Dems have to work hard to grab the House, Senate

Opinion: July 22, 2018 at 12:00a.m.

The GOP has become the party of the most dishonest, corrupt, disgusting and unpopular president in history, and the most racist since the time of slavery. When House Speaker Paul Ryan announced that he was not running for office, a man named Paul Nehlen, who is an avowed white supremacist, became the front-runner for Ryan’s seat in Congress. For that, the Democratic Party says “thank you!”

Democrats should make sure that national health care is added to their agenda this year. Medicare for all and single payer are both good plans, but with Republicans in the Senate and the House who are owned by the big health-care providers and big pharma, national health care will never get passed.

So, what has to be done this November is we the people have to vote these Republicans out of office. Other countries that have single-payer health care are just fine with it, but in the United States, the representatives and senators have the best health care going, paid for by the taxpayers, so they don’t care about the middle-class, the poor, the elderly and the working poor who can’t afford expensive health care. Why should their health care be paid for? They got more money than they have brains.

It’s not only health care that has to be taken care of by the Democrats. Now that Paul Ryan is leaving, maybe now items like food stamps, school lunches, unemployment compensation and foreclosure assistance can be dealt with. Paul Ryan fought to slash all of the items I have mentioned. Let’s just hope that the next speaker of the House is a Democrat.

With 45 Republican seats up for grabs and their terrible voting records which have put the screws to the middle-class, I think it can be the Democrats’ time.

Bud McKelvey, Hermitage, Pa.

Trump triggers trade war with imposition of tariffs

Why is everyone, especially Congress, afraid of Donald J. Trump? It is just amazing how he is destroying our United States. And, no one seems to care that he is leading us to fascism with no opposition. When will his shooting war start? It certainly seems he wants that to happen.

One of his latest idiotic moves, which no one opposed, is his trade war started by his imposing tariffs – with the exception of Ivana Trump’s goods that will be sent from China most particularly. How stupid. Why is he getting away with his idiocy? Apparently he is so mentally deficient, he cannot begin to look past signing his crummy signature on his declarations at the ramifications. And without opposition or questioning. To add to his mental deficiencies are his hate-filled tweets, which include calling people who are on his list – meaning everyone – unacceptable names, and his perpetual lying. He apparently cannot recognize truth even if it hits him in the face.

The 25th Amendment, Section 4 of the Constitution of the United States of America should have been invoked at least 11/2 years ago when it became known how filled with hate, and apparently not knowing what ethics are, completely amoral he is. To see his face in pictures printed and/or on television, it reflects how awful he is with his perpetual scowl and sneer.

He has no personal worries about his latest tariffs now imposed which, in effect, will harm citizens of this country. And now, his latest selection for the Supreme Court. He has no concern whatsoever about global warming or environmental concerns or the wishes of the citizenry.

Although he has not dismantled the investigation headed by Mueller, when will he be indicted? Is this investigation including an investigation of his bankruptcies for his misuse of employees and suppliers? What is his debt load? Is he really a billionaire as he claims? Thank heavens the New York State Attorney General’s Office is bringing a lawsuit against him for his abuse and misuse of the Trump Foundation. His reckless abuse of apparently everything he gets his hands on should be investigated. Get rid of the bum!

Shirley Bartlett, Austintown

Rescue in Thailand puts United States to shame

Anyone with a shred of humanity was moved by the recent rescue of the boy’s soccer team from a flooded cavern in Thailand. (As a recreational scuba diver, I am awed by the skill and professionalism of the divers who carried out the rescue; and I honor the diver who gave his life while trying to save those boys.)

Thinking about these events, I can’t help but make the following comparison. In Thailand, they find lost children, rescue them, and reunite them with their parents. In the U.S., we separate children from their parents, lock them in cages, and then lose track of where everybody is.

While we can argue about border security and the immigration issue, there’s no debating that the Trump administration’s family separation policy amounts to a crime against humanity.

Moreover, the administration’s subsequent inability to locate and reunite the families shows that they never had any plan or intention of doing so. I thought we, as a nation, were better than this.

I urge everyone to call their members of Congress and demand that the families be reunited immediately, and that the the sick individuals who ordered the family separation policy be held to account for bringing this shame upon our country.

Shawn Kosior, Canfield

When will lives of all shooting victims matter?

Another weekend comes to a close on the heels of three shootings involving police in this country. One officer is dead and three are injured, while in Chicago an officer shoots an apparently armed black man, touching off two days of riots and protests over police-involved shootings.

Oddly enough, there were almost 100 people shot in Chicago over the Memorial Day weekend; however there were no protest or riots. Imagine that.

But, if there had been a police involvement in these shootings there would have been chaos in Chicago and protesters would have demanded justice.

What about justice for these 100 people, or is it just another day at the office?

Civil rights has come a long way since Brown v. Board of Education but we have a long road to go and maybe that road will be a bumpy one with no shocks.

We must see beyond our differences and prejudices to remove mistrust in our society.

All lives matter.

Jim Eidel, Beaver Township

Beware Judge Kavanaugh

The cartoon on the Editorial Page (July 15) spoke volumes regarding Judge Brett Kavanaugh whom we are being led to believe is nothing short of being Mr. Perfect for our Supreme Court.

I had previously read information about this man, then verified in Saturday’s Vindicator (July 14.) This man embellishes the idea now to “exempt the President” from any type of investigation while in office. How times have changed when there is a lifetime job in view. In the 1990s, it is documented that he had no problem investigating then President Bill Clinton and pursuing whatever was necessary.

I hear the Democrats feel they cannot prevent his approval for Supreme Court judge. So, once again, our system of government just continues to get worse while nobody in Congress cares as they want to keep their plush jobs intact. Every time I think this national fiasco can’t get worse, it does.

Please, folks, call or write Rep. Tim Ryan and Sen. Sherrod Brown and ask them to oppose this man.

Georgie Arkwright, Youngstown