Outrage
The Democratic Party is outraged as President Donald Trump aggressively implements his promise to reduce federal spending, right-size the bureaucracy and introduce reforms making economy and efficiency the cornerstones of government. The outrage showcases hysterical anger with top party officials exploding into chicken-little-like rants heralding “the sky is falling!” Some among the loyal flock have threatened to take the outrage into the streets.
The outage represents, capaciously, their fear Trump’s reforms may thwart the Democrats’ political ambitions for the 2026 midterm elections. Even if a party leader were to emerge with a “common sense” message, it’s doubtful Trump’s nationwide popularity could be fragmented. Being steadfastly loyal to the far left-wing elitists among them, the Democrats remain pledged to a radical agenda of progressive transformation. Perhaps — in Don Quixote mode — they will launch their midterm candidates on “noble quests” to topple Trumpian windmills perceived as fearsome anti-democracy specters.
The Democratic Party needs a new map. Otherwise, the electoral wind will push it further into the backwater of irrelevancy, floating aimlessly amidst the flotsam of socio-political blather — the Democrats still convinced, irrationally, anti-Trump outrage is their only path to redemption.
Herb Kline, Virginia Beach
New senators
After watching Sen. Mark Warner’s support of the Democrats’ performance at President Donald Trump’s recent speech to the nation, I have to wonder who voted for him or would ever do it again.
I think it’s time for Virginia to elect new senators who are not tone deaf to what their constituents want. They seem to vote in lockstep with their party regarding transgender people in sports, wasteful spending and undocumented border crossings.
It would be nice to think they could relate to the average Joe.
Dick Jones, Virginia Beach
Train wreck
From where I sit observing the daily chaos of the Trump administration is like watching a train wreck in progress. Unfortunately many will be injured along the way to its self-destruction. That’s criminal, but in many ways it’s the consequence of a botched campaign by the Democrats, who could probably have won with a more moderate candidate.
But don’t forget this: The collapse of the Soviet Union was not due to any efforts on the part of free democratic nations or even the arms race engineered by President Ronald Reagan, but as many respected historians attest was the result of its own corruption and incompetence. Ours may be another “train wreck” that future historians will agree was inevitable.
Here’s another parallel that no one is talking about: Brexit. When voters in the United Kingdom supported their country’s exit from the European Union in 2016, few realized what economic chaos that would cause. And here’s the parallel: Their choice was largely based on anti-immigration sentiments.
One more disturbing parallel: President Donald Trump and Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu. The possibility that both of these men could face jail time once they are out of office drives them both to do “whatever is necessary” to remain in power. Netanyahu by keeping the Gaza war going and Trump to embrace the radical right.
Dave Boraks, Onancock
Nightmare
Never did I imagine waking up to a president who lies consistently. Never did I imagine a Congress with members who follow a cult instead of the Constitution. Never did I imagine that our country would be allied with a brutal dictator and turn on our allies.
What a horror show with President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance bullying and threatening Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is fighting to save democracy. Ukraine, a sovereign country, was invaded by Russia under President Vladimir Putin.
We are living in a nightmare. Stand up and fight for democracy.
Vivian M. Reynolds, Newport News