This, despite the fact we have entered the most exciting technological age in history, responsible application of which would enhance the lives of all people.

Trump himself has no idea what he's doing, just making juvenile tweets in early morning hours to attract attention and divert focus from potentially disastrous investigations and the acts of his wrecking-crew cabinet.

Worse, there are no plausible plans to move the country forward. The health care plan is being drafted in a hurried, secret setting by only a dozen or so older, healthy white Republican conservative males, none of whom are considered experts in this very complex program, just so Trump will have a signature achievement to his credit.

McConnell and crew have shown absolutely no regard for the health and well being of tens of millions being thrown off coverage, to say nothing of the 30 million or more already without insurance and another 50 million who are underinsured. Underinsured meaning their policies are so thin they will not withstand a severe illness or injury. A dozen white guys?? Health care is and has been the bedrock of feminine humanism since time began. Remember Susan B. Anthony?

Although the stock market has jumped, its positive effects are felt only by the 50 percent of people who have any money to invest in any substantial way. The other 50 percent either have no individual retirement plan or depend entirely on Social Security.

Individual retirement plans are no guarantee to last through the twilight years, especially if another stock market crash happens, which is now a realistic expectation now that the United States has withdrawn from its role as world leader.

And now Social Security, food subsidies, Medicare and Medicaid are in the crosshairs for massive cuts so the wealthy can add to their already obscene accumulations of money and power.

Other derailed cars in the train wreck are public education, environment protection, consumer protection from predatory lenders, Wall Street and corporate regulations, more mass incarcerations into private, for-profit prisons, more deportations of innocents, and the overall Republican economic philosophy based on "Objectivism and Individualism" writings of Ayn Rand, Paul Ryan's hero. Look her up on Google and you can predict where Ryan and the Republicans are trying to take us. Explains their opposition to everything in our social safety net.

We've seen enough in five months to know we're in a world of hurt never before encountered.

The presidency, Congress, and Supreme Court are controlled by the Republican Party, no Democrats need apply. Not much can be done except mounting constructive resistance and putting forth progressive approaches to the daunting issues of the 21st century confronting us.

My advice to the Democrats, Independents, and patriotic Republicans is to work together on strategies to take advantage of the incredibly fast-moving technologies, economies, and social guarantees for the benefit of everyone, here and abroad, rich and poor.

Leave the greedy, power-hungry pigs to grovel in their money troughs while we enjoy the fruits of optimistic endeavor, saving the Earth and our democratic values for future generations.

-- Lee Purrier, Park Rapids

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Letter: Things aren't going so well under President Trump - Detroit Lakes Online