Bill Heller
RtB Writers Group
Letter to the Editor
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel
September 13, 2024
With the contest between the former president and the current vice president unfolding, I can’t help but be amazed at the ferocity of claims that everything was wonderful under the former administration, while everything is terrible under the current one. Therefore, I decided to separate fake news from reality.
As a Baby Boomer and lifelong Republican, I am bewildered by the MAGA claim itself. After my father or yours, or your grandfather, returned victoriously from World War II, America became the clear leader of the free world. We have the world’s strongest economy, military might well beyond any other country in the world and the wealthiest and freest people on earth. Despite what the MAGA crowd says, we are still the greatest nation ever.
Trump cut taxes for himself and his real estate buddies. No wonder we have a housing crisis. How much did he cut your taxes?
Trump promised infrastructure improvements. Biden delivered.
The Dow at the close of the Trump administration: under 30,000. The Dow today: over 40,000. The S& P 500 was 3,329 on Jan. 20, 2020. Today it is 5,554 – a 66% increase.
Under Trump, the national debt increased by $8.2 trillion. Under Biden it is $6.7 trillion. Under the terms of Reagan and Clinton it rose by less than $2 trillion. Who is most fiscally responsible?
Unemployment at the end of Trump’s term was 11.5%. It is currently at 4.2%.
Anyone who spent 5½ years as a POW, was tortured causing lifelong crippling injuries, is a war hero. Of course, Trump didn’t serve. He paid a doctor to say he had bone spurs. Under Trump, we were engaged on an active war in Afghanistan. Under Biden, we are at peace with the world. Trouble spots in Ukraine, Israel, China and North Korea are being skillfully contained by diplomatic efforts.
Trump presided over the COVID pandemic, which caused the death of over a million Americans. Trump’s do-nothing policy left it to each state to handle this emergency. Biden provided free vaccines.
Under Biden, science and facts determine policy. Under Trump, conspiracy theories abound. The climate is changing fast. Republicans deny that fact outright and do everything in their power to continue to destroy it. In fact, their ability to deny the obvious in many ways strains all credibility. Law and order? Under Biden, no mob has attacked Congress.
America is great and has always been during my lifetime. Check the facts.
BILL HELLER
Palisade
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