Supporters of the current administration continue to admonish the nation to stop being so negative and start giving them a chance.

They say “You can’t see the forest for the trees, and it is a big, beautiful forest.”
To that I offer this quote: “To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public.” — Theodore Roosevelt.
There is much more to his 1918 editorial writing, but the reader can find that for themselves.
Getting back to the forest; it takes many trees to make a forest, ideally of the kinds that will support and nurture each other.
And yet the administration seems intent on cutting down so many of them.

Some of the trees are still young, but many are centuries old.
They appear to be putting the ax to the EPA, the ACA, Medicare and Social Security, to public education, to women’s health, to the traditions of being an immigrant nation, to judicial independence, to the separation of church and state, to consumer protection, and to global awareness — the list does not seem to end.
If this logging effort is successful, among the trees that could remain are arrogance, racism, narcissism, xenophobia, misogynism, hate and fear.
Without the “good trees,” the remaining will grow into a huge, dark forest that will not be beautiful at all.
So, let’s become a nation of arborists; doing our best in difficult times to ensure the forest known as the USA remains beautiful, great and strong and made of the right mix of the right kinds of trees.

John H. Kasten
Sun City West