Dear President Trump,

I was supposed to go back to work today but I woke up with a bad sore throat. I think this is the 7th or 8th sick day I’ve taken since you’ve been in office, which is more than I took in the entire previous 17 years at the VA combined. There may or may not be a causal relationship between my apparently more compromised immune system and your presidency, but I’ve definitely been more stressed with an unrelenting sense of doom than ever before. I think if there is any causal connection it is probably related to feeling as though all I can contribute is a tiny, inconsequential nano-drop in the bucket. I would almost prefer living in a “Red” state where it would be clearer what needs to be done and where the pull to be really actively engaged in concrete efforts would be stronger. Although there is no shortage of problematic issues to tackle in super “Blue” Seattle, most of us are singing in the same liberal choir and no matter how loudly we sing, we are unlikely to shift the national political conversation all that much. I am proud, though, of our Governor and State Attorney General for being at the forefront on climate change and immigration.

I am happy you made the comment to your friends at Mar-a-lago about how they got a lot richer when you signed the tax “reform” bill. Even though it feels like you are treating the rest of us like chumps, I think it’s important you keep talking about how much you are helping the wealthy and corporations (which are really pretty much the same). I would appreciate it if you would also start bragging about all the money-saving/money-making environmental deregulations that were slipped in over the past 10 days. The American people need to hear you talk up how you are making it easier for industry to prosper so we can see both how much of the ensuing profit really gets channeled to more jobs, better working conditions, and higher pay for average Americans and how deregulation impacts safety and the environment. I realize that transparency isn’t your strong suit and that when you are being honest it’s generally a sloppy slip-up, but here’s to many more such gaffes we can use to hold you and your minions accountable in November.

May we be safe from despair and disempowerment.
May we be happy about small-scale accomplishments and contributions.
May we take care of our health so we aren’t worn down by you.
May we recognize that enacting compassion and living peace are crucial forms of resistance.

Sincerely,
Tracy Simpson