Editor, The Smithfield Times:

Yes, I am a conservative, and generally supported President Trump’s policies. No, I did not like his constant whining about others or his patting himself on the back for a good job accomplished. However, the man did accomplish almost everything he said he would when he campaigned for president.

Bailing out the farmers was absolutely needed if the American people were to continue to have at our disposal the huge supply of foods we have in our grocery stores and export to other countries. We are the breadbasket of the world and will continue to be so for the foreseeable future.

Our president did not create the coronavirus that has killed 300,000 Americans. China did. In early January/February, the president stopped Chinese from entering the U.S. via direct flights. They were placed in quarantine (delayed entry); for this he was criticized severely as overreacting.

He stopped the widespread illegal border crossings; yes, there were some people who suffered because of this policy, but only those who did not apply and come through the front door.  He/she who does illegal acts must suffer the consequences, and they don’t get to decide their own punishment for their illegal acts.

Show me one president who has not lied to the American public for one reason or another. I am a fan of JFK, but he lied in October 1962 when in Chicago and was informed about the Cuban crisis and returned to Washington, D.C. President Johnson lied to the American public about the Gulf of Tonkin incident, Clinton about sex and the blue dress, Nixon and Watergate, etc. Point being, the American public cannot and should not be told everything upfront in the management of governmental affairs. They have to be prepared for major events to prevent wholesale panic.

By the way, the tax bill that President Trump approved helped get the American people back to work. We had the lowest unemployment rate that we have ever experienced last year. I don’t like President-elect Biden but will have to put up with his policies for the next four years, as others have with President Trump.

We could be like Venezuela, and go from a very rich economy to total disaster. Be grateful for what you have or you may not have anything!

Ray Baxter

Windsor