbursts since he took office, but this post about Rob Reiner showed how he completely LACKS any ounce of integrity, character or leadership to be able to lead this nation. The role of the presidency sets the tone for our culture which currently does not reflect US!! Millions of people did not vote for this, nor do many people who did vote for him, no longer agree with his actions this year. His poll numbers are tanking. But, the GOP stands firm in their allegiance.  I Know that each and every one of us in our community and country deserve better than this. None of the promises to make a booming economy, to fix health care, manage the border and give us new job opportunities are anywhere close to being put into place. The tangible changes are all the opposite. Plus he ignores the Constitution and rule of law—core conservative values.  So as Heather has analyzed patterns of American history——« we can’t change the past but we can change the future! » Will you be a participant in making sure we save our family values, freedoms and American way of life?  Let’s work together to create a future we can be proud of—Starting with health care! Doesn’t EVERYONE deserve AFFORDABLE healthcare? Vote every member of the local and national GOP OUT in 2026. They are as much the problem as the people in the White House. I am hopeful you will! Enough! Here’s to a Happy New Year and a new beginning! We have seen this year’s poor results, so TOGETHER—Republicans Democrats Independents—let’s change our future!! Where EVERYONE is fed, housed, safe and treated with dignity. And our leaders work for us not themselves.

Debi Morton

Spring Green, WI