DEAR EDITOR:

Now comes the new year dragging behind it all the problems of past years to bedevil the hopes of millions of citizens. The millstones round our necks might be removed by Americans raising Cain with Congress to grow spine enough to recover its Constitutionally authorized powers. Things they should work on could include:

Repealing Citizens United, a 15-year-old law, passed thanks to a GOP Senate filibuster, that allows corporations, groups and wealthy individuals to finance campaigns through PACs without amount limits or public scrutiny of the political influence their money buys. This allows officials, like Trump, to favor those they know have contributed cash when those supporters’ interests require government approval.

Cancel all Trump tariffs initiated by his executive orders. Tariffs were meant to protect specific industries from unfair competition such as steel financed by governments and imported to the U.S. at below national costs of manufacture. Trump’s abusively high and constantly varying blanket tariffs result in higher prices for imported goods paid for by consumers.

Review all DOGE imposed reductions in force and agency disbanding efforts and restore positions and programs proved worth their cost of operation. Begin with nonpartisan appointees to record and budgetary services. Recover all SSN info taken by DOGE.

Begin restoring alternative energy programs as their technology and power-to-cost ratio improves.

Make public congressional vetting procedures mandatory to eliminate “interim” unqualified appointees to high offices such as cabinet posts and regulatory agencies mandatory. No vetting, no temporary appointment.

No arrests or deportations can be made without due legal process.

Of course, these New Year wishes are naive, but not so much as any belief that dislodging an embedded fascist regime that is dominating law, education, communication, banking and rewriting our history to suit themselves will be easy.

JIM CARTWRIGHT

Canfield