Good morning, everyone! Once again, we find that it is Monday and the start of a new week. Once again, we find that there is no lack of subjects to discuss. I did have a very good article that I found in Newsweek about Social Security. However, even though the issue is very important, other happenings have overshadowed, and I feel I must give them priority and save this for another day.
Last Wednesday, Donald the Omnipotent, knower of all, the one who sees everything, laid out his “Tariff Plan for the World.” He waited until the markets closed so there would be no immediate reaction, but to no avail. The DOW futures immediately dropped 1500 points. By the end of trading on Friday, stocks in general had shed about 10% of value, and we don’t know what is in store for us this week.
On a personal basis, this may not matter to you if you don’t maintain a brokerage account, or if you think you are young enough to recover and rebuild. But because this was a totally unnecessary destruction of value, it should have your dander up! If you are planning to retire soon, pause for a moment and think about finally enjoying your long-built savings. Your potential income has just decreased by 10%. There is also the possibility of a hit on your Social Security. All this could have a negative impact on your lifestyle.
The stock market has not seen a down slide like this since 2020, and, oh yes, Donald Trump was also in charge then. This time there was no pandemic or financial catastrophe to blame it on. This time it was wholly contrived and created out of Trump’s mind. His tariffs were not well thought out and applied with reason and purpose. How can I tell? How much thought does it take to apply a 10% tariff on an island group that has no human habitation? If penguin feathers could possibly be manufactured in the United States, there might be a case to be made.
The market will recover, but in my experience, it could take years. The damage done to our relationships with our allies and trading partners may not be easily repaired. The fallout in job loss and price increases may be harder to swallow. It is going to take a concerted effort by the citizenry to preserve our Democracy and rid the country of the stain of bigotry and hatred that seems to be on the rise.
Saturday may have been the start of that process. Millions of people participated in over 1500 demonstrations across the nation in blue and red areas to protest the attempts of this administration to deconstruct society as we know it. I believe this movement must be as persistent as the civil rights movement was in the last century. For all the stories coming from Saturday’s protests, there was not one incident of violence or property damage. We must keep it that way. This conflict is not really Democrat v. Republican. The things they are trying to accomplish are hurting all of the working class across the entire political spectrum.
Every day more and more of us are beginning to realize this. The days of Elon Musk rummaging through our government are limited. Trump is about to make him the scapegoat for the loss in Wisconsin. But Trump cannot escape his own callousness and disregard for the men and women who keep the nation safe. When the bodies of four servicemen, who were killed in a training accident in Lithuania, were returned to the Dover Air Base, Trump ignored that and went golfing in Florida, in total disregard for our troops.
Let us keep up the work we are doing and light a fire under our Democratic representation. We can break this cycle of destruction if we hold strong!
Participate, Donate, Vote.
John Huot, JeffDems Chair
Donations Needed and Accepted
The Jefferson County Democratic Committee (JeffDems) is funded primarily through local donations. We rely on the generosity of local Democrats to enable all our initiatives, including our year-round Office/HQ which functions as “JeffDems Central.” Please start a monthly recurring donation to JeffDems, large or small, using the ActBlue link below, or of course, one-time donation
“Jefferson County Democratic Committee”
c/o Steve Larchuk, Treasurer
PO Box 266
Punxsutawney, PA 15767
or use ActBlue I just gave to Jefferson County Democratic Committee.(PA)!
CALENDAR
*2025: Continuing need for volunteer time at the Office
– It is important that we remain active and have a presence in the community. Please contact John, John, or Tammy to schedule
– 4-7pm (Wednesday) and 12-3pm (Saturday) every week
*April 16, 7PM: Discussion Group – Bridget Shaffer. What we can do.
*May 7, 7PM: Discussion Group – Trump at 100 Days, a Report Card
*May 20: Primary Election Day – Punxsutawney Area School Board
– Lisa Gourley is on the Ballot, vote for her.
– Cindy Depp Hutchinson is running as a write in candidate, remember to write her in
