Criticism of Trump’s clubs is much ado about nothing

Trump’s clubs show business savvy

Your article on “Trump Clubs” consumed most of the first two pages of your Sunday edition. Author Anita Kumar strains to insinuate perverse and sinister motives by President Trump in the financial structure of his clubs. However, if we strip away the rhetoric, hyperbole and allusions and look at the hard facts presented, the conclusions that can be drawn are the following: Trump is a very good businessman; he isn’t bound by tradition in approaching agreements; he knows how to structure a deal to his advantage; and, the people who join Trump’s clubs generally understand what they are getting into when they join. These startling “revelations” were clear to those who voted against him and those who elected him president. One and one half pages of a nothing burger.

North should own up to slavery role

You may remember from your high school history the 18th century triangle trade: molasses to slaves to rum. A huge number of slaves came that route entering America via New England shipping companies, and from there were sold to Southern planters. In the 19th century most of America’s highly profitable slave-grown cotton was sold to England and other countries through those same New England shippers.

It took decades for the abolition movement to take firm hold, and the North’s attitude toward slavery to move from “not in my backyard” to “not at all.” After the Civil War, as after all wars, the victors tweaked history, and the North obliterated their participation in the institution. I’ve visited several Northern Historic sites in recent years, and they are slowly but surely reaching out to tell the whole story.

Health Dept. can’t be trusted to fix itself

It is appalling that the county will now have to spend millions of tax dollars to “fix” the Health Department’s woes. You already spend millions of dollars on the Health Department that has caused these problems; why should we trust that you spending more of our hard-earned money (entrusted to you in the form of taxes) will correct the issues? Not only should the senior management in the Health Department be relieved of their positions and responsibilities – for which they either are unqualified or basically ignored – the taxpayers should demand that the county officials who oversee the Health Department find new employment.

Trump out of place on world stage

Donald Trump continues to be in over his head on the international stage. He antagonizes key allies while accepting the denial of a KGB killer that Russia did not meddle in the U.S. election. This despite overwhelming American intelligence to the contrary. He was outclassed by every world leader at the G20 summit like some bored little kid who was forced to sit at the adult’s table.

Even in trying to defend the stir over daughter Ivanka taking his place at the table at one point, all that Trump could muster was a rather feeble Twitter attack on Chelsea Clinton. Pathetic!

I’ll keep my plastic bags, thanks

My family likes plastic bags. We have been going to the N.C. Outer Banks and beaches the past 15 years and have never seen or found plastic bags in the ocean or on the beach. We use plastic bags for excess waste and to hold our recyclable items, and they are great as liners for waste buckets and best of all, they are free!

Hillary Clinton would have done the same

Are we, the unassuming public, expected to believe that if the Clinton campaign had received a call from the “Russians” purportedly with damaging information on the Trump campaign, HRC’s team would have declined the call? Please! The election is over. Let’s get back to the real issues like healthcare, tax reform, immigration, and infrastructure that are far more critical to the success of the United States.

Here’s a promise Trump delivered on

We were promised the unbelievable deals. Unfortunately, we got them! We can hardly believe in what we are hearing right now!

This story was originally published July 12, 2017 at 5:07 PM with the headline "Criticism of Trump’s clubs is much ado about nothing."