As we enter this joyous holiday season, Grinches are moving among us. Mainly they are cranky Trumpites who are not happy. With me.
They may or may not be pear-shaped or green, as Dr. Seuss described the original Grinch in 1957. They may or may not live in Whoville. They may or may not want to steal Christmas.
I don’t know since they expressed their displeasure in emails since I wondered last month: “Are you better off than you were four years ago?”
That question was one of the reasons an Illinois favorite son, Republican Ronald Reagan, was elected president 45 years ago. Sitting inside the moral kiosk, it was a fair question.
Those snarky and sarcastic responses should have been expected. I ignored the warning from Mr. Vernon in Lake Forester John Hughes’ classic 1985 film “The Breakfast Club”: “Don’t mess with the bull … you’ll get the horns.”
I questioned if those red-white-and-blue supporters of President Donald Trump continue to feel they are better off a year after their hero was elected to his second four-year term. It was a feat not accomplished since Democrat Grover Cleveland, a former New York governor, became the first president to serve nonconsecutive terms.
Despite continuing plunges in the president’s polling numbers, his supporters retain the optimism of Cindy-Lou Who. They say they are better off.
Others seemed honest in their appraisals of the president’s first year since the 2024 election. Most went after the messenger.
Like a reader named Fred: “It never ceases to amaze me the hatred that we get from the Left for our Nation’s President. Love him or hate him, President Trump is delivering on his campaign promises he made to ALL Americans.”
He believes the U.S. southern border is secure, the cost of the federal government and the national debt is being reduced, the stock market is running at record high levels, Americans will receive a tax cut, wages are up. Fred may be wrong on a number of issues, fact-checking may find.
“The average rate of inflation is less than the 3% rate Trump inherited from Biden and the Dems, who gave us the worst inflation in 42 years,” another said. “He stopped the ridiculous and dangerous gender-affirming care, and Trump is protecting women by keeping men out of women’s sports.”
A reader pointed out, “Trump is leading NATO and the world towards global peace with eight peace agreements to his credit — unmatched by any Democrat in our nation’s history!” Once again, a simple fact-check would negate that statement, but why quibble?
“Are we better off — you bet we are,” one wrote succinctly.
As for the president’s on-again/off-again tariffs on U.S. trading partners, “the impact on inflation was insignificant, in addition most companies have absorbed the cost of the tariffs.”
Christmas shoppers may have a different take on that.
“Economically, we’re headed in the right direction,” one concluded. “And most of us who work hard and don’t rely on government handouts are better off.”
Some take Trump’s pronouncements with a grain of salt, like his proposing invading Greenland or making Canada our 51st state. “You mention Canada and Greenland, really? None of us took him seriously about that … so move on.”
Hmm.
“He likes to throw crazy ideas out there to give the impression of being powerful,” reader Tom said. “That obviously was just stupid.”
Then there was this opinion: “Trump’s a knucklehead (as we all know) for saying those dumb things about Greenland & Canada.”
There’s one juncture many can agree on.
“My answer is YES I am, and more so we WILL be better off with him,” wrote one. “Are you really implying we’d be better off with Kamala?”
Guess we’ll never know.
One reader listed the main issues he agrees with President Trump: “Reduction in the size of government; reducing the bureaucracy; shutting down the borders and getting illegal criminals out; reducing the drugs coming in; reducing crime; stop the handouts and overspending and reduce our debt; have fair tariffs; reduce the excessive wokeness; having a strong, confident president to stand up to world leaders.”
Like Russian President Vladimir Putin?
One Trumpian backer has a few misgivings about the president: “I wish he wasn’t so divisive and egotistical. It’s adding uncertainty and not helping bring calm.”
Others feel the president is being picked on, like this person: “Democrats just hate Trump SO much I’m doubtful he could do anything where’d they’d publicly agree and the media doesn’t help.”
Blame the media!
Then there was the reader who declared: “We need strong, common-sense leadership.”
That’s something we can all agree on.
Charles Selle is a former News-Sun reporter, political editor and editor.
sellenews@gmail.com
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