2/02 Letters: How are voters supposed to believe anything President Trump says?

Credibility

A question for President Trump’s faithful supporters: Please explain how American voters are suppose to believe anything Trump says when he has flagrantly and blatantly lied for three years since taking office?

Telling Americans the truth is a basic expectation for all presidents and Trump has failed miserably. What’s worse is that he doesn’t care what comes out his mouth. It’s time for his supporters to open their eyes and deal with the truth — that their president can’t tell them the truth! Otherwise, if you like being lied to on a daily basis, make the same mistake again in November.

Don Haines, Fuquay-Varina

In Trump’s defense

Regarding “Burr and Tillis serve Trump, not NC” (Jan. 30):

Exactly where is the evidence that President Trump leveraged “military aid in an attempt to trigger a foreign investigation of a political rival”? The facts are that Trump sought to confirm the anti-corruption moves of a new Ukrainian president.

I’d like the Editorial Board to editorialize on Joe Biden’s withholding money until Ukraine fired the prosecutor investigating Burisma, on the DNC and Hillary Clinton’s campaign’s financing of the discredited Steele dossier, and on FBI’s complicity in advancing multiple FISA warrant approvals that are now being investigated.

Clinton S. Laird, Raleigh

Mourning a loss

I just finished hanging a black sash across my front door, the one often hung when there is a death in the family. As our democracy dies, I felt it was a fitting gesture.

I never thought this would happen in my lifetime, but now it seems to be on our doorstep. November cannot come too soon. Indeed, this is a time of great darkness upon the face of the earth and I wonder how history will record it.

Margie Maddox, Cary

A real trial

No defendant gets to decide what evidence can be used against him and which witnesses get to testify. Yet, this is exactly what the Republicans attempted in what could be the most important trial in a generation.

This is not a trial. This is a travesty! The American people deserve better.

If our senators will not stand up for us and deliver a real trial, with all the relevant witnesses and evidence, perhaps we should look at getting better senators.

Eric Thomas, Durham

Third parties

My wife, registered unaffiliated, received a letter from Democratic candidate Mike Bloomberg. The P.S. said: “North Carolina election law allows all registered voters, regardless of party registration, to vote in the Democratic Primary.”

Not true. Republicans, Libertarians, Greens and Constitutionalists cannot vote in the Democratic primary “regardless of party registration.” Only registered Democrats and unaffiliated voters can.

Of course, this could be a deliberate attempt to create a situation where voters are denied the right to vote, but I seriously doubt it. I think it’s just typical of establishment party hubris. It never ceases to amuse me how establishment parties write the election laws designed to stifle third-party and independent candidates, yet their politicians can’t seem to remember what they say.

Brian Irving, Cary

Clean water

Regarding “Drinking water in this NC county has the most ‘forever chemicals’ in the US, study says,” (Jan. 24):

While we now know that Brunswick County has the highest PFAS contamination in the country, it’s also clear North Carolina is on the front lines of this national epidemic.

The EPA has failed to set enforceable standards for PFAS and the N.C. General Assembly has cut funding for the N.C. DEQ by 34 percent over the past decade. Citizens are being exposed to toxic pollution daily and there is still no plan for remediation from the agencies that are supposed to protect us.

The Trump administration has been gutting bedrock environmental policies like the Clean Water Act, that have protected our water for decades. Advocates and scientists have called for PFAS regulations but officials ignore the evidence.

Turning a blind eye won’t make the problem disappear. Elected N.C. officials need to step up and do the hard work to ensure that we have healthy waters throughout our state.

Krista Early, Raleigh

Clean water advocate, Environment North Carolina

Gun laws

As a 15-year-old sophomore, gun violence in schools is a constant fear of mine. From a very young age children are forced to go through active shooter drills. Why has this become so normalized that instead of trying to decrease school shootings we’re teaching 5-year-olds how to throw chairs at invaders?

There is a point where America’s freedoms have to be restricted for the safety of citizens. Strict background checks and red flag laws are a step in the right direction.

I don’t want to be afraid to go to school, and I certainly don’t want to have to hide behind a desk while my principal rattles the door handle because “just in case” can very quickly turn into a reality.

Emma Hobbs, Pittsboro