Letter to the editor: We must learn from history so we're not doomed

Regarding the article “Small-dollar donors fuel Trump’s $19M haul in first quarter” (April 17): The Republicans’ only message lately seems to be looking in the rearview mirror. For decades, they have been trying to snatch away our rights (voting, civil, human, environmental) with nothing to replace them. They seem to lie in order to fleece small donors of their money like I believe Donald Trump has done again.

It seems RINO and MAGA in the Senate do nothing but sit around thinking up excuses for their incredulity. Every bill that isn’t about a tax break for the wealthy is held hostage there by the likes of Mitch McConnell and Kevin McCarthy. They must know this path is unsustainable for America, so how can we sustain our founding principles?

President Obama had an answer in a recent interview. Among other issues, he discussed the Jan. 6 storming of the Capitol. He reminded the audience that America is the most powerful democracy the modern world has known, and when other countries see this behavior, their dictators (such as Putin) and right-wing autocrats begin to say, “Maybe we can get away with that too.” That’s where we find ourselves now: on the precipice of having the things we take for granted snatched away.

Donors to political movements, Democrats included, have a right to live life without existential threats or fears of violence. We must learn from history. Because if we don’t, you know what they say: History is doomed to repeat itself. And doomed is not a good word.

Laurie Scheid

New Kensington