The damage done by the Trump presidency cannot be overstated. He has sown racial and ethnic divisiveness from the first day of his campaign. He has alienated our democratic allies abroad while cozying up to autocrats and dictators. He has twice sought the aid of a foreign power in winning election, and he has debased political discourse to a level comparable to that of an old Don Rickles routine.
Yet, the most devastating and long-term consequence of his time in office will be its impact on the environment. From loosening or eliminating regulations on fossil fuel production and car emissions to doing away with environmental impact studies around new pipeline construction, his administration has set us down a path of, perhaps, no return in terms of damage to the earth.
The stock market and 401K accounts may be soaring, but as with Nero, Trump and his allies fiddle while the country burns. A fat 401K account now may be of little solace to future generations left with a tattered democracy and an inhospitable planet.
David Katz
Florence