Right church, wrong pew: Trump is wrong person to lead

To The Daily Sun,

I’m not a Democrat or a Republican. I am an American first and I will support what is best for my country above any party. I don’t care about Hillary Clinton or the Bidens. I don’t think that anyone should attempt to justify one person’s poor behavior by citing another’s. It’s a weak argument. Each person should be judged on their own merits or transgressions. I am concerned about the direction of our country — its current leadership, our democracy, and the future of America.

While I did not vote for Donald Trump, many people did vote for him out of frustration in our congressional leaders (the recent partisan show in Washington should validate our need for term limits). I respected the people’s decision, as was always past practice in America — the majority spoke and, while we could disagree, we were still civil to one another. I kept an open mind.

Trump has clearly proven himself to be the wrong person to for the job. His temperament is such that he makes demands without the skill of productive compromise, which is essential to our form of government. He has created intense division and mistrust among our people, and its trusted institutions which weakens our belief in government and in our democracy. This should be alarming to ALL of us as Americans.

Strong, effective leaders tap into, promote, and cultivate the greater good in others to bring about positive change. Trump is the direct opposite — he demands, accuses, belittles, smears, and divides us as Americans. Worst of all is Trump’s unscrupulous nature to win at all costs. He will degrade and undermine anything that gets in his path.

I don’t think that any Trump supporter can deny this with any credibility. This is who he is. This is not leadership worthy of America as a whole, no matter what party, if any, you may support. The argument that he “isn’t perfect” is a gross understatement.

Are the Trump supporters so hungry and demanding for change that they are willing to ignore our country’s principles and democracy? Is getting your way worth stepping on your fellow Americans and weakening democracy for future generations?

Want to Make America Great Again? Keep your ideals of strengthening the border, immigration reform, etc. Get things done by finding the right leader who can effectively work with others for the good ALL Americans.

We’re going the wrong way as a nation — we need to be civil and respectful to our neighbors and fellow citizens for the good of America. Accept the fact that the solutions to our concerns are not going to be resolved through polarization and spewing venom at one another but somewhere in between, through compromise. You are not going to agree with every decision, but that’s how a healthy democracy works. I truly don’t believe that, at our roots as Americans, we are not as far apart as we have been made to believe.

May God truly bless America.

Robert Buontempo Jr.

Gilmanton Iron Works