The Wahkiakum County Eagle - Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891

To The Eagle:

As the appointment of generals, industrialists, Wall Street insiders, and bankers to the cabinet of the new administration indicates, a vulgar egomaniac is in the process of turning our country into the world’s largest military-industrial complex.

The president-elect is not taking time out to celebrate the holidays and neither can we! To retain our rights as free citizens of a democracy able to speak out, to earn a living wage, to obtain health care, to benefit from social security programs, and to live at peace with each other and with other countries in a life-supporting environment, Democrats, Republicans, and Independents alike must organize now to remain the American people of our forefathers.

Therefore, we must become involved and participate in our political future. To this end, we must discover what will be done in our name (trade agreements, embargos of goods and people, military interventions, the establishment of dangerously friendly relations with Mr. Putin and provocative statements vis-à-vis China) and what the effects of presidential appointments will have on the minimum wage, retirement age, and on social security, taxes, and the environment.

We must be skeptical of promises that are not or cannot be kept, and try to empathize with our downtrodden brothers and sisters who grasped at straws by voting for Mr. Trump in efforts to stay afloat. Both major parties have deceived us and lied to us. For a greater America we can be proud of, we must get together, not as sheep herded into a bleak future, but to hold elected and appointed officials accountable to us and to get rid of corrupt politicians.

Please do not ignore this invitation. You and your children’s futures are at stake!

Ursula Petralia

Skamokawa