Letter: People need to act

Published: 04-17-2025 12:15 PM

Every day brings White House news that should shock everyone to action.

Sunday’s news: Apple, Inc., a major donor to President Donald Trump, was worried about Trump’s 125% tariff on Chinese goods shipped to the U.S., which could more than double the cost of Apple iPhones and computers. White House action? Tariffs on electronics (smartphones, computers, etc.) were lifted, literally while we were sleeping.

But what about the many drugs made in China, including heparin, an anti-blood-clotting drug? Each year, it’s needed by some 12 million patients hospitalized in the United States for heart disease and strokes. More than doubling the price of drugs from China impacts health care, including the cost of prescription drugs.

The day before came news that Elon Musk's DOGE staffers were doing a days-long “hackathon” of IRS files, gleaning Social Security numbers, job histories and other taxpayer data, using software developed by a major Trump donor and recipient of a $959 million government contract. Employees of that company we part of the DOGE hacker team.

Our country needs us to take patriotic action that knows no partisan divide. Gather with the We The People group every Saturday from 10 to 2 p.m. at the Peterborough stoplights, and the pro-democracy vigil every Sunday from 1 to 2 p.m. at the Dublin rotary. Some people do both.

Our signs say what we stand for – “Democracy (or Rule of Law): It’s Up To US,” “We Stand for Our Grandchildren.” My favorites. People sign their grandchildren’s names on that one.

“Won’t do any good,” people mumble. Our democracy is of, by, and for the people. If the people keep sleeping, we lose it.

Why there aren’t 100s out there is troubling.

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