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What is Trump?Is Trump a messiah, apostle, martyr, demagogue, rogue or hypocrite?

Remember when Donald Trump said “We have to fight like hell or we won’t have a country anymore”? In this carefully crafted statement, Trump emphasized fear, doubt, anger, violence and conspiracy.

Where would we be now if the Jan. 6 insurrection would have succeeded? Would we still have a two-party system? Would Congress, the Executive Branch, and the courts continue to exist independently? Would we have a single dear leader and an authoritarian system? What would be the role played by the Proud Boys, the Oath Keepers, the Three Percenters and the white supremacists?

Without a two-party system and the checks and balances of a democracy could we have a peaceful transfer of power? Who would replace the leader? What would be the role of the military? If our system falls apart, what will take its place? The U.S. is exceptional because democracy has contained our inner demons. As long as the United States had a foreign enemy such as fascism or communism, we remained united. Today we have turned on ourselves and domestic terrorism constitutes the greatest threat.

History shows us that an organized minority is capable of overthrowing a disorganized majority. An organized minority of true believers can infiltrate and control the institutions of democracy. This occurred in both Nazi Germany and Communist Russia.

Some Americans would prefer the simplicity of a single authoritarian leader. Violence has surfaced in American society. Politics, which controls our lives, is not a spectator sport. We know an informed public is the best safeguard to protect us from those who wish us harm. Disinformation makes it more difficult to separate truth from fiction. What we take for granted today, we may never have again.

tax valuationsWe recently received a property tax valuation for our house from Hall County. We did protest this valuation, but it didn’t do any good.

Our property is valued at $91,923. A Realtor valued it a $65,000, a difference of $26,923. If Hall County can sell this place for $91,923, I would sell it in a heartbeat.

This property is at 901 W. Eighth St. It is a small bungalow type house — 974 sq. feet total, only 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, with a non-finished basement. The air conditioner and furnace are over 40 years old, it has asphalt shingles, and the roof leaks when it rains. It has plastic siding that is around 40 years old. It has a detached garage that is not vinyl sided, a gravel driveway and a car port.

The house across the street to the east is a very large house — three baths, four bedrooms, finished basement that sold for $75,000.

I believe that Hall County has overtaxed us unfairly. We cannot afford to pay these high taxes. We are not sure what we are going to do yet. Any suggestions? We are a retired couple living on a fixed income.

Oh, I almost forgot, every time we receive a heavy rain and the Eddy Street underpass fills up, our storm sewers back up and floods our basement. The city and Hall County aren’t worried about this and all the damage it has caused to our house, as well as others in our neighborhood.

‘Tarzan’ crewI would like to applaud Mr. Vyhlidal from Grand Island Northwest High on the excellent performance of “Tarzan,” the musical. The kids were amazing, the musicians, the lighting crew — all were amazing.

I recommend seeing our youth and adolescents at the school’s performances. They are all great kids. It was a great date night, for entertainment with nice people and old friends. Let’s all have fun and support these great kids from all the schools. Thank you all for the excellent performance. I applaud you all.

Rick DeatonHow wonderful to see in The Grand Island Independent this morning on Aug. 18, a presentation to Rick Deaton, a Vietnam veteran who received a Quilt of Valor from the Hastings Quilters Guild.

Thank you, Rick, for your service to our country, and thank you to the ladies who put in the time and effort to make these quilts for our veterans. Thanks to you Josh Salmon for the photograph.

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