To the editor and readers of the Alpena News,

I am writing to ask you to protect our nation’s economy from destruction by Trump’s tariffs and Musk’s illegal chainsaw cuts. To limit myself to 300 words, I won’t elaborate on how Trump has destroyed the U.S.’s name among the free nations of the world.

Trump’s tariffs will almost certainly drive us into a serious recession. Musk’s chainsaw slashes into government are not only cruel and illegal but will eventually cost the government far more than Musk claims he’s saving. I know that Republicans want to cut waste, but to avoid waste: “measure twice, cut once.” Musk hasn’t measured or investigated anything and is illegally slashing programs and firing people that we need – programs for veterans, for disease prevention and control, for predicting life-threatening weather disasters, and giving warnings to name a few. These programs will need to be restored for legal reasons and to save lives. It’s simple physics: starting up takes the most energy and stopping wastes the most. The cost of Musk’s cuts is likely to be more than a dollar amount. i.e. How many more measles deaths will it take before the CDC is restored?

Congressional Republicans need to do what is right for Americans and stand up to Trump (before Musk chainsaws Congress as a “waste of money.”) Republicans can force Trump to rescind the tariffs and get Musk out of the White House, and if Trump is not willing, then they need to get Trump out of there. (Ignoring the law and court orders is certainly grounds for impeachment.)

If you are concerned, let Republicans, local and in D.C., know that they do have the power to stop Trump and although Musk threatens to out-finance opposers’ campaigns for re-election, that is a moot point, because I believe few people would vote for anyone who backed a recession. Would you?

MARILYN L. KETTLER,

Presque Isle