Letter to the Editor: Submitted by Karen Pratte

To the Editor:

During the campaign, Trump and others in his same political party promised to stand with working people and vowed to lower food, housing, and healthcare costs. Trump also promised to never get our country into ‘stupid endless wars’ and to put America first.

Trump and those party members broke their promises. One year later, costs and inflation are even higher. Everyday people are struggling to put food on the table and to pay bills.   Trump is plunging our country into ‘stupid endless wars’ cheered on by his party followers, including some from our very own state.

Trump has turned to aggressive military adventures and colonial-type exploitation of other countries. He’s been bombing small boats in Venezuela, killing survivors, and has kidnapped the Venezuelan president while leaving the corrupt, suppressive Maduro regime in power. Trump’s stated goal is to get Venezuelans’ oil.  Oil tycoons benefit while the American taxpayers pay the bill. This Venezuelan military operation cost the taxpayers $500 million to $1 billion.

Now, Trump is talking about going after Columbia, Mexico, Cuba, and Greenland. Plundering other countries’ oil and minerals enriches himself, his cronies, and donors.

Trump and his party followers are putting power and billionaires first and ordinary Americans last. We deserve representatives and senators who are laser focused on everyday Americans and solving the huge problems of affordability.  In 2026, it is imperative to vote anyone who does not have that focus out of office.

Karen Pratte
Waterville