Letter to the editor: I’m a lifelong Republican — and I want Trump out
· The Washington TimesOPINION:
I am Republican/libertarian who worked for President Ronald Reagan from 1981 to 1986, for Chief Justice Warren Burger from 1986 to 1995 and for 14 years as vice president at Hillsdale College, and I would like to see President Trump gone. There are six main reasons why.
Reason one: Mr. Trump ran for president as a Republican, but he radically became a Keynesian liberal once in office by mandating tariffs. John Maynard Keynes’ liberals believe that all progress comes from government money and control, not from individuals and the free market. It’s the Adam Smith argument.
Tariffs in the U.S. amount to taxes given to the government — a Keynesian move. Mr. Trump’s unexpected imposition of tariffs has caused price hikes to consumers, increased inflation and lowered U.S. growth expectations. Confiscating money from families, as tariffs do, is not capitalism; it is socialism.
Reason two: The Congressional Budget Office reports that Mr. Trump’s “Big Beautiful” budget will establish a public deficit after 10 years of $2.4 trillion. That enormous debt is financially and morally irresponsible to future Americans.
Reason three: Mr. Trump wanted to deny to the people of Greenland their right to private property.
Reason four: Mr. Trump’s character often is just plain obnoxious. He regularly explodes in anger and in heated, mean name-calling. The worst example, to me, is his calling the Wall Street Journal “rotten.”
His self-love is without measure. It reminds me of what Oscar Wilde said: “To fall in love with one’s Self is the beginning of a life-long love Affair!”
Reason five: Mr. Trump started the war with Iran. He seems not to have any idea when the Strait of Hormuz, which he caused to be closed, will be opened for safe, free passage for all vessels.
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Meanwhile, the access to oil remains diminished, the cost of gasoline remains high and the costs to conduct war, according to the Pentagon, are over $30 billion, with no certain end in sight. This is taxpayer money.
Reason six: Mr. Trump demanded a $1.776 billion “anti-weaponization fund” to pay Jan. 6 riot participants. And he demands $220 million from Congress for completion of the East Wing ballroom that he said would require no government money.
RONALD L. TROWBRIDGE
Oakland, California