Editor,
I worked in La Center at the end of my career as a counselor and retired in 2018. I feel worried about the upcoming election and am writing to organize my thoughts. Background disclosure: I was the first in my family to go to college. My dad had a good union (Teamster) job for 25 years. My mom was a housewife while we kids were still in school. My family got a piece of the American dream, and I want that for today’s Americans.
Fast forward to 2024: I’m pretty sure most people would not want an angry child throwing dinner at the wall, so it’s hard to imagine Americans voting for an adult who routinely does this once or twice a week with occasional breaks. (Google Cassidy Hutchison and Trump throwing food). I think most men would be upset if someone attacked their wife or girlfriend sexually, but lots of people would vote for exactly this kind of guy for president? (Look up the Wikipedia article and others on Trump and sexual assault.) I expect most Americans would freak out if a young adult child in their family broke a federal law and then basically filmed themselves in the act. And these same people would vote for president for a man who dramatically breaks a federal law during his campaign — for the attention? (Google Arlington National Cemetery and Trump.) Sheesh.
Similarly, if someone refuses to accept that he’s lost an election fair and square (see 60 court proceedings and Trump), and then tries to interrupt the peaceful transfer of power and pressures people to lie for him, why would people want to vote that guy back into the job four years later? (Google Trump and the special prosecutor's latest indictments.) It’s beyond me. Lastly, I know that it can be very hard to get a job if you are a convicted felon. But it turns out you can be elected president with 34 felony convictions? Kind of strange.
Mid-career, I worked in an alternative classroom with some high school boys at risk for gang membership. One of them kindly taught me the meaning of the phrase “to get over on.” The Free (internet) Dictionary by Farlex defines “get over on” as: “1. To fool or deceive; 2. To make one the victim of a prank, hoax, or scam.” President No. 45 has shown himself over and over to be a “bad boy” bully who pretends to be a savior to working Americans. Realistically, what he cares about is power, money and getting his own way all the time. He lies. He whines that he’s a victim — while victimizing others. He normalizes illegal and very ugly behavior (as does his Republican “gang” of apologists). He’s also gotten remarkably more incoherent — not a good sign in a leader. (Some of you may know that in 2017, Dr. Bandy Lee edited a book by 25 psychiatrists about his poor fit with a job like the presidency — “The Dangerous Case of Donald J Trump,” and he’s gotten much worse since then.)
Don’t be fooled. Be careful this guy doesn’t “get over on” you. Please strongly consider voting for rational adults Harris and Walz for president and vice president.
Pamela Webster
Ridgefield
