8/23/2025

Aug 23, 2025

My Dear Friend & POTUS, DJT,

                  Yesterday was a strange day! I was surprised to see that the “televised announcement” you made was about the location of the World Cup draw. Even more bizarre was your comment that VVP might attend the event. Really?

              Whatever happened to the communist threat when the USA loathed the USSR for being a single party state where the people did not have a voice in how they were governed? According to Freedom House, “Power in Russia’s authoritarian political system is concentrated in the hands of VVP. With loyalist security forces, a subservient judiciary, a controlled media environment, & a legislature consisting of a ruling party & pliable opposition factions, the Kremlin manipulates elections & suppresses genuine dissent.” Until recently Americans have found that repugnant. I encourage you to keep your distance from VVP & remember, he’s not an ally.

             VVP might try to convince you that people like to be told what to do & governing by intimidation works. That may be true in Russia where Ethnic Russians account for 81% of the population Here in America, non-Hispanic whites are not a super-majority accounting for only 58% of the population. To govern here you have to appeal to a diverse group complicating the work of promoting general welfare & keeping the peace.

             Just look at the Arakan Army which is trying to govern 14 townships in Rahkine & part of the Chin State. They have temporarily halted their attacks on the junta so they can consolidate their administrative foundation & gain legitimacy especially among the Rohingya. They have realized that governance is not just about getting control. It’s about making people’s lives better.

             SoW, while it’s nice that you are eager to make DC pretty for the tourists, please devote more of your attention to improving the lives of the poor folk living in Anacostia, fixing roads, bridges & the air traffic control system & addressing climate change.

BYBS,