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Americans have always disagreed about policy issues. Free and open debate is the essence of a democracy. But the one thing that Americans of all different points of view have agreed on is that when natural disasters afflict one part of our country, regardless of political leanings, we rally support without qualification. Tornadoes, hurricanes, floods and, yes, wildfires. Politics ends with our communal obligation to one another. It is our social compact. It is the fabric that binds us as a nation.

California has suffered one of the worst calamities in our nation’s history. The wildfires caused by dry weather has turned forests into kindling wood. And winds that have approached hurricane levels have fueled an inferno never before seen or imagined.

It is unthinkable that any American president would try to leverage this tragedy for some political policy gain. But that is exactly what President Donald Trump is doing. He says no federal aid for Californians who have lost homes and lives unless their state changes election laws to his liking.

How dare he. Trump is fiddling with partisan politics while California burns. He is America’s Nero.

Published Feb. 10, 2025

Even dystopian novels like “1984” did not envision a zealot who sought to simultaneously institutionalize plutocracy, autocracy, kleptocracy and kakistocracy. There is never a good time to unleash such a destructive rampage against all our democratic institutions as is happening now. But there is an existential reason why this is arguably the worst time.

Scientists have warned for years we must make major changes quickly in our energy sources if we are to preserve the habitability of our planet. The accumulation of evidence of how drastically our climate is changing is stark and accelerating. Weekly, we see more global examples of what is in store for us. Every year sets new records for warming and catastrophic events.

We have run out of time to prevent more climate chaos. It is happening and our only current choice is to try to slow its explosive growth and prepare for tougher times. Yet we have inaugurated a would-be despot who denies the science and insists on exacerbating the problem just to bolster the short-term profits of a mind-bogglingly greedy fossil fuel industry.

Noam Chomsky observed, “I don’t know what word in the English language — I can’t find one — applies to people who are willing to sacrifice the literal existence of organized human life so they can put a few more dollars into highly stuffed pockets. The word ‘evil’ doesn’t even begin to approach it.” I would suggest that “Trumpism” comes close.

Published Feb. 10, 2025

In World War II, there was a combined American/Canadian unit called the First Special Service Force. They fought heroically in Italy, and there are now both a Canadian cemetery and an American cemetery near Anzio. A Canadian soldier lies in his country’s cemetery because he saved the life of an American soldier, my father. The bravery of the Canadian soldiers was unquestioned, and the unit was given the Congressional Gold Medal. That joint service is tarnished when President Donald Trump treats the Canadians with contempt by tariffs. The long peaceful relationship between our two countries deserves far better. I know my father would think so.

Published Feb. 10, 2025

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President Donald Trump and Republicans complained about violent crime during the campaign. Now, pardons have been granted to those involved in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol; some of those pardons went to people who were violent; undoubtedly, violence will only increase against anyone who doesn't support Trump. Hitler had his brown shirts who used violence against the German people and now Trump has 1,500 pardoned people including some who are willing to commit violence to get their way. How can Trump say he is for police but pardons people who tried to injure or kill Capitol police officers protecting Congress?

Published Feb. 10, 2025

What connects Rev. Mariann Edgar........

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