To the Editor,

This year may be the last without fear of losing our quality of life to the clever planners of the destruction of our democracy and with it our precious “of the people, by the people, and for the people” principles. We don’t see those planners nor the recipients of the new order’s benefits. All we see are their pawns and puppets who are getting the word out using every conceivable method, in our advanced technical age there are many.

Unfortunately, those few are occupying powerful seats in government and are now owned by an Ex President whose influence can stop legislation as now the case with the immigration issue. Trump’s influence over the speaker, Mike Johnson, has delayed funding for the wars our allies are fighting for us on their shores and even delays funding for the border problem so he can use the issue as a campaign topic, blaming Biden and offering the same old “build a wall” nonsense he failed at miserably his term in office.

This is only one instance of the type of leadership Trump and all dictators’ exhibit. There are never policies put forth for the benefit of all the people, only for their own enrichment. Do you really think any of the authoritarian type care about the “people?” They destroy anybody in their way. No more free speech, fair elections, help for unfortunates (yes, blacks and women are still in that category) as well as the aged and disabled. Anybody in the way of enriching themselves are disregarded, many left to suffer and die but they don’t care.

How did countries with democratic governments let this happen? First step is to weaken the trust in our institutions, laws, elections so the people look elsewhere for solutions to their conceived problems, That’s where the charlatans step in with their attractive, easy solutions the under privileged understand then make up a catchy slogan, like Make America Great Again (MAGA), make a few million hats, T-shirts…and go use the social media to spread the lies they seemingly like to hear then rush to the polling places, harass voters who don’t share their views and voila, a new dawn of terror begins. How to stop it?  Vote wisely.

Lee Purrier, 

Park Rapids