Letters: President Donald Trump is leading America on a coronavirus turnaround

Historical echo

In August 1792, in defending himself against those who thought he was working to institute a monarchy, Alexander Hamilton wrote, “The truth unquestionably is, that the only path to a subversion of the republican system of the country is, by flattering the prejudices of the people, and exciting their jealousies and apprehensions, to throw affairs into confusion and bring on civil commotion.”

He went on: “When a man unprincipled in private life desperate in his fortune, bold in his temper, possessed of considerable talents, having the advantage of military habits — despotic in his ordinary demeanor — known to have scoffed in private at the principles of liberty — when such a man is seen to mount the hobby horse of popularity — to join in the cry of danger to liberty — to take every opportunity of embarrassing the general government and bringing it under suspicion — to flatter and fall in with all the nonsense of the zealots of the day — it may justly be suspected that his object is to throw things into confusion that he may ‘ride the storm and direct the whirlwind.’”

“History doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes.” — Samuel Clemens

- Doug Washburn, Lenexa

No to shutdown

Who might be more responsible for long-term systemic racism: someone who has been in office for more than 40 years or someone who has been in office for less than four?

If the protesters want change, why don’t they come to the negotiating table and work things out now that they have everyone’s attention? A majority of people support reform. Governors, mayors and chiefs of police have made it clear that they support the protesters.

If President Donald Trump mishandled the virus, why was he labeled a racist and xenophobe for imposing travel restrictions on people coming from China, the source of the deadly virus, early in the pandemic?

We have had 184,000 coronavirus deaths, and infection rates are holding steady or declining in most states. With 41 million people in danger of being evicted because they lack basic funds, which is a greater threat to otherwise healthy working individuals: economic shutdown or managed risk of the virus?

- Patrick A. Urnise, Leawood

On our dime

The Republican-led Missouri General Assembly didn’t like the results of the voters’ overwhelming 2018 passage of the Clean Missouri initiative, so its members crafted their own bill, which would keep the drawing of state congressional districts in their power.

The language of their Amendment 3 was struck down in the courts as misleading. The state took it to the Missouri Court of Appeals, which also struck it down. (Sept. 1, 1A, “Appeals court orders new ballot proposal summary”) Now the defective and misleading Amendment 3 will likely be taken to the state Supreme Court.

Guess who is paying for this foolishness. That would be the Missouri taxpayer, you and me.

- Lynne P. Clock, Kansas City

Failed to lead

What has President Donald Trump done for America?

He has us reacting poorly to the COVID-19 pandemic. Unemployment is the highest in years. The nation is divided. The economy is in shambles. Unarmed Black citizens are being murdered by police at an unprecedented pace. There are riots in the streets. Protest marches happen daily. Russians reportedly are paying terrorists to kill U.S. troops.

What has he done about it?

He has fueled the pandemic by holding maskless rallies with no social distancing. He’s done nothing about unemployment except lie. He continues to divide the nation with his racist rhetoric. He says the economy is good — another lie. He denies the Russian bounties on U.S. soldiers. He will not take responsibility for anything negative.

Trump has failed to lead. He has failed at his job, and he has failed the United States of America.

- Suzanne Colbert, Gladstone

Classroom safety

Thank you to Stacey Sales for her guest commentary in Tuesday’s Star. (9A, “Amanda Adkins sides with Trump, not the facts, on schools”) She has been in the classroom.

I worked in education for 20 years before retiring. I see many of the negatives of getting kids back in the classroom with the coronavirus pandemic still in full force.

The health and logistical concerns cannot be adequately addressed with the budgets our schools have.

Congressional candidate Amanda Adkins promotes what I call the “meringue” that the current resident of the White House and his party continue to espouse: It looks nice, but it is full of air and unsustainable in the long run.

- Anna Elizabeth Smith Merritt, Overland Park

This story was originally published September 2, 2020 at 5:00 AM.