More review might have helped
Last week Gov. Walz was critical of President Trump’s attempt to do funding reviews on federal grants, loans and financial assistance. He suggested the move was “stupid, buffoonish, childish.” Maybe if the governor reviewed some of the programs he is responsible for, Minnesota taxpayers would not have lost hundreds of millions of dollars to government fraud.
Ted Trenzeluk, Inver Grove Heights
Presence of mind
Kudos to the Right Reverend Mariann Budde, an Episcopal bishop, for having the strength of character to reprimand Donald J. Trump publicly for his blatant attacks on immigrants, the bulk of whom are good neighbors and members of religious communities. In speaking truth to power, Reverend Budde is voluntarily taking a dangerous personal risk. Her choice to do so is in keeping with a prevailing emphasis within her religious faith on mercy and compassion toward others which comprises a presence of mind that is unfamiliar to our current U.S. president.
Gerry Del Fiacco, Eagan
Do not power-share
There is currently a 67-to-66 Republican majority in the Minnesota House of Representatives with one open seat. Yet, the Democrats want a power-sharing agreement before they will show up for work. So far, the House Republicans have shown amazing courage and strength in supporting the rule of law and have displayed what a state House focused on the Constitution, morality and American patriotism looks like. Their focus has been on election security, economy and cleaning up waste, corruption and fraud.
Thank you for showing up to work for the people of Minnesota. Stay strong. You are in the right. Do not power share; 67 is greater than 66
Candice Sina, Vadnais Heights
Voters chose shared power
In a power move, the Republicans thought they could take control of the Minnesota House of Representatives without a majority. The Supreme Court ruled they could not. Instead of a shared agreement and shared power, the Republicans thought they could force the Democrats to accept Republican control. All the positions were politically motivated, and in the end we will have shared government we had initially agreed upon.
Those who complain now that this is keeping the legislators from their work are usually the usually the most vocal critics with the work the Legislature actually does. And the idea “if you can’t beat them, you should join them” is exactly what the Republicans did for Donald Trump.
Don Rohrer, Woodbury
They still don’t get it
The White House Press Corps just don’t get it, even after years and years of covering President Trump. He constantly runs rings around them, and the entire DC swamp.
Why? Trump’s brand of populism just resonates with the American public. We want decisive, bold and brave leadership, America always has wanted it, that is just in our DNA. Poor Gov. Tim Walz, he’s still reeling from his November beatdown. On the Rachel Maddow show Walz and the host said they’re in a living hell and can’t figure it out.
So here is the only fact they need to fully understand: Let’s face it, President Donald J. Trump is the Leonardo DaVinci of the logical non sequitur and America loves him for it. We got our commander in chief and he’s commanding.
David W. Knight, White Bear Lake
Contrast
In 1862, President Lincoln personally reviewed all 303 cases of the Dakota warriors who were condemned to death in the aftermath of the U.S.-Dakota War that year. This was during the height of the U.S. Civil War and only months after the Battle of Shiloh, one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War. In the end, Lincoln commuted the sentences of all but 38 of the condemned Dakota warriors. Lincoln explained his reasoning to the U.S. Senate: “Anxious to not act with so much clemency as to encourage another outbreak on the one hand, nor with so much severity as to be real cruelty on the other, I ordered a careful examination of the record of the trials be made…” Lincoln determined that only those prisoners who had raped women or committed murder would go to the gallows. When Lincoln ran for reelection in 1864, Gov. Ramsey of Minnesota told Lincoln that if he had approved the execution all 303 Dakota warriors, he would have won more support for his reelection bid. “I could not afford to hang men for votes,” the president replied.
During the first week in office, President Trump pardoned or commuted the sentences of more than 1,500 people who engaged in violence against the U.S. government and tried to obstruct the peaceful transfer of power. The president said it was too much work for him and his legal team to review the more than 1,500 cases individually. Instead, he issued a blanket clemency. Trump’s action was a betrayal of our nation and the Constitution as well as betrayal of the brave police officers who were exposed to grave danger when they tried to stop the rioters from subverting the electoral process on January 6, 2021. Trump, himself a convicted criminal, issued his pardons and commutations simply to play to his base and to bolster his delusional beliefs that the 2020 election was rigged. Lincoln would not “hang men for votes,” but Trump seemed quite willing to let Vice President Pence hang so that he could remain president. By issuing pardons and commutations to all of the rioters, Trump seems to support and, in the words of Lincoln, “encourage another outbreak.”
M.L. Kluznik, Mendota Heights,
Picking and choosing
It continuously amazes me that scores and probably thousands of law enforcement personnel in this country have said publicly that they will not help ICE nor answer questions regarding illegal immigrants when asked.
I wonder how long it will take until actual criminals say they can pick and choose what laws to obey as a defense.
Steve Holupchinski, Vadnais Heights
Campaign of retribution
After a week of Trump slashing and burning the norms of behavior and government institutions, one wonders how many voters are experiencing “buyer’s remorse.” His campaign of retribution is in full swing with his withdrawal of security details from key members of his former cabinet placing their lives in danger.
His latest move to strip General Milley of his security detail and direct his lapdog Hegseth to order a review of Milley’s service record is beyond even Trump’s level of immaturity.
Scott H. Frantzen, Woodbury
A familiar playbook
Donald Trump’s is a familiar playbook. First, rise to power by identifying and demonizing an unpopular segment of the population. Having convinced a crowd of that righteousness, attempt to overthrow the government and experience prosecution for the effort. Deny responsibility for violent unlawfulness, and publish grievances over your treatment. Continue the pursuit of power, promising punishment for the unpopular “others” while promising economic relief to a financially aggrieved population. Enlist the interests of business and extreme wealth in a campaign to minimize government interference in financial affairs. Obtain power through political mechanism, then immediately proceed to expand executive power, with forceful actions against the disfavored population and favoring the interests of business and extreme wealth. Find religious leaders to bless your efforts and construe them as the will of God.
Students of German history will recognize this playbook as that of Adolf Hitler, the same in every detail. Formation of the Nazi party, with Hitler as chief, in 1922, based upon antisemitism, anticommunism and extreme nationalism. Then, the Beer Hall Putsch and attempted takeover of the government in 1923, resulting in prosecution for treason and brief imprisonment. Used prosecution to gain political popularity, highlighted by the publication of grievances in “Mein Kampf.” Then gained popularity through the ’20s by lashing out against existing leaders for the unpopular treaty concluding World War I and promising relief from the financial crisis of the Great Depression in 1929. Finally, achieved a majority position in the German legislature in 1933 and secured appointment as chancellor, soon as unquestioned Fuhrer, aided by compliant politicians willing to proclaim “Heil Hitler!” Also aided by compliance, or at least silence, from the religious leaders of the day.
Many Germans were stunned by this progression of events and believed that the worst would soon come to an end. The end did arrive, but only after 12 years of hellish government, the murder of 6 million to 10 million innocent victims, and another 75 million deaths in the Second World War. Can we be confident that such horrors will not be repeated?
Thomas L. Fabel, Arden Hills
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