Trump was, is, and always will be an incapable leader
In one hour last week, Donald Trump tweeted or re-tweeted 52 times. He averaged a tweet every 7.5 minutes for the day. None of the tweets mentioned the nearly 80,000 Americans who have died from Covid-19 or any plans for addressing the pandemic. What’s with the tweeting? When will he begin leading?
It appears Trump’s leadership plan has been to discount, ignore and reverse anything President Obama enacted. To that end his administration discounted the comprehensive (69-page) plan that the Obama Administration provided on how to handle a pandemic, and lied that it didn’t exist. In 2017, Trump proposed cutting $277 million in pandemic preparedness funding. He gutted CDC funding and disbanded the Directorate for Global Health Security and Biodefense, which Obama established after the successful control of the international Ebola epidemic of 2014. Despite repeated dire warnings that the U.S. was precariously unprepared and underfunded to deal with a pandemic, Trump continued to cut funding and discount the scientific facts presented to him. In March he excused his administration’s inaction and lack of preparedness by claiming the virus to be “a very unforeseen thing.”
As a stark and telling contrast, South Korea’s and the U.S.A.’s first cases of Covid-19 were identified on the same day — February 15. South Korea’s leaders took the threat seriously: testing, tracking and containing the deadly virus. Trump told Americans, “The Coronavirus is very much under control in the U.S.A.” (Feb. 24). “It’s going to disappear… like a miracle” (Feb. 28). “Just stay calm. It will go away” (March 10). For precious weeks, people continued to travel, mingle and spread the virus. We all know the horror our health care providers have had in attempting to treat and control this rampant illness without adequate tests, protective equipment, and supplies. Today South Korea’s virus death toll is 263; America’s is 91,275, up nearly 11,000 in just the past week.
Support Local Journalism
Trump spends his time tweeting excuses, throwing tantrums, firing his “enemies,” and fabricating conspiracy theories to divert attention from the fact that he was, is, and always will be an incapable leader.
Meanwhile, Americans have lost and are continuing to lose our livelihoods, our freedoms, and our very lives.
Annette Roberts-Gray
Carbondale
Stepp spoke up to clarify YouthZone’s work
I am writing this letter in response to the article in Friday’s paper about the City of Glenwood Springs choosing not to fund YouthZone’s annual grant request. I feel it is important that our community understands the impact of this decision on our youth and families at this time. Additionally, I would like to shed some more light on the role that Councilor Paula Stepp’s comments played in the grant process. Paula is a dedicated and passionate advocate of youth and families and she always has the best interest of YouthZone in mind. It is no exaggeration to say that YouthZone is better because of Paula. As Paula listened to the discussion at the Glenwood City Finance Advisory Board meeting it appeared that committee members did not fully comprehend the work YouthZone does for the community and it would be their intent to recommend to city council that YZ not receive any grant dollars. Paula spoke up to clarify YouthZone’s work after which the committee added back in $4,500 of the original $20,000 request for city council approval.
This is where the article started, and so it appeared that YouthZone’s grant award was reduced because of Paula’s comments. However, the decision had already been made to reject YouthZone’s grant request in its entirety. We are currently experiencing a time when our youth and families need more support, not less. Glenwood Springs and its surroundings make for a wonderful place to live and, while each of us has chosen to live here for different reasons, we have historically been united as a community in our care and support for the health and well-being of our families. We know that without healthy youth and healthy families, we cannot have a strong and vibrant community. YouthZone is asking all of you who believe in the well-being of our youth, to help raise the $20,000 not awarded via the City of Glenwood’s Discretionary Grant. Great news! As I compose this, $5,000 has already been raised. Thank you in advance for your support.
Lori Mueller,
YouthZone Executive Director
Glenwood Springs
Put a stop-payment on Congressional paychecks
Since Congress is slow to act on a second stimulus check package for the American people, there should be a way that American taxpayers can place a stop-payment on the paychecks for members of Congress. Number one, I would start with the Republicans in the U. S. Senate, because they have already told the House of Representatives that any new stimulus checks for the American people would not be discussed before June. Even if the House passes this second stimulus bill right now, Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said that this legislation would be dead on arrival. Let’s stop his paycheck first!
The second $1,200 stimulus check for most Americans is a joke! While Congress is taking their sweet time in passing any legislation to help us, millions of Americans will suffer financially as well as put their health in danger due to losing their health insurance. Because Congress is sandbagging the current legislation, millions of Americans feel compelled to go back to work in a semi-open economy. The COVID-19 curve is barely on the downside right now. This means that more Americans will become infected and put more stress on our health care system. Actually, America does not really have a health care system. It has a disease management system which has a terrible track record so far.
If only there was a way to put a stop-payment on Congressional paychecks. While Americans suffer, members of Congress have the luxury of us paying their fat salaries of $174,000 a year. November seems so far away to vote these people out of office.
Randy Fricke
New Castle
Vote for Alex DeGolia – HCE Board
A quote from Albert Einstein that helped inspire me to run for elected office almost 20 years ago was: “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” I translated this quote into a campaign slogan of ‘A New Perspective.’
Fast forward two decades and I remain convinced that our perspectives must continue to evolve in order to successfully address the amazingly complex challenges we face today and will continue to face for decades to come. I would argue that utilities, particularly electric utilities are in the eye of the storm.
What continues to inspire me is that our greatest lever to solve these challenges, without question, is local agencies, which includes local electric co-ops like Holy Cross Energy. It is imperative that Holy Cross be innovative, collaborative and entrepreneurial, while at the same time being measured and responsible stewards of the incredibly vital systems they manage on our behalf. I see Alex DeGolia fitting that mold quite well.
Alex is energetic and thoughtful. He has intelligence backed by field experience. He has helped solve complex problems by asking the right questions and forging strong relationships. He brings a new perspective to the table yet his family has strong roots to the valley.
The Town of Carbondale relies on Holy Cross Energy in many different ways and in some ways our future success is intertwined. I look forward to Alex helping us achieve that success. Please vote Alex DeGolia for HCE Board.
Dan Richardson,
Carbondale
Trump campaign spreading misinformation
Let’s all understand what the word misinformation means: false, inaccurate information intended to deceive. In other words; lies.
Donald Trump on Friday declared the Coronavirus officially defeated, time to go back to work folks, business as usual, let’s get this economy back on track. Anybody question those statements? If you do, then you are speaking truth to power. Who is running our country? The people. Not world governments, not Jared Kushner, the president’s son in law, who told Trump not to admit to the public there was a virus back in March. Misinformation. Not Donald Trump Jr. (and I stress the junior part), who on Saturday declared that Joe Biden is a pedophile. Donald’s other son Eric this past weekend declared that the Coronavirus was designed by the Chinese and the Democrats to bring down his father, and that social distancing is not science. Wow. The Democrats got together; whomever they are, and invented the virus. Again, misinformation.
Donald Trump’s reelection campaign is now spending, they announced recently, $1 million on Facebook ads per month. 100% false. Misinformation. I read one yesterday and could not stop laughing.
Seriously folks, does anyone really believe any of it? Have we as a people in this country sunk so low to think that we should believe lies now, and forget about the truth. Forget about science. Forget about honor and integrity.
Time is coming soon when we will need the Roosevelt cure for our economy. Allocate funds from Congress to put everyone back to work who wants to work. Fix our roads, bridges, railroads, ports and hospitals. Fix them all. Make us whole again. We are already great!
Steven Gluckman
Glenwood Springs