The Tribune editorial of April 20 was the most consequential of recent years. Trump wants to rule as a dictator, not serve as president. Musk wants to dismantle the government, not ferret out fraud, waste and abuse. Our members of Congress do nothing to protect our democracy or the Utahns who elected them.
The simple reason for this is fear. They are afraid of Trump and the MAGA mob he might sic on them if they cross him. Sen. Murkowski (R-AL) recently said she and all of her colleagues were afraid of Trump and his threats of retaliation.
My boyhood hero, Gen. Omar Bradley said, “Bravery is the capacity to perform properly even when scared half to death.” I came to understand this as a young soldier in Vietnam.
The Army sent me to war in December of 1967 and my tour concluded in November 1969 — 23 long months. I was on an EOD Team that took apart booby traps and dealt with dud fired artillery shells and bombs. The work didn’t have the daily horror of being in the infantry, but it had its moments. No matter how scared we were, and we were often scared, we did our jobs. A bunch of kids, far from home, in a war we didn’t understand, we did our jobs.
We should expect our elected representatives in Congress to do their jobs too. No matter how afraid they might be. They are not being shot at on a regular basis. If cowardice freezes them into inaction, they should resign.
Jim Scott, Midvale
