Letters to the editor for Aug. 25

What Trump has done since taking office

What has Donald Trump done since he has been in office? Of course everyone wouldn’t agree that everything on this list is a good thing, but he has been busy. This is only half the list due to number of words restraint.

▪  Supreme Court Judge Gorsuch

▪  59 missiles dropped in Syria.

▪  He took us out of Trans-Pacific Partnership

▪  Illegal immigration is now down 70 percent (the lowest in 17 years)

▪  Consumer confidence highest since 2000 at index 125.6

▪ Mortgage applications for new homes rise to a seven-year high

▪  Arranged 20 percent tariff on soft lumber from Canada

▪  Bids for border wall are well underway

▪  Pulled out of the lopsided Paris Climate Accord

▪  Keystone pipeline approved

▪  NATO allies boost spending by 4.3 percent

▪  Allowing VA to terminate bad employees

▪  Allowing private health care choices for veterans

▪  More than 600,000 jobs created

▪  Median household income at a seven-year high

▪  The stock market is at the highest ever in its history

▪  China agreed to American import of beef

▪  $89 billion saved in regulation rollbacks

▪  Rollback of a regulation to boost coal mining

▪  MOAB for ISIS

▪  Travel ban reinstated

▪  Executive order for religious freedom

▪  Jumpstarted NASA

▪  $600 million cut from United Nations peacekeeping budget

▪  Targeting of MS13 gangs

▪  Deporting violent illegal immigrants

What is Trump hiding?

Gary Like is at it again, chastising Joe Reichert and I for unreasonable criticism of the Trumpster. He couches “his objections in our inability to be objective.” Like then states that the Trumpster earned his vote because he “had the accomplishments, passion, and ideas to put America first.” That is certainly an ideal we can all subscribe to.

However, Donald Trump is not the one to lead us to that Promised Land; he has proven that time and again since his inauguration. It’s been substantiated by FactCheck that he has lied, or made questionable statements, an average of 4.6 times per day, since the inauguration. The recent tragedy in Charlottesville and chaotic, off-the-cuff, rambling and emotional remarks he expressed that weekend are not what is to be expected, or allowed to continue much longer, for one who as commander in chief has such awesome power with the destruction capability of our nuclear arsenal.

Like then attempts to belittle the Tumpster’s bankruptcies. Like has that down as four, when actually there were six bankruptcies. Four of them in 1991-92. It’s true they were chapter 11, not chapter 7, which are more egregious, but I don’t believe it adds laurels or credits to Trump’s reputation as a businessman to have had to experience any type of bankruptcy, period.

Then there is the little matter of Trump not releasing his tax returns, as all other presidents, and candidates, have done for the past 70 years. Something to hide perhaps, or a great deal to hide!

Let us see which view survives the coming crucible

Sometimes I watch religious programming. I don’t use these as a substitute for church, but I often find them encouraging, uplifting, and helpful. Recently I watched one such broadcast and, since it was on a secular network, there was a disclaimer before and after. Not unusual. What was unusual was the way they worded it. Instead of saying the program “did not necessarily” reflect their views, they were very bold and said they, “did not.” Upon a quick pondering I concluded this was an amazing statement. For, since this ministry is pro-family, pro-God, pro-honesty, pro-integrity, pro-healing and health and forgiveness, I surmised that the network supports the opposite. They must be devilish, demonic, hateful, hurtful, vile and villainous. Well, of course I don’t really think this is the case, but their proclamation seems to me a perfect reflection of our prodigal age. Yes, the collective modern and vocal we are an enlightened people and so much wiser than our archaic ancestors. Indeed, we readily throw off their moral restraints and notions, even as we shamelessly wallow in the wealth that they earned, and we lavishly squander. As a reminder: this wonderful yet imperfect Republic was an offshoot of the Great Awakening (look it up). And through our many hurtful deviations since then a periodic returning to the Father’s house has caused us to somehow endure. And so, as we again approach a time of extreme testing, let us see which view survives the coming crucible, and which does not.

The system is abused but not to the level many think

Reference the Sound-Off item “Military Disability” of Aug. 14: The caller claims 92 percent of military retirees claim some form of disability upon retirement. I retired from the USAF almost 40 years ago and I know many, many, military retirees. Of the hundreds of men I know only two have a fundable disability that I know of. Some others I know may have slight service connected physical problems that do not meet compensation level. Yes, I do know the system is abused but not to the level the caller suggests.

During retirement out processing each warrior is asked to list each and every physical malady, however slight, so as to form a basis for possible future disability claims. An example might be a bone spur on the heel. Most retirees, being around 40 years of age will have some type of minor complaint. Few of the listed physical problems will ever rise to the disability level.

College isn’t for the faint of heart but is well worth the journey

We recently launched our teenage daughter off to begin her freshman year at a distant university. It was a time of mixed emotions for all concerned. I can now relate to mother birds who push their chicks from the nest to fly or else.

I feebly used a sports analogy to provide daddy wisdom. I began with “college is not a sprint but a marathon.”

Parents prepare their children for this great race, providing the best training and finest tools. When they toe the starting line at college they’re hopefully pointed toward success.

I ran road races when younger. At larger events runners were sequestered into groups based on their best time. That put them in the company of the like skilled and minded.

Good starts are vital. Be alert; watch where you’re going. At the starter’s gun runners head off, first with stutter steps and then full strides as the field separates.

I once stepped on the heel of a meandering lad near the start. His shoe came off, taking him quickly to the curb to avoid being trampled. The names he called me would make a sailor wince.

As the race progresses find a runner or two and use the NASCAR technique to “draft” on them. There’s strength in numbers.

Persist. I witnessed world class distance runner Grete Waitz win a race with remnants of her breakfast streaked down the back of her legs.

College and running aren’t for the faint of heart but well worth the journey.

This story was originally published August 24, 2017 at 1:12 PM with the headline "Letters to the editor for Aug. 25."