Trump's hurts stability of our democracy

To the Editor:

Trump and his administration have been playing a game of Jenga with our democracy. Jenga involves players taking turns removing blocks carefully from a structure and avoiding a collapse. The one who causes the tower to fall is the loser.

Each of the almost four years of his presidency has seen our democracy, using Jenga as a metaphor, grow less steady and stable as pieces are removed.

The list is a long one and includes illegal actions with migrants, such as child separation, and costly trade wars with China with the American consumer picking up the tab.

The trashing of regulations relating to environmental health.

Ignoring climate change, let alone admit it is happening all around us.

Being impeached for his obstruction concerning the Russian 2016 interference with our election.

Denigrating our intelligence agencies and refusing to accept the dangerous truths that Russia, above others, is doing its best to interfere with our 2020 election.

But with all those and more actions or inaction, by far the most serious, is his inability or desire to meet our pandemic head on. His hubris and arrogance have cost thousands of lives needlessly. Had he listened to his own CDC and other medical advisors and provided a national plan to combat the virus, we wouldn't be nearly as vulnerable as we still are. Now, his vanity, like itself a virus, has spread to his staff, fellow Republicans, and blindly loyal followers and we see the results: He and others infected who chose not to follow recommended practices and played the virus as just another hoax.

If you call yourself a loyal, patriotic American, you had better take some time to re-examine why you put your trust in Trump in 2016. What you've gained is a tottering democracy caused by a game player. Wayne Kirkbride

Twain Harte