Letters: France has problems but following America is not the answer
Connexion reader says a veer to the right would make France lose the kindness that sets its culture apart
Reader says that the US is becoming increasingly dysfunctional under President Trump
Jonah Elkowitz/Shutterstock
To the Editor,
What the writer of this letter does not understand is that again and again the right wing - and most especially Donald Trump - have benefited the wealthy of the United States and left the middle and working class worse off.
We are actually losing our middle class. It started with Reagan.
Clinton while not perfect got rid of the huge Reagan deficit and tax cuts for the rich.
Then George W Bush once again got us into useless foreign wars and amped up the deficit and left Obama with a recession to clean up from Bush’s misinformed agenda.
Then Donald Trump benefited from the economy that Obama gave him. Then look at the fact that more Americans died unnecessarily due to Covid misinformation than any other developed nation.
The economy once again tanked and then because of necessary stimulus to help a country reeling from Covid inflation started as it has done all over the world post Covid.
Biden inherited that and put in place many good programs for the future of the American worker.
Because he was not a good communicator due to his age and stuttering, Donald Trump rode the wave of anger about inflation and used the timeless trope of blaming it on immigrants.
He is filling his administration and cabinet with incompetent money hungry people who are what is making America increasingly dysfunctional.
In Trump’s first administration he used his power to con, make more money for his businesses and cash in on every opportunity he could find.
Now he and his cronies will do this on steroids.
And 50% of the American people read too little and are too uniformed to understand what they have voted for.
Silicon Valley has - alas - become the new Robber Barons of the modern age.
France has its problems, yes, but following America is NOT the answer.
The French would lose what makes them so very special, kind, good values, far superior food, good public transportation.
I am always struck by how the people in France are so much kinder and just overall have better values of what makes life good and feeling.
It is a balm to me during this dark time in America as Donald Trump returns to office with his nastiness and negativity and grifting that brings out the worst attributes of the general American personality.
I am ashamed to be an American right now.
Fran Hardy, by email
How do you think the return of Donald Trump will affect life in France? Let us know at letters@connexionfrance.com
