Open letter to Trump supporters

Just before the RNC, I posted an open letter to the GOP - asking them not to nominate Donald Trump for the second term. Obviously, it fell on deaf ears. I am hoping that this letter (to Trump's supporters) has better results.

Recently, I posted this picture (which is basically a tweet from Max Von Essen back in Feb, 2020) to a few groups (that includes folks that are both left-leaning and right-leaning)

Now, you will all agree there is no mention of Donald Trump anywhere in this tweet. Yet, the right-leaning folks came out in full force saying, "Trump is running against Biden, not Pelosi". So, the fundamental premise that they are aligned with is that everything in this message applies to Trump.

Let us just stop here for a second. Everything in that message above applies to Trump. If that is the case, why do you still support Trump. Why do want this egotistical, misogynistic, ignorant, racist, megalomaniac become our President for the second term? He ran his campaign on the slogan, "Make America Great Again". All he has done (in his first term) is "Make America Hate Again". The Hate and contempt that existed during the World War 1 era (which resulted in the passing of the Sedition Act of 1918) is being rekindled by Donald Trump's rhetoric. We should be ashamed that we have let ourselves get to this point. Enough is enough. Let us stop this nonsense now.

On top of all of this, there is the recent news (just this week) of his abject ineptitude / incompetence:

• His referring to Americans who died in war as losers and suckers (FYI - the original article was validated by Fox News)
• His knowledge (in February) about the dangers of the Coronavirus
• His anti-protest vitriol inspiring 17-year old Kyle Rittenhouse to shoot and kill innocent protesters

All this points to one thing and one thing only. Trump only cares about himself and getting reelected. He does not care for his supporters. He will fleece you for everything that you are worth and abandon you when he sees no value in you. This is evidenced even at the level of Republican Governors of Red States. If he attacks Republican Governors for not toeing his line, he is, most certainly, apathetic to the plight of his followers.

The call to action to all of you is to abandon this despot as soon as possible. Let us work towards rebuilding this country again. Here is just a subset of the damage done to the country since Trump took office:

• Environment - this is but one example whereTrump proposed major changes to the Environmental Protection Act.
• Collusions with Russia - within 48 hours of the (Republican majority) Senate acquitting the President, Trump fired EU Ambassador Gordon Sindland and Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman - since they had testified in the president's impeachment trial.
• White Supremacy, Racism, Homophobia, Xenophobia. In a tweet, Trump called two Supreme Court ruling - once protecting young immigrants from deportation, the other depending gay and transgender workers - "shotgun blasts into the face of people that are proud to call themselves Republicans or Conservatives."
• Policy. Trump diverted $3.6 billion from Defense spending to the construction of his border wall. He declared a national emergency in Feb 2019 so that they money could be reallocated.
• Harassment and bullying. To those that planned to protest at his rally in Tulsa (in June 2020), he tweeted "Any protesters, anarchists, agitators, looters or lowlifes who are going to Oklahoma please understand, you will not be treated like you have been in New York, Seattle, or Minneapolis. It will be a much different scene!"

This list is only a small subset of the atrocities committed by Donald Trump in the last four years. Four more years of this will result in the US getting relegated in the world's eyes.

Do not let that happen. This is not about politics. This about morality and core values and standing up for what is right. A decent person stands up to bullies and commits to what is right, moral, ethical and decent. 

Abandon this ship now. 

Open Letter to Joe Biden and Kamala Harris

In the recently concluded RNC - the refrain was that Biden's America would result in a break down of Law and Order. The lack of stance (beyond condemning the "needless violence") on the recent unrests in Kenosha, Wisconsin has seemingly left the Biden Campaign flat footed. The public needs to see an appropriate response from the Biden Campaign NOW. Voters (especially in the swing states of Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan) need assurances.

Several actions come to mind.

1.  Visit with the family of the victims (yes, black and white) in Kenosha. There has to be a categorical statement made that doesn’t leave any doubt as to which side of Law and Order this campaign stands on.

2.  Send as many campaign staff as possible into Kenosha (amongst other cities including Seattle and Portland where violence still rages from riots).  Help (physically) clean up the damage.  Call for volunteers in these cities to help in the clean up effort.

3.  Stand with the store fronts that are being looted.  State firmly to rioters that destruction of property is not the right way.

4. Praise the NBA and WNBA players for their protests.  Trump came out decrying their protest.  This is perfect.  Praise these players. Echo President Obama's sentiment that they should form a social justice committee to ensure that the players' and league's actions this week lead to sustained, meaningful engagement on criminal justice and social reform.

5.  Send out a strong message that shows that Trump's America is a dangerous and violent America - which promotes extremism and tolerates bigotry. Show that with Trump violence increases.  Blast Ads showing this message - to counter the lies that are being propagated right now by the RNC.

This is my plea to the Biden-Harris campaign.  I feel there is a grave danger if these riots are not addressed immediately.

Open Letter to the GOP

To: Chairperson of the RNC

Four years ago, I posted a blog requesting the GOP not to nominate Donald Trump. My cry in anguish fell on deaf ears. I really wish you had listened at that time and saved us the embarrassment of the last four years. Now, on the eve of the RNC, I am making a plea once again.

Here is a collage of reasons to be embarrassed of Donald Trump

A few weeks back, I started a collection of "Did he really say that?". This has grown week after week. The latest edition of this collection can be seen here.

Gerald Seib has eloquently written in the WSJ, how Trump has changed the Republicans. To quote Mr. Seib, "He turned Republicans away from four decades of Reagan-style, national greatness conservatism to a new gospel of populism and nationalism". As former President Barack Obama said in his speech at the DNC (from Philadelphia) on Aug 19th, Donald Trump has treated the White House like one more reality show.

I am not a "liberal lifer". If I voted in the Reagan-Mondale elections (in 1984), I would have voted for Reagan. Even in the Bush-Dukakis elections (in 1988), I would have voted for Bush. 

Allow me to spell out the specifics of why Trump should not be re-nominated:

• Russian collusion: Trump is caught up in the uncertainty of the Mueller investigation. The long-awaited report from the Senate Intelligence Committee contains dozens of new findings that appear to show more direct links between Trump associates and Russian intelligence
• Immigration:  Trump's stance on the border wall, child separation policies, and the Muslim ban –have drawn criticism and in some cases, been questioned by the courts
• Foreign Policy: Trump has cozied up to dictators in Russia and North Korea, he has pulled out of international agreements and dismissed our European allies
• Despicable record of arrests: In all, 14 Trump aides, donors and advisers have been indicted or imprisoned since the days when the first-time candidate promised that he would only hire "the best people." Senior members of Trump's campaign staff, Paul Manafort and Rick Gates; first national security adviser, Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn; Rep. Chris Collins, R-N.Y and Former Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif; the list goes on and on ...

If you love our country, please do not nominate Donald Trump as the GOP candidate for the 2020 elections. Sen. Mitt Romney or Gov. John Kasich are far more worthy candidates. Trump is clearly the wrong choice for the American right.