In his usual ineffective response to Peter Kapuscinski, James Peca continues the false narrative. He actually begins by excluding women and minorities, which no one did, and his tricky math leaves him free to focus on “average” white males. Of course they have benefited from Trump’s policies. We all have. Labor participation is at an all-time high, with women and minority unemployment at an all-time low. Wages are growing, the highest for the “working” class. He claims no investments are being made from the tax cuts. Then how the heck have 7 million jobs been created?

He claims that Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and Food Stamps will be cut. We are to receive an increase in our Social Security benefits for 2020. Any cuts to other programs will focus on fraud and eligibility issues. It has to do with the “able-bodied” between 18 and 49 years old and work requirements. No one in true need is being “kicked off” anything. Fearmongering at its best!

Family farm bankruptcies are up and have been rising since 2011. This is a result of years of low farm income, low return on assets, mounting debt and natural disasters. They suffer from global competition and stricter lending practices. Farm subsidies are assisting during our long overdue battle with China.

A health care plan will not be introduced by Republicans until after the 2020 election for obvious reasons. All the opposition has been able to come up with is “Medicare for All,” a disaster costing trillions and eliminating the employer provided insurance of 180 million Americans. A number of bipartisan prescription drug cost bills have been introduced in the Congress. Big Pharma is being attacked on many fronts. When effective legislation hits the president’s desk, he will sign it.

Now, let’s talk about lobbyists. Clinton had 1,012. Bush 43 had 1,029. Obama had 781. Trump — 326.

I am not conned and you the reader are not conned. You are too intelligent not to see through the murky swamp water and the attempts to cloud the truth.

Lucy Klaus is a retired director of human resources residing in Cumberland. She can be reached at lucyk3733@gmail.com.