Apr 4, 2025 2 min read

For over 50 years powerful moneyed forces have worked to convince everyone that the government is corrupt and wasteful. Those responding have been too willing to concede that there are some problems while failing to point out how exaggerated the criticisms have been. They have also failed to emphasize that businesses and businessmen are often wasteful and corrupt. This is proven not just by the bailouts provided to the auto and banking industries but also by many convictions and failures. Including the six bankruptcies of Donald Trump’s businesses and convictions of his businesses and him personally.

The unjust attacks on our government have led to some people believing that slashing the government is justified. It is proving to be a tragedy. Needed scientific research has been disrupted. Funds for health care and education are being withheld. Social Security checks have been delayed.

As bad as dismantling our government agencies is proving to be, it is not as catastrophic as the attack being made on our justice system. The Trump administration is attempting to remove any check on its power by ignoring judges and normal judicial processes. One of the worst abuses is the shipping of people to a torture prison in El Salvador. Some of those people have no criminal record or accusation. Our system demands the assumption of innocence until proven guilty, so, even those who may be criminals deserve due process. Attempts to use the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 as legal cover for this cruel act are absurd. That act was intended for wartime. That means an actual war not a made-up one.

The phrase “this is what democracy looks like” is often called out at demonstrations for many causes. This is a good time to raise our voices regarding many of the harmful things being done by the Trump administration because its actions are making patriotic Americans say, “This is what autocracy looks like!”

Donald Fitch

Amity