This is the column I have dreaded writing. It is my last regular column.
Since the passing of my son in December, I am all alone. My children are insisting that I move closer to one of them since I’ll be 80 very soon. They are right. So, it’s back to crowds and the heavy traffic of Southern California. It will be nice to be close to my son Steve and his family and it will be marvelous to go to Dodger Stadium and watch my bums.
I’ve lived in Fallon for 24 years, the longest I’ve ever lived in one town. I’ll miss the friends I’ve made here. Some folks have told me they think I’ve never met a Republican I liked. That’s not true, of course, I’ve even voted for a few. I think a lot of Mayor Tedford. He’s a fine gentlemen and a good mayor. You all know how much I admired Nancy Reagan. Many Republicans are on my list of close friends.
Over the 20 or so years I’ve been writing my column I’ve heard from many of you regarding something I’ve written. Most of the comments have been positive and very pleasant. Sometimes they were very unpleasant. I don’t understand folks who can’t disagree without using foul and disgusting language. I’ve heard from people in Georgia who are still insisting the North was wrong and flying the confederate flag is as sacred as sipping from the holy grail.
I’ve heard from people from Michigan, Illinois, Mississippi, Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana, to name a few. One of my columns was read on the Senate Floor by Senator Harry Reid and placed in the Congressional Record, a copy of which he shared with me. How nice. I’ve never written anything which I didn’t honestly believe to be the truth.
I’ve witnessed some wonderful things during my time living here. We elected our first African American president, Barack Obama, and passed our first healthcare legislation. Obamacare has helped many people.
Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden now sleep with the fishes, praise the Lord. I saw Kobe Bryant score 81 points in one game! Many more good things have happened, but as we grow older friends and loved ones pass on. Marcia deBraga and Robert Johnston are now registering Democrats in heaven. It’s never too late to become a Democrat. I’ve lost my mother, two nephews, two aunts and two uncles. My son’s passing in December was devastating. But, the most painful experience was losing my dear bride Lynn in 2008 to heart disease. Growing old can be dreadful.
In all my years of writing about politics I have never, never thought the people in this country would elect a person so unfit to be president as Donald Trump. He’s not just an unfit president he’s an unfit human being. Unfortunately too many people bought into the untruthful smear of Hillary Clinton as orchestrated by Vladimir Putin on the internet, with much help from fake news Fox.
Donald Trump bragged about accosting women. Fifteen women have accused him of sexual misconduct very similar to what he described.; “I just walk up and grab their privates, you can do anything when you’re rich.”
He has cheated on every wife to whom he has wed.
His so-called tax cut for the middle class saw most all of the cuts going to the most wealthy and Richie Rich corporation. What tax cut some middle class folks may get will be eaten up by higher healthcare premiums, higher interest rates and inflation caused by the corporation tax cut and his wild trade policies.
This self proclaimed deal maker was taken by North Korea, who gave us nothing but promises in return for the farm which Trump gave away. He lavished praise on Kim-Jung Un, who continues to murder his own people, even his relatives. What did our president say about this when he met him? Not a word.
He insists Congress budget well over $20 billion for a wall on our southern border, which won’t help with our immigration problem. He promised Mexico would pay for the wall. Fat chance. He wants to raise gas taxes to pay for repairing our crumbling infrastructure. Maybe he can get Mexico to pay for that. He’s going to meet with his pal Putin shortly, with what Putin did to get him elected maybe he should get Russia to pay for his dumb wall and fixing our infrastructure. How long before Ron Reagan says, ”Mr. Trump, tear down this wall.”
So long, it’s been great. Thanks especially to the kind folks at Lahontan Valley News and my Democratic comrade Jeanette Strong.
May God bless you all, on this our Independence Day.
Glen McAdoo can be contacted at glynn@phonewave.net