A new year — another holiday that often evokes peace, gratitude and aspirations to become better humans. I am grateful for the bravery and sacrifice of our outstanding military and law enforcement officers that protect us. Awareness of the death and destruction of the wars in Ukraine, Gaza and elsewhere, I am thankful for America’s peace.

It is alarming that suddenly, we are stationing warships off the coast of Venezuela, threatening Greenland and Cuba. However, this “patriotic fervor” does not appear to extend to supporting Capitol Police who defended our democracy 5 years ago against a “homegrown” insurgency, only to have perpetrators pardoned.

For a president who campaigned on “America First,” how can many of our citizens, who will experience exorbitant health care costs, food and housing insecurity, underemployment, and rising costs of living, justify the enormous costs of regime changing?

In 2025, Americans were exposed to weekly crises: Epstein, the congressional shutdown, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the National Guard invading our cities, construction of a White House ballroom, boat strikes on alleged drug smugglers while pardoning the former Honduras president convicted of drug trafficking, etc. In 2026, this pattern continues. Why is this administration attempting to destabilize our country when it was elected to improve the lives of U.S. citizens?

Congress must perform its constitutional role as a co-equal branch and govern! Citizens must pay attention and vote next November. Our nation’s 250th birthday is this year and we owe it to ourselves and our ancestors to preserve this wonderful country.

Debbie Pichler,

Butler