U.S. double standards

Dear Editor,

Several ridiculous incidents occurred as we closed in on the 250th July Fourth.

In Harrisburg, Rep. Eric Davanzo, a Republican, entered the House chamber wearing a red, white and blue jacket. House speaker Joanna McClinton, a Democrat, asked him to remove it. He quietly refused and took his seat. McClinton then had a security officer make him leave.

The speaker’s action was inexcusable. She should be censored but likely won’t be.

Days earlier, a massive “Pride” gathering was held in the capitol with pride-colored lights. There were no official objections. And as long as all were law-abiding, that was fine. Yet a “rep” gets hassled for patriotic dress. How foolish!

Several states declined to set up quarters at the Great American State Fair in Washington. One explanation offered was that the Fair would be partisan publicity for President Trump. In spite of Gov. Josh Shapiro’s sorry explanation, our U.S. Sens. Dave McCormick-R and John Fetterman-D took measures to make sure Pennsylvania did have such quarters. Our senators, who I am proud of, knew that this fair is about the nation — not the President. Trump himself knows that.

This is the same Shapiro who warned voters about the chaos a Trump second term would bring. Of course, the real chaos was caused by the inept border policies of the Biden administration and his international projection of weakness.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has been called a coward by Hollywood liberals Will Wheaton and George Takei. Why? Because Johnson keeps his politics private. Actually, that takes more courage than publicly conforming to Hollywood’s political norms. And, Will, if Johnson is a coward, why don’t you get in the ring with him?

Economic ignorance, accompanied by arrogance, is a trademark of New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Sen. Bernie Sanders and Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez. They’ve gained ‘disciples’ and I’m going to focus on Darvaliza Avila Chevalier. She advocates abolishing the police, prisons and deportations — effectively, the border.

This would be my message to Chevalier: “Ms. Chevalier, imagine this situation. You are mugged by an illegal migrant. As he runs off with your purse, three others kidnap you.

After three days of abusive captivity, you’re released outside of an emergency room as you are damaged physically and psychologically.

As you limp out of their windowless van, one shouts, ‘If we see you again, we’ve got you!’

Outrageous? Yes! But, Ms. C., you are the one who wants to abolish the police, the prisons and deportation! Your desired policy would tell criminals they can break laws with no consequences! Think a little!”

Meanwhile, “Angel Parents” like Jessica Gorman suffer unending heartbreak.

The far left, it seems, would rather baby migrant criminals than protect citizens.

Terry D. Hallock,

Warren

Unbalanced nation

Dear Editor,

In the spirit of the Enlightenment that we all have the divine given right of equality and that common people can determine the best way to govern themselves while placing limitations on governmental power, I offer the following.

Our government’s financial policies are not adequate for 41% of our working poor families living paycheck to paycheck or our youth. They are struggling to buy gas, deal with inflation and may or may not have retirement and health care programs. A good paying job and ownership are beyond the reach of a growing number of Americans.

Listen to them. Look at the facts. Our top 1% own 31% of the wealth. The bottom 50% own 2.6% of the wealth. They not only see the wealth disparity – the rich getting wealthier – they feel it. They live it.

Things are out of whack. We have an economy of haves and have nots. Experts call it a K economy. Our exaggerated wealth disparity took off during Reagan’s 1980s. The 1981 and 1986 tax cuts for the wealthy and financial policies on IRAs and capital gains and allowing corporate buy backs of their stock contributed to the wealth separation. Corporate profits rose. The rationale behind “Reaganomics” was that wealth at the top would create jobs through extra investment capital – “the trickle down theory.” Remember, “a rising tide lifts all boats?” Industrial job creation did not occur. Factories did not re-start. The “extra capital” went into stock market investments – making money from the market instead of making money from producing goods and services.

Corporate Directors’ responsibility is to their stock holders. Stockholder profit outweighed other concerns. Short term profits won over long term profits from factory upgrades.

Factories continued to close and more jobs disappeared overseas.

The 1982 to 1989 Reagan Bull Market saw a three-time rise in the Dow. A deep sense of criticism, anger, fear, and hopelessness resulted among the dispossessed in the devastated towns and regions and among the underemployed workers. The wealth gap surged. Wealth inequality on steroids.

Being poor is stressful. It’s hard. The problem is not a problem of not working. It’s a problem of philosophy. Should government policies favor community welfare or continue favoring individual profits?

The status quo must change. Consumer spending drives our economy. Hi Tech’s investing in AI is driving the market. Job creation is led by health care. Our middle class is disappearing, 61% to 51%. Some economists believe our financial situation is tenuous despite vested interests of many institutions. Teddy Roosevelt’s “trust busting” and FDR’s “Square Deal” and Truman’s “Fair Deal” were designed to address imbalance between human needs and individual profit.

Current political candidates advocating titling government assistance toward the majority are not advocating Communism under Stalin or Chinese Communism under Mao during the Cold War. Far from it.

Money spent on the Iran War and Washington, D.C., projects would be a good start for child care, upgrading inner city and rural schools, providing health care and affordable housing, and confronting the challenges of climate change. Rescinding Trump’s tax cuts for the wealthy and restoring the benefits the “Big Beautiful Bill” eliminated would also help.

Reaganomics openly placed profit over human needs, but Reagan had a rationale. The MAGA leader lied. He promised help to the people but is an old fashioned, self empowering, corrupt money grabber for himself and his rich friends. MAGA nation you have been had. His non-wealthy supporters are not paying attention.

Our Enlightenment based government of equality and non-concentration of power is being subverted and flies in face of our 18th-century Enlightened patriots. What our government has become will not last another 250 years.

Don Scott,

North Warren