My View: David B. Van Hulsteyn
The 2018 mid-term election will be a referendum of historic significance, a referendum on whether or not Donald John Trump will be given free rein to continue his assault on our democracy.
Whenever one political party controls both houses of congress as well as the executive and judicial branches, the situation is rife for political mischief. This time around, with a rogue president who neither understands nor appreciates his responsibilities and a compliant congress which neither understands nor appreciates its duties, the situation is dire. All concerned citizens must do whatever we can to make our renegade ruler accountable to us.
In November we, the voting public, will have an opportunity to elect senators and representatives who will make Trump aware that it is totally unacceptable behavior to separate the children of immigrants from their parents and incarcerate them; that it is not acceptable to cater to dictators of other countries while at the same time alienating our long time allies; that it is not acceptable to defile women, to embrace bigots and racism, to create chaos with lies and deception.
The presidential election of 2016 was a disaster that could and should have been avoided. This year, we have the opportunity to begin the process of putting this abomination known as the Trump Administration behind us. The ball is in our court.
David B. Van Hulsteyn is an 84-year-old retired physicist who has lived in Santa Fe since 1974.