To the Editor:
When Americans joined the No Kings demonstrations, they stood for one of our oldest democratic tenets — that no one is above the law.
Donald Trump’s response was to post a meme of himself dressed as a king, flying a fighter jet, dumping sewage on peaceful demonstrators. The people he and his sycophants branded as “vile” and “demonic” proved instead to be calm, principled citizens — defending democracy while he posted like an undisciplined child.
Soon after came reports of a shouting match with President Zelenskyy, demanding Ukraine “give up land or be destroyed.”
How anyone can call this “owning the libs” or mistake it for leadership is beyond comprehension. Any mature adult can see this is not the conduct of a well man — or a president fit to serve.
We’re told he’s a brilliant dealmaker, yet the world sees a figure diminished and erratic, kept busy with construction projects and photo ops while he talks “family business” abroad. In front of the UN, he was completely incoherent. Who’s really running the show? Stephen Miller, J.D. Vance? Or … ? Who knows?
Meanwhile, House Republicans stall the swearing-in of a duly elected representative from Arizona, afraid of what the Epstein files might reveal. Since July 1, the House has met for barely thirty-two days and been on recess for seventy-nine — all while we continue to pay their salaries and top-tier medical coverage as our own insurance rates skyrocket. With no return in sight. To add insult to injury, the “America First” administration is handing $40 Billion—with a B—to Argentina if they will vote the way he wants them to vote.
When will the adults in that party step up? Are there any left in the room?
This country deserves better.
Pat Collins,
Fillmore, Ca.

To the Editor:
I was surprised that you thought the issues I presented in my last LTTE were “political niggles.” No one can understand and solve anything if facts can’t be objectively acknowledged. I am deeply concerned about our country’s present direction, and you are not.
An estimated 7 million Americans rallied last Saturday for a “No Kings” nationwide march, and not a terrorist to be seen. Lots of costumes and music, though, and not at all the “Hate America Rally” promised by Republicans. It looked like a “We love our country and are not interested in going back to a monarchy we rejected 250 years ago” party. Interviews with participants revealed diverse motives for their presence, from out-of-control ICE activities, the coverup of the Epstein files, his disgraceful treatment of Zelensky at the WH last week (because Putin has again made eyes at him, and Trump is eager to be re-played), to Trump’s general power-mongering assault on the Constitution, etc. More than a few expressed concern for his increasing lack of mental stability.
Trump spent the day on Truth Social vilifying protestors, claiming they were all “paid activists’, and in the evening posted a video of himself as a fighter-jet (“King Trump”) pilot, wearing a crown, and releasing feces onto the crowds below. “Just Trump being Trump.” I agree. Trump, who notoriously produces unplanned feculent, evacuating his bowels on the country on film may be the truest thing he’s ever posted. And this man-child represents us to the world. A couple of other alarming events:
A firestorm arose when Publico reported communications between many leaders in the National Young Republicans, joking about slavery and rape, and was so racist, antisemitic, fascist, and homophobic, including suggestions of methods to drive opponents to suicide, that they cannot be repeated here. It was so vile that VP Vance, experienced at slicing rancid bologna, was enlisted to comment. He excused it.
“The reality is that kids do stupid things, especially young boys. They tell edgy, offensive jokes.They’re just a bunch of kids. We’re not going to ruin their lives for something like that.” Those Young Republicans are not “kids” (ages 18-40). They are presumably the voices of the next generation of GOP leaders. Trump proudly had his picture taken fairly recently with two of the worst offenders.
Hegseth required every news organization to sign an agreement that they would not report any matter unless its release had been approved by the DoD. Nearly all, including Fox, refused on the basis of the First Amendment, and have been banned from the Pentagon. Trump II wants to do as it pleases, without criticism, without promised transparency, in the dark. Just like Russia, China, Hungary, etc.
The Republican Congress insists the Shutdown is the Democrats’ fault for not bending the knee on health care and insurance subsidies for Americans citizens. But in reality, they want to bring citizens to heel to accept loss of government health care subsidies for their families - or up to 100% increases in insurance premiums - in increasingly inflationary times, caused in no small part by Trump’s ricochet economic policies. But big Tax Cuts for the extremely wealthy.
Also, an impromptu $400 million to Argentina for government and personal bailouts (which “coincidentally” protects several of Treasury Secretary Bessent’s friends), a multimillion-dollar 95,000 sf. “ballroom” extension to a 55,000 sf. existing WH (and demolishing the East Wing he had promised not to touch), and a mockup for an Arc-de-Triomphe-like monument near the Lincoln Memorial. When asked what it would commemorate, Trump beamed. “It’s for me!”
No Kings.
Kelly Scoles,
Fillmore, Ca,