It's not time to give him the benefit of the doubt; it's time to wake up

To The Daily Sun,

I've heard people many say, "He'll (Trump) rise to the position, give him the benefit of the doubt." I've been waiting for our new president to demonstrate that he is interested and capable of rising to the demands of the most important position in the Free World. To say that I am sadly disappointed is an understatement, but frankly I am not at all surprised.

Trump has demonstrated his inability to:

1. Show any humility over the fact that the majority of Americans did not vote for him,

2. Admit that his election is tainted by foreign interference and therefore pledge to do something about it.

3. Understand that his incessant manner of putting people down is disrespectful, dangerous and counterproductive.

4. Demonstrate respect for the role of a government that is established to serve the people by nominating people with experience and passion in the cabinet post with those who are willing to operate within and enforce current law, rather he is nominating people in his image who would dismantle and disregard with impunity.

5. Step away from his business affairs and provide full transparency to his finances to put the nation's needs over his own.

6. Stop his cavalier and insolent manner of speaking about critical world issues (disarmament, trade, empire expansion, the list goes on) that put us all at serious risk.

To all those who said to give him the benefit of the doubt it is time to wake up and join the ranks of those of us who understand our role as citizens is to vigilantly oversee government at all levels. This election has emboldened those aligned with the Republican Party to new levels of disregard and backwardness. We must ensure that government serves all the people rather than a government that benefits the few. We must come around the common values of respect, honesty, fairness and equality. This is our duty as citizens.

Rick DeMark

Meredith