It’s easy to understand how folks can still support President Trump when he is failing the citizens with bad policies, inept appointees and exactly zero understanding of budgeting. They want to believe things are OK.

Trump took six wholly owned businesses into bankruptcy. He stiffed countless working people and walked away rich. Is that what he is trying to do that with a Big Beautiful Bill that will increase our national debt by $3.8 trillion?

The DOGE fiasco was just that; virtually no fraud or waste was cut, and there is plenty. Only services to the citizens of this country were cut. The cuts were a fraction of the ‘target’.

The VFW National Commander asked Trump and Congress to ‘Honor the Contract’ made with our veterans.  Instead, they have cut 83,000 jobs at the VA that help and support our vet navigate their health and well-being.  Trump said outside agencies would pick up the work, but DOGE cut funding for many of those services, which in rural America means our vets will have nowhere to turn.

Trump has alienated most of our nation’s closest allies with stupid talk and illegal tariffs. He cozies up to dictatorial strongmen of non-democratic countries that support, if not are, committing inhumane atrocities across the globe.  He declared several national emergencies, where none exist, to impose tariffs. The law he used has limits, a court wrote, and his use of tariffs is unconstitutional.

Most of his campaign promises have gone unfulfilled … except unconstitutional treatment of non-whites who are either citizens or in the country legally. He touts a 200-year-old wartime law meant for use in war or invasion to justify this unconstitutional roundup.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, in a congressional hearing, could not define habeas corpus and was wrong about what our Constitution says about it. Suspending habeas corpus is the first step to creating a police state.

A provision in the budget bill could stop courts from enforcing their rulings, and it would be retroactive. Why?  Trump appointees have found in contempt of court countless times for failing to follow constitutionally required procedure.

Trump uses the presidency for personal gain. His crypto currency being the ultimate, but not only example of his actions that violates the Emoluments Clause of the Constitution.

Defense Secretary Hegseth used non-governmental, insecure social media to post sensitive intelligence.  When Clinton did far less than this, Trump called for her to be imprisoned, but he defends his cronies doing it.  This is not the only case of this kind of impropriety on the part of Trump’s appointees.

Trump supporters in Congress are not taking their oaths of office seriously which specifically is to uphold the Constitution. Trump already admitted he didn’t know what his oath required of him. Recently we had a congressperson openly express her lack of understanding of the first amendment of our Constitution when she blasted freedom of religion. She is far from the only one not to understand the first amendment.

Top it off now with a newly minted college grad who has only done internships is appointed to run an office in Homeland Security on terrorism. He has never held a real job except mowing lawns. This is the icing on the falsity that Trump only ‘hires the best people’ as he said he does.

We face a constitutional crisis in this country. Our fragile democracy is being tested to the limits.

I would urge the people of Eastern Oregon to become better informed on what is really happening.

Rick Meis

Halfway