The Oracle of Omaha, Warren Buffet, was asked what criteria he used to pick stock for his Berkshire Hathaway holdings. He explained that Rome lasted for a thousand years due to its resilient governmental structure. Buffet said that any company’s directors will eventually make the mistake of electing a “moron” to lead; just as Rome selected Caligula. The trick is to find those companies that will survive and rebound. Our nation has made such a mistake.

Those that elected our president did so with the understanding that he would drain the swamp; protect their Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid; put forth a less expensive and better healthcare bill; bring jobs back by renegotiating trade agreements; bring back coal; force Mexico to pay for a wall; make America Great again, etc.. No wonder people voted for such promises.

Now he’s telling us that he is smarter than our generals, FBI agents, CIA and NSA; more knowledgeable about finances than our best economists; and a better negotiator than our diplomats, people who have spent a lifetime learning their craft.

His White House is an ever faster revolving door. He’s picked people to sell our wilderness and coast lines to the oil and mining companies; has offended our closest allies; cozied up to our worst enemies and antidemocratic leaders; tried to end affordable health care; helped give the wealthy corporations and individuals (such as his family) large tax cuts; taking credit for things others achieved; taking no responsibilities for his failures; chalking up 2,000-plus lies in a year; suggesting we should have a president/dictator for life like China; and forgotten his promises to those that voted for him. And, this is a short list.

When Rex Tillerson, former Secretary of State, called the president a (blanking) moron, he was quoting Warren Buffet’s warning. Instead of creating more jobs with coal, we are losing far more jobs in erecting solar panels and electric windmills. His idea of tearing up trade agreements and erecting tariffs will lose us many more jobs when America’s products from corn to Harley Davidsons are rejected by foreign markets.

I am not faulting those that voted for Donald Trump back in 2017 so much as now faulting them for being unwilling to admit a mistake was made; we are that board of directors. We obviously had the luck of great leadership at our beginning, the Civil War; the Great Depression; WWII, and the capabilities of Timothy Geithner, Ben Brenanke, and Hank Paulson when we were within six hours of a worldwide banking collapse in 2008. Now our fundamental structure is being tested again. Will America be resilient enough to survive?

Eugene Clegg

Enumclaw