Dear President Trump,

Does it feel like it’s almost Christmas to you? I see the lights and trees and there are more cookies at work than usual, but I’m just not feeling it this year. I don’t want more stuff and I don’t want to be a party to more stuff. And when I think about it being my daughter’s last Christmas living at home, I feel bad about being so Grinchy. I think I’ll just blame you since, if nothing else, you are an excellent scapegoat.

I’m guessing you, on the other hand, are feeling pretty merry Christmas-y about the tax “reform” bill getting a thumbs up from the House today. I know it has to go back for a redo tomorrow because of the sloppy bits, but basically you and your donors are being gifted hugely by the rest of us just in time for Christmas. There was a House Representative from upstate New York on NPR this evening and she did a bang up job defending the tax bill, just absolutely going to the mat about what a great economic engine stoker this thing will be. She trotted out the trickle down theory very enthusiastically and countered every angle the interviewer tried. It was all bullshit, but she was masterful.

There are probably legions of wealthy people all over the country gathering tonight to celebrate, clinking champagne glasses as they remark to one another how putting up with your presidency has been so worth it since they are finally, finally getting the tax structure they’ve been paying their lackeys in Congress for years to enact. It’s quite a cozy little feedback loop – “the donors” make sure the congress people stay in office and the congress people make sure “the donors” are paid off in an endless backscratching fest. As for the rest of us, we get to have the last shreds of the illusion that we live in a democracy swept away for good. Yesterday I thanked you for inspiring me to write you every day and today I want to thank you for ripping away the veil that our peon votes matter. Tomorrow I’ll go back to semi-believing we can right this messed up system because I have to, but you better believe there are going to be lots more people questioning all this when you and your crew take your chainsaws to the already teetering safety net to pay for the donor pay-off.

May we be safe from greedy, “bought” politicians.
May we be happy to call out amoral quid pro quo arrangements.
May we insist everyone’s health matters.
May we find peaceful means of resistance when the shit finally hits the fan.

Sincerely,
Tracy Simpson