By Mark Van Loon, Hamilton
The Washington Monument, which honors and memorializes our country’s first president, is about to reopen after nearly a decade of being closed for repairs. There was an earthquake, a rarity in that area, and then the elevator system broke down. Both repair projects were massive, expensive undertakings. Especially since the Monument was built in two phases between 1848 and 1884.
The policies of every Republican administration going back to Reagan have slashed funding for everything in government that they loosely define as “unnecessary.” Because of these policies, the National Park Service, which administers the Monument, didn’t have the necessary funds for the repairs. David Rubenstein, a philanthropist, stepped up, donating over $10 million to cover the costs.
Right now, we have a Republican president who described the white supremacists who marched in Charlotte NC chanting “Jews will not replace us” as “very fine people.” Is that an American value?
There’s an election coming up. Maybe it’s time to rethink the type of people we want to lead our country?
Claire L Kelly says
Agree. For example: How can any American be willing to spend millions on cages for children while crying poverty on infrastructure repairs in our own country. How can any American support a plan to send American troops to protect Saudi wealth when it was Saudis who planned, financed and executed the attacks on us on 9/11. I truly do not understand those who seem hypnotized by trump.