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LETTERS for the February 7 issue

By Staff | Feb 7, 2019

Toddler Trump needs a timeout

President Trump announced an end to the government shutdown on Jan. 25. Is it a real deal to reopen the federal government or another tactic of the power-grabbing politician? Is Trump backing down or bamboozling Congress again? Is this a permanent or temporary solution? The elephant and donkey games continue.

Trump is using his demand for a $5.7 billion border wall to justify his irrational reactions. Our forefathers and former presidents would be appalled at the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.

I hope the ghost of Benjamin Franklin visits him next Christmas. Would Trump follow in the footsteps of Ebenezer Scrooge and change his wicked ways?

“A strong majority of Americans blame President Donald Trump for the record-long government shutdown and reject his primary rationale for a border wall, according to a new poll that shows the turmoil in Washington is dragging his approval rating to its lowest level in more than a year,” according to a recent article in The Philadelphia Tribune.

And just who are the people that Trump is holding hostage? You, me, us. We are a “government of the people, by the people, for the people.”

Per a 2019 report from the Pew Research Center, 59 percent of those surveyed disapprove of Trump’s job performance.

President Trump reacts just like a toddler when he doesn’t get his way. “I want what I want when I want it and how I want it and where I want it!” He’s throwing an adult temper tantrum in the Oval Office. And Americans are paying the price. Will someone put Trump in a timeout chair? Or make him take a nap. He’s a pouting president in need of emotional regulation.

What’s wrong with the White House picture? “There’s something of an industry devoted to the psyche of President Trump. He’s an executive-in-chief like no other. He doesn’t read, appears to be ignorant of history (American, European, Middle-Eastern, Asian, whatever) and cannot control his Twitter finger,” penned Professor Madelon Sprengnether in a 2017 article for Psychology Today.

The irony of Donald Trump’s stance on immigration is Melanija Knavs (Melania Trump) was born in Novo Mesto, and grew up in Sevnica, in the Yugoslav republic of Slovenia.

The First Lady of the United States was not born in America. She obtained U.S. citizenship in 2006.

The irony of Donald Trump’s stance on “chain immigration” is that First Lady Melania Trump’s immigrant parents were sworn in as U.S. citizens in 2018.

More irony: Donald Trump’s first wife and mother to his three oldest children, Ivana, is an immigrant from Czechoslovakia.

Both Republicans and Democrats need to read the book “Tantrums! Managing Meltdowns in Public and Private (1-2-3 Magic Parenting),” then apply it to Trump.

How is it that an American president can hold the government captive when he doesn’t get his way and throw adult temper tantrums? I’m baffled. Are you?

MELISSA MARTIN

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Politicians should be working for America

Many in the House and Senate need to realize this is ABOUT AMERICA, NOT ABOUT THEM and their morally corrupt political parties. They are paid high wages to work for America in a fair, sensible and godly way.

That is not what we are getting for our money now! The safety of America should be the most important thing to our legislators.

Is there any common sense left in city mayors and state governors? What has happened to the education systems across America, which turn out such irresponsible leaders?

These leaders cannot take care of their own, yet most offer sanctuary to illegals, even if they are known criminals. By doing so, they are encouraging the world to migrate to America, against our immigration laws.

Anyone who encourages others to break our laws is, or should be consider, a criminal.

Those who claim it is immoral to use barriers to stop illegals from entering our country happen to be the most immoral people around.

MANUEL YBARRA JR., Coalgate, Oklahoma

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What is a market-based approach to water quality?

Last month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a joint letter encouraging market-based, collaborative approaches to reduce excess nutrients in waterways. Few other details were offered on how to best take this approach.

There are three possible market-based strategies for water quality improvement: nutrient reduction exchange, wetland mitigation banking, and environmental impact bonds.

Comparable to a cap and trade program, the nutrient reduction exchange ties downstream municipalities to upstream partners through voluntary efforts. This approach focuses on reducing nitrogen and phosphorus by leveraging cost-effective projects that would be more affordable than removing nutrients at a water treatment plant.

With wetland mitigation banking, flood risks can be minimized by holding and slowing the flow of water -also allowing nutrients and sediment to filter out.

In addition, wetlands can provide a natural habitat for birds and waterfowl. The idea behind this approach is to encourage new investments in water quality and flood mitigation by restoring wetlands.

Environmental impact bonds have been used recently by major cities to finance infrastructure projects to improve water quality, particularly from stormwater runoff.

Washington, D.C., first used this tool in 2016, followed by Baltimore and Atlanta. What makes environmental impact bonds different from other green bonds is that they use a “pay for success” model focused on achieving environmental outcomes, which requires them to have a measuring and monitoring component for investors.

Any of these three market-based strategies could play a key role in building a cleaner, healthier and more productive future.

Learn more at cfra.org.

KATIE ROCK, Center for Rural Affairs