To The Eagle:

A year and a couple of weeks ago, Donald Trump became president of the USA, even though he lost the popular vote. Since then, over 60 percent of the country now feels he’s doing an overall poor job performing his presidential duties. This is increasingly borne out through many national polls, including recently Fox News.

Without stating the obvious, we all know the president has been purposely divisive on many fronts. He was as a candidate, for one by encouraging people to punch those that disagreed with him in the face, and offering to pay the resulting legal bills. As well, we all know the multiple falsehoods he claimed as a candidate to create distrust and separation within the voters.

He has also been divisive as president through multiple comments, that now produce a daily stream of upheaval and unrest. Some of the more blatant examples would be those of his regarding: the Charlottesville attacks, disrespecting the transgendered serving us in our military, discrediting our intelligence agencies, insulting our military and elected officials to sway thinking his way, placing secretaries in charge of some key agencies that have openly desired to shut them down, not speaking out strongly about the pathetic Roy Moore situation, etc., etc., etc.

Wishful thinking aside, the domestic and international changes he’s bringing to our country are rapidly taking us back years. So far, it appears most of his actions have been detrimental to our long term, national aspirations. Our respected statesman, Colin Powell stated it best when he said Trump is “our National Disgrace.” To me, embracing this presidency and calling it a “positive, momentous occasion” is either myopic and/or ill informed. I too think it’s momentous, but for all the wrong reasons. Sorry, but I can’t consciously celebrate this president.

Having said this, I do agree with the writer from a week or two ago on one point though. “We, the people,” wishing for a stronger, more centered nation, DO need to join together. “We, the people” need to join together (both Dems and GOP) by supporting the GOP to produce a more polished 2020 presidential candidate that tries to unite and bond us, rather than to divide and conquer us. We need a candidate that can lead the public and private, citizens and business, in a balanced, presidential manner. We need a candidate that we can use as a model example for our children and families of what respect looks and acts like.

Till that time, if “we, the people” and the Congress we elected, continue to support the current administration’s style and ineptitude, “we the people” will continue to be the actual laughing stock that Trump mistakenly refers to.

Hindsight is 2020.

Bill Wainwright

Cathlamet