Very Cool Action
Montauk
August 28, 2025
Dear David,
I would like to commend Frances Sacks for an extremely well-written and objective article on the costs and vibes of the Surf Lodge (Aug. 28). The last time and only time I was there was 20 years ago, when I was served a requested Dewars on the rocks for $18 by an extremely snooty and narcissistic bartender. I drank my scotch and left.
It is good to see that things have changed. Had I known that an elitist and prestigious deck table was only $10,000, I would have alerted my retired, male teacher friends and formed a group to request entry on a hot Saturday night. We would take a fashion gamble and wear our old washed-out bell bottoms with our-tight fitting and long-collared shirts that were open to the navel. The group members were told to wear their hair long. Some of the bald men complained; I told them to buy a wig.
Not surprisingly, because we looked so cool, rich, and hot, we easily passed the rigorous vetting process and were taken to our deck table in the middle of the very cool action. Before ordering our slightly over-priced drinks and three orders of the famous chicken tender towers, some group members started to dance the hustle, twist, locomotion, and mashed potatoes. To no one’s surprise, many beautiful women approached our group and inquired about our residence locations, past occupations, and our health problems. Cell numbers were exchanged.
We all had a wonderful time, and ordered hot cocoa at 8:30. We all took Ubers home and arrived home just after our bedtime at 9 p.m. We were exhausted — and almost bankrupt.
Cheers,
BRIAN POPE
A.I. Being Embedded
Amagansett
August 27, 2025
To the Editor,
Can’t we teach students about A.I.: what it is, how it works, and how to think critically about both its flaws and its opportunities without putting a chatbot directly into their hands, especially at younger ages?
The term “A.I.” itself is too broad to toss around casually. Parents often don’t realize that A.I. is already being embedded into educational platforms used in classrooms today. Families (not tech companies) deserve the right to decide what is right for their children. That includes whether they want to permit the massive data collection on their kids, or the creation of a one-on-one relationship with something both powerful and unaccountable. We also know how often A.I. is misused for cheating or shortcutting the learning process. We want our children to be ready for the future, not dependent on A.I. to think for them.
An A.I. bot is always available, always sympathetic. We’ve already seen tragic cases where chatbots have advised vulnerable children on methods of self-harm such as the heartbreaking death of Adam Raine in California, whose parents say his interactions with ChatGPT deepened the danger. Why would we ever bring that risk into our schools? And why would we strip parents of their right to protect their children from it?
Until there are enforceable safeguards and clear liability for harm, A.I. does not belong in classrooms. I, for one, do not want my children to be test subjects in an uncontrolled experiment.
Sincerely,
JILL COLEMAN
Cannot Get Signal
Springs
September 1, 2025
Dear Editor:
Like many of my neighbors in Clearwater Beach in Springs, I was befuddled by the Aug. 28 letter that asserted, “The fact is that now Springs has totally adequate and considerably better cell service than many other places throughout the East End.”
For the record, I still cannot get a signal anywhere within about half a mile of my house. I still can’t walk the dog if I am expecting an important phone call. I still pay for a landline as a backup for when my Wi-Fi calling fails if the cable goes out. The situation is not “adequate.”
Thanks,
DAVID ROSENBERG
Raised the Rates
Wainscott
August 31, 2025
Dear David,
I was shocked at my utility bill from PSEG. In June, the delivery and system charge was $72.68.The power supply charge was $64.55. My September due bill lists the delivery system charge of $165.65 and the power supply charges of $147.32. My total bill is now $338.40. I live alone, so my usage is basic. What about families?
Now look at Optimum! It raised the rates and eliminated several channels that were part of the packages. It never alerted us and didn’t lower the charges.
Those channels are no longer included but separate and the fee for one is $15.95 a month A neighbor had a conversation with a representative about his bill questions. He was told “that’s the way it is and there is nothing you can do about it!
Forget about the price of gasoline out here. Get off the Sunrise and within a short distance, the price is almost a dollar more per gallon. They need to hear about this from everyone. Of course, PSEG lowered the rates in New Jersey at the same time. Time for them to hear from everyone!
ARTHUR FRENCH
Constant Flow
East Hampton
August 31, 2025
To the Editor,
The traffic on Two Holes of Water has increased tremendously. At noontime, in a two-minute time period, I counted 18 cars traveling on Two Holes. Do the math: That’s hundreds of cars in an hour. There is a constant flow.
Before the roundabout, it was hard to slow down and turn onto Two Holes from Stephen Hand’s Path or to cross over from Long Lane. The roundabout makes it easy. Drivers coming from anywhere east (Amagansett, Montauk, Northwest Woods, etc.) who want to avoid going through East Hampton Village and who are going to Sag Harbor must use Route 114. They used to continue on Stephen Hand’s to 114 but no longer.
Not only is it easy to turn onto Two Holes now, but the green light at 114 and Stephen Hand’s only lasts 18 seconds, which creates a huge backup. Many now take Two Holes to Whooping Hollow, or Swamp Road, to 114. This has created a huge slowdown on 114 at those entry points. Thankfully the right turn lane on Stephen Hand’s is now paved and there is an arrow light. Hopefully more cars will take this route to 114, but I doubt it.
Two Holes’ many potholes are getting bigger and wider and deeper every day. Why doesn’t the town repave? Plus many cars exceed the speed limit, making it dangerous for homeowners to pull out onto this very curvy road — sight lines are poor, hard to see oncoming traffic. How about a police car set up to monitor this speeding problem?
In conclusion: Lengthen the green light at 114 and Stephen Hand’s Path, repave Two Holes. Police should monitor speeding cars on Two Holes.
JANE ADELMAN
All Resonating
Springs
August 29, 2025
Dear Editor,
Imagine being one of only 100 audience members immersed in the enduring beauty of classical orchestral masterworks performed by 40 professional musicians from major symphonies in the country, under the baton of an esteemed conductor with over 50 years of experience. Where else can one find such a truly unique and intimate opportunity?Here in East Hampton — without the hassles and cost of travel, traffic, or parking!
Allow yourself to be uplifted and inspired by music that has stood the test of time: the brilliance of Mozart, wit of Prokofiev, vibrancy of Stravinsky, the rich harmonies of Barber, passion of Berlioz, lyrical warmth of Tchaikovsky, and the majesty of Beethoven — all resonating within the remarkable acoustics of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church’s Hoie Hall in the heart of East Hampton Village.
Whether you are new to the world of classical music or a longtime devotee, let the power of this great music speak to you — and stay with you long after the final note.
Join Maestro Michael Palmer, conductor and artistic director and Logan Souther, associate conductor, as they lead the festival orchestra in bringing this unique shared experience to us right in our backyard! Now more than ever we need music to unite, inspire, and bring us joy.
The Hamptons Festival of Music MainStage Concerts, St Luke’s Episcopal Church, 18 James Lane. Saturday, Sept. 11, and Sept. 14. Visit THFM.org for details and tickets.
Sincerely,
CHRISTINE GANITSCH
Rising Price
East Hampton
August 26, 2025
Dear Editor,
Beef! It ain’t what’s for dinner anymore. That’s the popular response to the tripling of beef prices in the past 15 years. The underlying reasons have been severe droughts in the cattle-producing states of Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas, aggravated by the 50 percent tariff imposed by Trump on imports of Brazilian beef. Ironically, the droughts are connected to global warming caused in part by methane emissions from cattle. The rising price is expected to reduce consumption of beef, as well as the associated disastrous impacts on our personal health and the health of our planet.
But there is still hope for folks who just “have to have” their steak. A number of start-up companies are developing healthy, eco-friendly, convenient, tasty, and reasonably priced steaks from animal cells and plants. They should appear on our supermarket shelves within a couple of years. And here is the best part for those of us who care where our food comes from: These steaks will be processed through sanitary health-inspected vats, rather than through the digestive tracts of cows.
Sincerely,
EDWIN HORATH
Needed Enhancements
East Hampton
August 28, 2025
Dear Community,
The board of education is beginning a once-in-a-generation process of developing a capital improvement plan for our schools. With the impending retirement of old debt, we have the opportunity to implement important renovations without increasing taxes on our residents.
Just as you do in your own homes, our buildings require maintenance to ensure that they remain structurally sound. As we project into the future, we foresee the necessary structural enhancements our students will need over the next 20 years. Input from the community is essential for the success of this process. The board of education has scheduled four community forums in the coming months to hear your ideas as they are developing a package of proposed projects.
Please join us on the following dates to ensure that your voice is heard: Sept. 25, Oct. 15, and Nov. 12 at 6 p.m. in the East Hampton High School Library, and Dec. 17 at 10 a.m. in the same location. These community forums will also be broadcast on LTV, and information will be posted to our website.
All East Hampton residents, whether they have children in our schools, belong in these community forums. So please take the time to join us as we work together to shape the future of our schools for the next 20 years.
Yours truly,
ADAM S. FINE
Superintendent of Schools
The Beach Hut
East Hampton Village
August 28, 2025
Dear David,
It has come to my attention that the village is about to begin a process to put up the Beach Hut franchise for a renewal of the lease at Main Beach. I am not aware of the specific process or any of the economic terms, but I do want to express my opinion, in advance of the official process, that other factors should be considered in addition to awarding the renewal to the highest bidder, which might be the usual consideration. I am pleased to hear that they will be taking other factors into consideration, and, therefore, I wanted to offer my support for re-awarding the lease to the current operator, Susie (I don’t know her last name), who has run the facility for the past few years.
I, and other members of my family, and at our encouragement, other friends and neighbors, have gone to the Hut for breakfast on a regular basis and often for lunch and have been totally pleased by the ambience she has created, the menu, the quality of the food, and the down-home, local environment she has created.
I have lived in the village for over 45 years and remember the original Hut, and more important, its decline over the years in all of the above. Thus, I, and I am sure other patrons, would be strongly disappointed if the facility lost its current environment as a local establishment including its total effort to employ local kids and maintain the operation consistently in a positive manner through good and bad weather, hurricanes included, and being greeted always with a smile.
The village is purportedly interested in encouraging local business ownership in all the retail establishments and the Beach Hut as it is currently operated meets all of the desired characteristics. I am sure they can find a more professional, glitzy organization to take it over who will manage it more professionally and pay more than others, but, in my opinion, maintaining the local flavor, together with its current quality, should be given very strong consideration in selecting a tenant in the space.
I strongly support the village making every effort to keep the current operator at the Beach Hut!
Sincerely
ALAN PATRICOF
—
Susan Seekamp is the Beach Hut operator. Ed.
Should Take Care
Amagansett
August 31, 2025
To the Editor:
Some details in Christopher Walsh’s “Paramedic Files Suit” support Thomas Barbieri’s claim he was treated unjustly by the village ambulance administrator.
As I never tire of mentioning, I was an emergency medical technician in New York City’s 911 service back in the day. I performed CPR on about 50 patients, as part of a team of E.M.T.s and paramedics. We got three of their heartbeats back, but none lived more than a few more days, so far as I know.
Anyone whose idea of CPR is based on television and movies has no idea what it really involves. A basic and really rather revelatory fact about CPR: It is only performed on dead people — patients without a pulse or respiration. So charging anyone with negligence in CPR immediately engages a very knotty problem: Are you really claiming that the E.M.T. carelessly failed to resurrect the dead?
CPR almost always does not work, even under the best of circumstances. A second fact essential to understanding Mr. Barbieri’s situation is that CPR, to have any hope of success, must be started within about 15 or 20 minutes after the heart stops. The article’s statement that the patient was “cold to the touch” and showed “signs of lividity” suggests that more time than that — and possibly much more time — had passed. If that is true, the team would have been justified in simply pronouncing the patient dead and not performing any treatment at all.
I am sensing a theme in the coverage of the village ambulance service: It seems to relish throwing its people under the bus, when it’s not rocket science that you should take care of them instead, which includes having their backs if they are unfairly accused. There has to be more back story to the village’s treatment of Mr. Barbieri. I will follow his case with interest.
For democracy in East Hampton,
JONATHAN WALLACE
Damage Control
East Hampton
August 29, 2025
Dear David,
Let me respond to Mary Mott’s and Bradford Billet’s letters in last week’s Star that criticized my account of the Aug. 14 Artists-Writers Softball Game. The most important question I asked was never answered by either Ms. Mott or Mr. Billet: Why wasn’t an ambulance stationed at the game during a sporting event that drew many older residents and other medically vulnerable individuals on a very hot and humid day? One would think that some of the players (not at the peak of their sporting or physical careers) would have supported such a move as well. So — once again — why was an ambulance not at the game? Who made that decision and why? If there had been an ambulance there, we wouldn’t be having this discussion.
My comments on the event were not based on assumptions or “speculation,” as Ms. Mott speculates. I was 10 feet from the person who was hit and placed on the ground. I observed firsthand her convulsing, vigorous shaking of her head, the rolling of her eyes, her tongue hanging out of her mouth. Many others in the audience observed the same behavior I did and felt the agony she obviously was experiencing.
I, at no time, said the patient was “lying on the ground unattended,” as Ms. Mott claimed and quoted me as saying. Either she is willfully making up the quote or somehow imagined I said it. My letter doesn’t contain that phrase. What I did say was that “E.M.S. workers and the police tried, but were unable to alleviate her physical situation.”
I observed the woman’s convulsing from the very beginning, when E.M.S. and the police got to her, to the very end when the ambulance finally came. Her convulsing had not changed from the beginning to the end of those 25 minutes.
At least Ms. Mott and I agree that it took 25 minutes for the ambulance to arrive.
She says this is an “acceptable amount of time for a fully involved advanced life support response.” I, and I believe most of the people reading this letter, would disagree.
This woman had a very serious injury in which she had to be taken to the airport and then airlifted to Stony Brook Hospital. What if she was having a stroke?
Precious minutes were lost because the ambulance was not stationed at the game and took 25 minutes to get to the injured person. I wonder if Ms. Mott would consider it an acceptable amount of time if she had been that woman on the ground?
The rest of her letter is a lecture of “clarification” to what she refers to as the “frequently misunderstood association by untrained bystanders” (me?) “due to the lack of knowledge regarding the immediate situation and the total grasp of a 911 call evolution.”
Let me assure Ms. Mott that I have had personal experience with 911 calls and a subsequent ride in an ambulance and am aware of the protocols of the East Hampton ambulance service. Her lecture of “clarification” sounds more like an attempt at political damage control by a bureaucrat afraid of the ramifications of what actually did happen.
It’s much better to just say that some mistakes were made, we’re sorry, and we’ll do better next time. The cover-up always makes it worse.
As far as Mr. Billet’s letter is concerned, it starts by laying out a long list of his credentials as if that should mean no discussion is necessary or that any errors could or should be possibly entertained. It’s another technique used to assure political damage control so that a “proper and correct narrative” is followed.
The game was not stopped immediately, as everyone in the ballpark could see. The music played on, the announcer continued her pitches for this or that worthwhile charity, and batters continued to come to the plate. The vulnerable patient was still on the ground.
One of the people to reach the scene of the accident was another one of the field umpires (not Mr. Billet) whose response was to get the stands moved back so that the game could continue. This is the same field umpire that when I asked where was an ambulance, responded this wasn’t “a worthwhile conversation” to have with me.
When I asked him how would he like it if he were the one on the ground, he simply walked away and went back onto the field. It was obvious where his priorities lay.
Mr. Billet goes on to say in his letter, “Contrary to the writer’s mischaracterizations of all of the facts in his letter, the game did not continue while the victim lay unattended” (again, I never said that). “It remained halted while care was provided on scene and until she was fully stabilized, placed on a backboard, moved onto a stretcher, and placed in the ambulance. The ambulance itself stayed on the site while patient care continued inside before departing.”
“To reiterate, the game resumed once the victim was safely in the ambulance.” So there it is — in Mr. Billet’s alternative universe and in his own words — the game was stopped for a full 25 minutes.
I’ll leave that to all the fans and participants at the game to decide whether that was the reality they experienced.
In neither Ms. Mott’s nor Mr. Billet’s letter is there any mention of the woman’s condition now, how she’s doing, or acknowledgement of that concern. That would have been a decent message to include in their letters. It speaks volumes about Ms. Mott and Mr. Billet as individuals and the system and organizations they run and manage.
Sincerely,
JIM VRETTOS
Potential Precedents
Amagansett
September 1, 2025
Dear David,
I am writing to express my serious concern about recent comments made by Roy Dalene, the East Hampton Town Zoning Board of Appeals chairman, during the board’s discussion of an application. His remarks raise important questions about how our zoning code is interpreted and the potential precedents they could set for our community. The applicant pressed the board to allow Federal Emergency Management Agency elevation requirements to automatically override zoning height and pyramid limits, instead of following the standard zoning balancing standards.
Chairman Dalene’s claim that local laws can be ignored in favor of future FEMA requirements — stating, “I think that this town needs to get with it and redefine those codes” — undermines the core principles of our zoning regulations. We cannot dismiss these guidelines, as Chairman Dalene’s decision appears to do, based on the applicant’s speculative future FEMA scenarios: the house being 20 years old, incorrect insurance costs, or just a need for a new roof. Our zoning code aims to preserve the character of East Hampton and protect the safety and well-being of our neighborhoods. Allowing such exceptions threatens to weaken the standards that uphold our community’s integrity.
Furthermore, granting variances without fully considering their impact on neighboring properties is concerning. Z.B.A. decisions, especially by the chairman of the board, should prioritize the collective good of our community over individual financial interests.
I appreciate the other four Z.B.A. members who voted against this application, showing their dedication to maintaining our community standards and focusing on East Hampton’s long-term interests.
As residents, we must stand for strict adherence to our zoning regulations to ensure accountability in safeguarding our environment and community character. The choices made today will influence East Hampton’s future for many years.
Sincerely,
RONA KLOPMAN
Positive Presence
East Hampton
September 1, 2025
Dear David,
As we begin a new school year, it is important to reflect not only on academics, but also on the safety and well-being of our children and staff. One proven way to strengthen school safety is through the presence of school resource officers.
Under my leadership on the East Hampton School Board, we created a successful partnership with the East Hampton Village Police Department that placed officers in our schools. This model has not only provided a sense of security for students, parents, and staff, but it has also built trust between our young people and the police officers who serve our community.
For almost a decade, feeder-school districts (Amagansett, Montauk, Springs, and Wainscott) have been asking for access to this type of program. Many are now prepared to join East Hampton in a shared services agreement working together and sharing the costs to make this a reality across our town. This type of collaboration is exactly what New York State encourages municipalities to do: Pool resources, reduce costs, and deliver better outcomes for the community.
East Hampton faces unique challenges as a resort town. During the summer months, our police officers are called upon to address quality-of-life issues that arise with the influx of visitors. But during the school year, those same officers can play a vital role in keeping our schools safe, mentoring students, and being a visible, positive presence in our hallways. This shared service is not only fiscally responsible, but also strengthens the bond between our schools and law enforcement.
As a candidate for East Hampton Town Board, I believe strongly in building partnerships that benefit everyone. My record of leadership on the school board shows that I know how to bring people together, build trust, and make innovative ideas work in practice. Expanding our school resource officer program is a common-sense step toward ensuring both the safety of our students and the efficient use of our community’s resources.
As our children and staff return to classrooms this week, let’s recommit ourselves to giving them the safest and strongest environment to learn and grow. With cooperation, vision, and leadership, we can make that happen.
Respectfully,
J.P. FOSTER
Heard Her Words
Amagansett
August 29, 2025
To the Editor,
Some people are truly great manipulators. They can lie, cheat, treat you badly and somehow manage to make it all seem like your fault. Don’t fall for it. That is just what they do.
I forgot to mention Robin Jahoda, a school board member, and her husband, Bill, who approached me at an event on July 5. A majority of my family and extended family all heard her spoken words. It was illuminating. We still want to know what “It’s not her, it’s the others” means. We really didn’t appreciate the “be quiet or else” from Bill directed at me.
Does Robin still want me to ask that question about her and what she thinks about administration that would be corroborated by “Timmy” Fromm, an East Hampton assistant superintendent? Subsequent actions and events occurred days later.
Still here.
JOE KARPINSKI
Fantastic Letter
Montauk
August 30, 2025
Dear David,
I’m still mending from surgery but I can still enjoy a fantastic letter written by Carol Dray.
I give her all the compliments in the world for her truthful, well-written letter in The East Hampton Star (Aug. 21).
A few weeks ago, an editorial written by the editor, I guess, of The Star was a disgrace. I gather if you jam it down the people’s throats, these Democrats will stick together and show their true Trump-hatred syndrome. The editorial was all about President Trump becoming another Hitler, taking over the streets of America. Carol, you certainly showed the truth in your letter. So well written.
In God and country,
BEA DERRICO
The Horrible Truth
North Haven
August 28, 2025
Dear David:
It’s time to remember Hurricane Katrina on its 20th anniversary. The New Orleans, Puerto Rico, and Texas victims certainly remember their hurricane disasters. Let’s not forget the Texas flash flood that killed so many children this year. Does anyone here in our glamorous Hamptons remember Superstorm Sandy, or know of the 1938 Hurricane, “The Long Island Express,” which caused 29 deaths nearby, and an estimated 60 on all Long Island? It rendered Montauk an island separated from the rest of Long Island.
Think about all those wildfires in the United States mainland and Hawaii, Canada, and Europe recently reported in the news and how they may relate to all the dead trees around here. Does anyone remember the Pine Barrens fires in August and September, 1995, that burned a total of 7,000 acres? The Manorville fires burned another 1,100 acres in 2012, then another 600 acres this year in March.
I suggest that our Nick LaLota and Lee Zeldin, and especially Trump and his Make America Great Again Congress who claim to represent us — really don’t remember, or care, about any of this. If disaster happens here, they will probably just throw paper towels at us. Trump hates us!
Under the guise of trimming government waste, these creeps have disabled the Federal Emergency Management Agency, most National Park Services, National Institutes of Health, Environmental Protection Agency, and other critical agencies to enable massive tax cuts for the super-wealthy. Trump actually suggested in January the idea of, “maybe getting rid of FEMA” altogether.
Our safety, lives, and basic emergency preparedness have been sacrificed for this scam! Make America Great Again sycophants only represent Trump, themselves, and the Heritage Society’s “Project 2025.”
I’m not trying to spoil our Labor Day holiday, but by now, we should be able to see the horrible truth in all of this. We are being put in real danger. All of us: red or blue, liberal or conservative, young or old.
I believe history forgotten is often repeated, and now it’s out of ignorance and bad planning. Our summer is ending, and now our own labor should turn to taking action to protect our lives out here.
It’s obvious that starving the federal government of staff and money for targeted tax cuts for the absurdly rich is not democracy; it is actually the criminal conversion of our own assets, and could result in injury or death. Our taxes are for our safety and well-being, not for gifting to the undeserved.
In a democracy, we need our federal government to establish honest emergency preparedness nationwide for all the unexpected tragedies that await us. Local communities under siege cannot do this themselves.
We should note that New York State, along with most other progressive states, is a net contributor to the federal budget. We get less money from the government than we contribute. This equation happens to be in the opposite for most red states.
The current administration is financially strangling us for their personal gain, putting us at serious risk. We must pressure our weak representatives to sever their obedience to Trump, or be replaced with representatives who will serve us effectively.
Wishing all a good, safe Labor Day holiday and the return to our necessary hard work.
ANTHONY CORON
Retirees at Risk
East Hampton
August 14, 2025
Sir,
Representative Nick LaLota’s recent email to his constituents praising Social Security reforms under the Trump administration is seriously misleading (“Celebrating 90 Years of Social Security — and Strengthening It for the Future,” Aug. 14). While he highlights short-term tax breaks and benefit restorations, these actions simply accelerate the insolvency of the Social Security Trust Fund — something that is likely to happen within the next 10 years.
Repealing the Windfall Elimination Provision and the Government Pension Offset will benefit some public servants now but does nothing to solve the program’s long-term funding crisis. Eliminating federal income taxes on Social Security benefits might sound generous, but it actually worsens the program’s financial prospects. The promise of financial security for the next 90 years is political rhetoric and is not supported by any credible financial projections.
True leadership would mean securing fair benefits with sustainable funding, not making hollow promises that leave future retirees at risk.
Sincerely,
ANDREW VAN PRAAG
Massive Cuts
East Hampton
September 1, 2025
To the Editor,
I know that rich people need their pocket change and, of course, the more the better. If it happens to come from the poorest parts of our country, they can tell themselves — and often everybody else — that they worked for every buck.
But why would they go along with massive cuts to cancer research and vaccine development? Aren’t they the first ones to receive the newest treatments?
Do they really believe the shuck and jive that only “waste” is being cut?
Someone, please unfold this for me.
TOM MACKEY
Is No Doubt
East Hampton
August 26, 2025
Dear David,
Democracy is messy. But the good thing about it is that it has a built-in method of self-correction through elections. Our recent history demonstrates: Obama. Trump. Biden. Trump. Even before Trump was elected, Democracy was working to deliver on a Trump rallying cry on the open border with a proposal designed to Republican specifications, but Trump killed it rather than let it pass, even then making clear his only aspiration was personal power.
Many of us warned before his election that Trump had dictatorial tendencies. But even among Democrats, some knowledgeable observers were unworried by that threat. They said America had plenty of checks and balances. We were ruled by laws, with courts and police agencies to enforce them, and citizens who would vote to back up those systems. It could not happen here.
Most of us did not understand the phrase, “unitary executive,” or its implication that the president of the United States had absolute power over everything in the executive branch. We certainly did not understand that the Federalist Society had been working for years to pack the courts with judges who subscribed to this theory. We did not foresee that this meant the court could declare the president to be immune from prosecution for breaking laws. We did not understand that a president, whose only criterion for hiring was loyalty to him, could pack his cabinet with amateurs, then go on to turn the Justice Department, the F.B.I., the C.I.A., the I.R.S., the National Guard, and even the Army into forces to ram his whims down the national throat.
Today there are armed jackboots in masks in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., and Trump is promising the same in several other “blue” cities. National Guard from “red” states are being deployed into blue cities, on the pretense of fighting crime, in flagrant disregard of the fact that there are 43 cities with higher crime rates than D.C. in those red states sending troops to D.C.
We’ve heard the phone calls between Trump and Georgia officials, so there is no doubt that Trump will not hesitate to monkey around with election results. We’ve seen the Jan. 6 attempt to invalidate the will of the people, and his pardoning of the violent mob that rioted on his behalf. Anybody who does not see the coming attempt to disrupt and corrupt the voting process is a drooling idiot. Pam Bondi will watch and applaud, and no cavalry is left to enforce the laws.
The gossamer-thin thread of hope to reverse this collapse of democracy is the 2026 election. Only if citizens on both sides of the aisle realize the moment we are in and vote to make the result incontrovertible will we escape the fate of becoming Russia, where the media is controlled, elections are shams, and political opponents die in prison or fall from high windows. Already Trump has extracted payments from major law firms, television networks, Nvidia, Intel, and AMD. Every dictatorship moves inexorably toward oligarchy and kakistocracy. It’s not good for the rich or for the poor. It’s not good for white, Black, or brown. And it never ends peacefully.
DON MATHESON