Our country's hope rests with progressives

To the Eagle:

The letters of two correspondents, published on September 5 and comments from an earlier writer have made me cringe. Two writers predict a recession were Mr. Trump to lose in 2020. Recession is traditionally defined as a slow-down in economic growth precipitated by rising unemployment and a decline in the stock market and in retail sales. Granted, the unemployment rate is low, however, how many full- and part-time employees now work for a minimum wage? While there has not been a constant, precipitous decline in the stock-market, how many working Americans own stocks? Lastly, while retail sales are holding steady, how many purchasers rely on credit? I support tariffs on junk merchandise imported from China, however; how will Walmart shoppers respond to higher prices when their credit cards are maxed out? Have Messrs. Brawn and Gordon forgotten that seven of eight recessions in the American economy occurred under Republican leadership (Nixon: 1969 and 1973; Reagan: 1981; H.W. Bush: 1990 and 2001; G.W. Bush: 2001, 2007)? The shortest and mildest recession the American economy experienced in the last 40+ years was under President Carter (1980), the only Democrat among these five presidents.

Unlike some of our elected officials and most of the American public, I have read the entire 450-page Mueller report and listened to Mr. Mueller’s sworn testimony before the House Judiciary Committee. While Mr. Mueller cited no evidence of collusion with the Russian government in the 2016 election and of obstruction of the Special Counsel’s report, he clearly stated that his team’s findings did not exonerate Mr. Trump, an unindicted co-conspirator in the Michael Cohen organized hush-money payoff to Stormy Daniels. When, in another context, Mr. Trump was asked about his avoiding to pay taxes, his response was that he was smart. As any prosecutor knows, smart felons do not leave evidence.

Enough already about Ms. Clinton’s misdeeds! As did other Democrats, I heartily despised her and my vote for her was solely an anti-Trump vote.

Now to another writer’s comments. The powerful source (FOX News) from which he apparently derives all his information is/was not controlled by members of “the democrat socialist blob” but rather by men like super-conservatives Rupert Murdoch and Roger Ailes, the latter accused of sexual harassment before he died, but good Christians nonetheless. I agree that neither the Democratic nor the Republican establishment has served middle- and working-class Americans well. Our hope for the future of this country and the world and for regaining the respect of allies and foes alike rests with progressive individuals of either party. We must return America to greatness and restore civility by dethroning the usurper president and his cabal.

Ursula Petralia

Skamokawa