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Not surprised by negative news about Donald Trump

In a recent “Editor’s 2 Cents” column (Sept. 18), Frank Miele complained that Google and other news media are biased, saying “Do your own search on Google for the phrase ‘Trump news’ ... every result on the first page was anti-Trump.”

But whether the media have a liberal slant or not, a preponderance of negative articles about Trump is not the least bit surprising to this reader. That’s because the corrupt and childish blowhard currently occupying the White House spouts near-total negativity stemming from a compulsive addiction to lying, and from his relentless onslaught of abusive, racist, or misogynist tweets and other gibberish. —Stave Barrett, Kalispell

Allegations against judge don’t pass ‘the smell test’

In her Sept. 23 letter, Emily Casey tells us that while “There are many reasons why I find Christine Blasey Ford credible ... the bottom line is that unless you’ve been where Dr. Ford has been, then please do not judge her or her reasons for coming forward when she did.”

She then shares a story about abuse she alleges she suffered at the hands of a teenage babysitter when she was a little girl. During the last couple of days Patti Davis made public some details of a sexual assault she alleges was committed by a recording company executive; she shared her experience, Davis said, to help explain why rape victims often do not immediately (or sometimes, ever) come forward to report or accuse the man who raped them. OK, Emily and Patti. Thanks so much for sharing.

The trouble is that it is not only the delay in Ford’s accusation of Judge Brett Kavanaugh that makes her less than credible to anyone approaching the case with an open mind, nor is it just the delay coupled with her fuzziness on details about the time and place and people present, something Patti Davis also addressed in her disclosure about her own experience.

These things, taken together with the role played by Senator Dianne Feinstein in making Ford’s allegations public, Ford’s unreasonable demand (echoing Senate Democrats) for an FBI investigation of the incident she alleges took place three and a half decades ago, and the accounts of others Ford says were present at the time and place of the assault that contradict her version of events ... all of these together mean that Ford’s accusation does not pass the smell test ... and that is the plain truth regardless of whether or not one has been where Dr. Ford alleges she has been.

As far as I’m concerned, it is regrettable that the Senate Republicans even gave Ford enough credence to delay the originally scheduled vote on Kavanaugh’s confirmation, a regret I chalk up to the character (or lack of it) of the gutless wonders that most Republicans in the Senate are. —Lee Smith, Somers

A visitor enjoys Daily Inter Lake

I am vacationing from the Tampa Bay, Florida, area, and I have enjoyed the Daily Inter Lake paper these last five days.

As a 69-year-old who is enjoying being part of the last generation to actually read the printed page, thanks for your part in a fine publication.

May the Inter Lake continue to publish daily for many, many years! —Kenn Sidorewich, Oldsmar, Florida

Orwell rolling over in his grave

In George Orwell’s dystopian novel “1984,” Winston Smith’s job in the country of Oceania was to put stories that disagreed with Big Brother down the memory hole, never to be viewed again.

His research on the streets to find out about history was frustrated to find that no one remembered the way things used to be. Big Brother had so stifled the rights and freedoms of individuals that over time no one knew how to get them back. Facts didn’t matter. As Big Brother explained: 2 + 2 equals 5, because no one could prove otherwise. There was no mathematical or scientific principles. There was no record of the way it was supposed to be. History was irrelevant. Facts and truth went down the memory hole.

Today facts and truth are being challenged. Russians attacked the United States by hacking the election systems in seven states, organizing thousands of fake stories and fake demonstrations in social media, turning thousands of electronic bots to influence users of Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, Snapchat,and hacking into our electrical grid; yet, Trump has repeatedly claimed this story is a witch hunt, a hoax. Consequently, 50 percent of his supporters believe the Russian investigation is a Democratic scam. Worse yet, 75 percent of Republicans support Trump in spite of his potential involvement and repeated lies. (According to Washington Post, on average Trump lies four times a day.)

The president has attacked the press as “Enemy of the People.” Trump has attacked the FBI because they are investigating the Russian attack, fact. Trump and associates have threatened physical threats or arrest of political opponents, fact. He has claimed climate change is a fake story; whereas, climate change is a scientific fact. He has claimed he would have won the popular vote were it not for prevalent voter fraud — his claim is a fact, his assertion a myth. He claims Americans pay the most in taxes and that the tax reform law would cost him a fortune — false and false. The dishonesty goes on and on while the truth disappears.

When facts don’t matter, 2 + 2= 5. If 2 + 2= 4, everything will follow because facts and truth do matter. They are essential in a republican form of government. It is why we study history because sometimes the simple act of remembrance is an act of resistance to a tyrant. When truth stops, tyranny begins. It is why the institutions of law and order, the press, the freedom to protest or to petition our leaders, must be respected and maintained. It is why we have a Constitution that outlines the historical objectives of this country.

By examining the dystopia of Oceania in “1984,” we learn that when facts and truth become irrelevant, there can be no republic. When the people of the United States decide truth doesn’t matter, the United States will no longer be the leader of the free world. We will take our place amongst the many authoritarian states that chose the cult of personality over country and join those countries in the dustbin of failed states of world history. In light of what is transpiring in America, Orwell must be rolling in his grave. —David James, Eureka

Count the costs of illegal immigration

So entering our country illegally is considered a minor crime, yet legal immigrants who obey the law spend thousands of dollars to gain legal access by hiring immigration lawyers, and going through the extensive paperwork required. They do that because they want the “American Dream,” but now tens of thousands of “migrants” or “undocumented immigrants” flout those laws by sneaking across the border, sometimes on multiple occasions.

Think about what that means. When caught crossing our border illegally, they start legal processes costing us taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars. Beyond that, when they collect from our generous welfare system, taxpayers could spend hundreds of thousands of dollars. Why, therefore, do we diminish the crime of illegal entry? Why isn’t illegal entry a felony due to the ultimate theft of our resources?

We need to toughen the laws of immigration. If that’s immigration reform, I’m all for it. If not, immigration “reform” is a joke. We need the wall to slow the alien traffic that brings the possible benefit of cheap labor, but with it the threat of crime, terrorism, infectious diseases not common to this country, and other unwanted results. —Ward DeWitt, Bigfork