Republicans have handed him the gavel — where is their spine?
So, the Republican Party is relinquishing the power invested in the legislative branch of government to the radical right (“Trump chisels away at power of a compliant Congress,” Page A12, July 20). No big surprise there, given their penchant for cowing to the bullies, with the biggest one of all in the White House. Members of Congress appear to have forgotten that they have been elected to represent all of the constituents of their states, not just the ones who elected them (many of whom are probably regretting those decisions now). Do they really want to establish a rule of law based entirely on the whims of one person? If so, what did they run for? Grow a spine, Republicans, please!
Elizabeth Dorn
Watertown
Fake video of Obama arrest is another chilling escalation
When President Trump reposted a fake video of Barack Obama being arrested on Sunday, it wasn’t just another Trump-being-Trump moment. Rather, it was another chilling escalation — one that blends propaganda, artificial intelligence, and political revenge fantasies into a single, dangerous message. What’s even more disturbing than the video itself is the general silence from Republican leaders.
This wasn’t satire. It wasn’t political commentary. It was a digitally fabricated image of a former president being led away in handcuffs, set to the words: “No one is above the law.” The message is clear: Trump believes himself to be above the law, and anyone who opposes him will be persecuted, punished, humiliated, and silenced.
This isn’t about free speech. When the president of the United States continually distributes media designed to distort reality and deceive the populace, it speaks volumes. All Americans deserve better than this. We should expect our political leaders to demonstrate morality, integrity, character, and truthfulness.
Where are the voices of responsibility in the Republican Party? To anyone still on the fence: This isn’t simply about loyalty to Trump. It’s about loyalty to the truth. Do we want the next generation to grow up in a country where distortion of reality from the highest levels of our government becomes normalized and not recognized for what it is: a tool in a relentless march toward autocracy? Because that’s where our collective silence will lead.
The GOP can still choose a different path — one grounded in honesty, decency, and constitutional values. But to do so, it must first find its voice.
Anthony Triglione
Salisbury
