After decades of dealing with abusive controllers and seeing those traits in certain Maine politicians, I concluded that when you put abusive people in power they will abuse that power. Now we see that principle displayed even greater in Donald Trump. To have a president of the United States try to bribe the leader of another country to dig up dirt on an opponent is abuse of power and corruption on the grandest scale. It is perhaps the biggest attempted act of corruption in world history.

The silence, and even approval, of many Republicans shows that either they would do the same if given the opportunity, willing to win at any cost, or are afraid of this wannabe dictator who equates criticism of himself with treachery against America worthy of execution, or are willing to give up democracy, freedom of speech, and clean air in exchange for anti-abortion policies, anti-immigration action, and protection of the “right” to have the ability to kill dozens of people per minute. It proves they only care about the “rule of law” when it is expedient.

During his first 1,000 days in office Trump has made false and misleading statements 14,300 times. Do his Republicans supporters even care that they elected to office the world’s biggest liar?

The idea the the United States will evolve into a better society because there is something special about us is a myth, a fallacy. We are devolving fast. A better society will always be hard work. We need to encourage within our citizenship the honorable traits of honesty, fairness, equality, respect for others, hard work, and financial responsibility. Don’t look to Republicans for that; they put on a pedestal for the world to see someone who is the opposite of honorable.

Brad Sherwood

Waterville