When will we learn?
Regarding the article about President Trump’s education (Collins to CBS: Trump has learned “big lesson”), it seems to me that Sen. Susan Collins and her Republican colleagues have taught Trump two big lessons.
The first is, “I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn’t lose voters,” and the second is, “When you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything.”
He’s learned his lessons well. When will we?
Matthew Freedman
Brooksville
Our new role model
It should be clear to everyone that a fundamental paradigm shift has occurred. For three years, a phenomenal role model has been on display daily. It has been shown that the pinnacle of success can be achieved by unending self-promotion, belittling behavior, intimidating bravado, and a rejection of facts, even those that are in plain sight.
The old-fashioned role model based on honesty, compassion, respect, courtesy, empathy, morality, and humility simply cannot compete. It is time that we adopt this new model in our workplaces and most importantly in our schools. This transition may be difficult for some, but the sooner we adopt this new model, the greater America will become. In doing so we will become the envy of the rest of the world.
The wisdom of 60 million voters wasn’t wrong in 2016 and, trust me, they won’t be wrong again this November. Why would anyone vote in opposition knowing that they will publicly be called stupid, a dope, a psycho, a loser, a lowlife, a low-class slob, and a sleazebag after the election? Why would anyone want to reject what has made America great again?
Duane Hanselman
Holden
History will look favorably on Romney
I was moved to tears by the sincerity of Sen. Mitt Romney’s speech defending his decision to declare President Trump guilty. He relayed how enormously consequential his oath before God to be an impartial juror was and the emotional impact of these words caused him to bow his head to regain his composure. He went on to explain how he could not ignore evidence for the sake of party, to later receive history’s rebuke plus the censure of his own conscience.
He declared that Trump’s use of a foreign government for political and personal gain was an appalling abuse of public trust, an assault on electoral rights and national security as well as our country’s most fundamental values.
Sen. Romney knew that in declaring this he would receive much criticism and abuse. This has already begun with Donald Trump Jr. calling him a coward and asking for his expulsion from the Republican Party. However, I believe that in future history books, Romney will be remembered as a man of great courage and integrity.
History will not look as favorably on senators who had a trial with no witnesses and disregarded evidence.
Andrea Thurlow
Atkinson
What it means to be a leader
According to the Military Times, half of all active-duty service members are unhappy with President Trump. According to Fox News, half of all Americans said Donald Trump should be convicted and removed from office. According to an NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, 52 percent of voters believe Trump abused the power of his office and 53 percent believe he obstructed Congress by not cooperating with the impeachment investigation and by directing government employees not to comply with subpoenas.
If Donald Trump is such a great leader and problem solver as he constantly boasts, why can’t he unite the country? Perhaps he never read or heard of this warning first attributed to Christ and echoed by Abraham Lincoln: “A house divided against itself will not stand.”
Perhaps he doesn’t think the ongoing division in our country is a problem. Or perhaps he doesn’t remember his own words to Fox and Friends in 2013 when he was asked who should take the blame, who should be “fired,” who should bear responsibility: “Well, if you say who gets fired it always has to be the top. I mean, problems start from the top and they have to get solved from the top and the president’s the leader. And he’s got to get everybody in a room and he’s got to lead.”
Paul Totaro
Bar Harbor