Doris W. Draper is a resident of Houston.
A man — whom his biographer says is addicted to ketamine, who has not received a top security clearance and who was never elected to any office — has been given access by Donald Trump to your name, address, Social Security number, birthdate, banking information and medical records. Not only does this break all privacy laws, but it endangers nearly everyone in this country.
Did you watch the press conference? Trump doesn’t even know what he is signing with these executive orders; they have to be explained to him on national TV. All of them are straight out of the Project 2025 playbook.
The lives of our intelligence community are being put at risk. Who is going to protect you from the terrorists when all these experienced people are fired?
As Trump works to shut down the U.S. Agency for International Development, we must note that Ivanka Trump used these funds for recording equipment for a White House event during the last Trump term. Who authorized that?
When he shuts down the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, who is going to warn you about hurricanes and tornadoes? How many schools will have to close when he shuts down the Department of Education?
Now, he has floated pushing all 5 million Palestinians out, so he can develop their land. These are the same ideas his son-in-law floated. Let’s remember: It was Palestine long before Israel was formed in 1948.
Now, his new attorney general says she is banning federal funds from sanctuary cities. The residents of these cities should stop paying federal income taxes then.
His anti-immigrant push is stopping and questioning Native Americans and our servicemen and -women. His deportation flights using military aircraft cost $80,000 per flight, when previously they were about $8,000. And he is taking this money from our military budget. He says his raids should attack schools, day cares and churches. All this does is scare everyone’s children and destroys havens of sanctuary for every faith.
He has blocked the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health from communicating with the public, as a tuberculosis outbreak is happening in Kansas, and bird flu tries to destroy our poultry industry.
Want to bring down the national debt? Repeal the expense accounts for members of Congress ($32,000 per individual per year with no receipts) and instantly save nearly $18 million annually. Put in a panel of ordinary people to look at the budget instead of those millionaires seeking to line their own pockets.
Republicans must start honoring their oaths of office. They have become a doormat for this man’s unhinged ideas.
Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at civiltalk@iniusa.org.
