Fears for the future

Editor, Smithfield Times

The recent AP story published Nov. 16, “Exit polls show diversity of presidential election,” noted that “Trump was the favorite among voters who are pessimistic about the future of the country…” Can we say, “self-fulfilling prophecy?” And for the 81 percent who favored Trump because they were “seeking a candidate they believe can bring about change…,” be careful what you wish for!

When Trump and the Republican-dominated Congress start cutting Social Security benefits, turn the successful Medicare program into a vouchers program that hurts enrollees but does wonders for the bottom line of private insurance providers, send the Federal deficit into the stratosphere with their fact-challenged combination of tax reductions (mostly, of course, for the wealthy) and higher military and border patrol funding, repeal the so-called Obamacare (and replace it with what?? Congress has had six years to come up with a substitute program, but nothing ever materialized) that will eliminate health insurance coverage for tens of millions of citizens, and destroy environmental and other regulatory protections that will seriously compromise the safety of our water and air quality, food and prescription drugs, do you really think you’ll be better off with all this “change?”

I fear for not only my own generation, but for many generations to come.

Deborah Wyld
Smithfield