To the editor: Proposed federal cuts to harm citizens, push boundaries of good sense

I  recently attended protests in Manchester and Chester.  The theme in Chester and all over the country and the world was “No Kings.”  More protests are coming.

I believe that the Trump administration is pushing beyond the boundaries of law, the Constitution and good sense.  Governments around the world have slipped from being democracies to becoming authoritarian.  Mr. Trump admires these regimes and strives to emulate their lack of the rule of law. We cannot let this happen.  It is unAmerican and anti-democratic.

In addition, he proposes cuts to Medicaid, the National Institutes of Health, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and many other programs, large and small.  All these programs exist to help citizens live fuller lives. The goal seems to be to concentrate power in the executive branch, in spite of the separation of powers principle.   I will do all I can to prevent the cuts from happening.

The stated goal is to reduce waste, fraud and abuse.  No doubt, some of this exists, but not nearly to the extent imagined. Mr. Trump wants to reduce the size of the federal workforce and possibly appoint loyalists in the place of seasoned bureaucrats.  This will harm the effectiveness of many federal agencies. One stated goal is to return power to local communities and state governments. This is a laudable goal, but some functions are most effective at the federal level.

Congress must approve most, if not all, of these proposals.  I urge Rep. Becca Balint and Sens. Bernie Sanders and Peter Welch to oppose these cuts and stand up for effective government and democracy.

Bruce Frauman
South Londonderry