LETTERS

TO THE EDITOR

Make America great

To the editor:

Donald Trump will get all of Kansas’s Electoral College votes.

This shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone since the Republican Party has received all of Kansas’s Electoral College votes for 60 years!

The last time Kansans gave the Electoral College votes to the Democratic Party was in 1964 to Lyndon B Johnson. So, take down your yard signs, flags, and posters. It’s a done deal.

But, the Electoral College isn’t what I really want to talk about. It’s about what makes America great.

I can tell you what doesn’t make America great: things that are prevalent during election cycles far too often like misinformation, scapegoating, denigrating others, rumors, fear mongering, and grievance politics.

Make America Great? Don’t expect a politician to do it for you — not a Republican or a Democrat. There is a famous quote: “Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.”

The essence of this starts at a local level with a spirit of volunteerism, community involvement, and optimism.

People must be hopeful and not fearful. There are so many opportunities! I’m going to list a few, but I know there are unlimited possibilities: mentoring young people, cleaning up your neighborhood, serving with a nonprofit group, visiting people in hospitals, visiting lonely people, fixing plumbing for single parent, visiting and helping our elders in adult care facilities, joining a civic organization.

Make America Great? It starts with you and me. And I will say it again: Don’t expect someone else to do it for you.

Jim Nickel
Peabody