Dear MAGA,

I spent almost three decades as a Republican supported Trump in 2016. Like many of you, I was fed up with government corruption and overspending. It was out of hand. I took great pleasure in watching Trump embarrass and dismantle his Republican opponents. Hillary Clinton was the absolute worst candidate the Democrats could have picked. The decision to support Trump was an easy one. I wanted the “swamp” drained. Guess what? It never happened.

After two years of constant lying, mishandling COVID, and his refusal to drain the swamp, I had seen more than enough. It was obvious he was not going to bring any level of change to Washington.

MAGA, you are absolutely correct, government corruption and spending need to be reigned in. The problem is, you have been convinced that only Democrats are responsible for this. Wrong. They all are. You have also been led to believe the poor and needy are lazy and shouldn’t get help. MAGA has been repeatedly told undocumented immigrants are stealing your jobs and benefits. The fact is, immigrants commit crimes at lower rates than citizens and pay a lot of taxes.

Most MAGA supporters are not stupid. You and they are my family, friends, and neighbors. People who are educated, have good jobs, and mean well. And yes, there are some culture war issues the Democrats have been on the wrong side of. But the attempts of some on the right to characterize lefties as being communists, pedophiles, rioters, and people who hate America is divisive, foolish, and wrong. We all want the best for this country, and we disagree on how to get there. The only way this ends well is for both sides to be able to debate and share ideas while being willing to compromise. The my way or the highway mentality will only end badly.   

I’m not going to tell you what party to join. I’m an Independent. I align much closer to Democrats than I do Republicans. But this is not a situation where you have to be on Team A or Team B. You can continue to be a Republican and push for change. You can be an independent and support the best candidate regardless of party affiliation. Or you can become a Democrat. You have options. 

I used to exclusively watch Fox News, and I soaked up everything they said. I now understand it is nothing more than a propaganda arm for the GOP. Fox News does not exist to teach or inform you. They spread propaganda and tell you what you want to hear. Many media outlets do this. This is why it is important to digest multiple forms of media from every side and use your ability to see through the bullshit.  

 The rich are not paying their taxes. A past White House study showed the top 400 wealthiest families in the United States had paid an average effective tax rate of only 8.2%. That is less than the very lowest tax bracket of 10%. I would assume that most of you reading this right now are paying an effective tax rate that is double to triple what the super wealthy are. The top 1% pay an effective tax rate of around 27% which is not significantly more than what many middle-class Americans are paying. 

In 2023, companies such as 3M and Tesla paid no taxes. General Electric earned $7 billion and received a $423 million refund. Stock buybacks and cash dividends allow corporations to greatly reduce or erase their taxes. These corporations get huge tax breaks, send jobs overseas for cheap labor. This doesn’t result in lower consumer prices or higher worker wages. It is more money for stockholders. 

For years, the wealthy and corporations have been able to line the pockets of Washington politicians in exchange for tax cuts and new deductions. The “Big Beautiful Bill” that just barely passed Congress? It gives a new tax break to the wealthy who get to deduct 100% of the cost of a private jet purchase. In the meantime, you and I struggle to buy groceries, pay our rent, and save any money. The system is broken and has been under decades of Republican tax policy. Trickle down economics and tax cuts were supposed to give the rich more money to reinvest in their businesses. That money was supposed to benefit you and me. It was all a lie.

Instead, conservative tax policy has resulted in trickle-up economics. The rich have gotten richer while the middle class has shrunk and struggles to get ahead. A few decades ago, we were told – if you worked hard and put your head down, you could obtain a piece of the American dream. Right now, that dream is dead for many of us. 

Twenty-one of the richest thirty members of Congress are Republican. Donald J. Trump is the ONLY billionaire to enter The White House. None of these people care about you or me.

Since 2017, the median home price has increased from $385,000 to $512,000. The cost of individual healthcare (per capita) has increased from $10,739 to $14,570. From 2017-2024, the average price of a new vehicle has increased 35-40% (from $36k to $49k). During that same time frame, the price of groceries has increased 25-50% per month. Oh, and the national debt? That was $20.23 trillion in 2017, and last year had increased to $35.46 trillion. 

So now the question must be asked. What did Trump change during his first term? Did he enact any policies or changes that would make life better in America? Is it more affordable for you to live? Has the deficit been decreased? No. We are not better off. 57% of Americans are currently living paycheck to paycheck. They are one accident or mishap away from financial disaster. 

Canada, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Spain, Denmark, Germany, Finland, and Israel all have various forms of universal healthcare systems. The United States is one of only two countries in the entire world that allow pharmaceutical companies to spend money on needless marketing. In 2023, companies spent around $14 billion on advertising. Each year, over 500,000 Americans must declare bankruptcy due to crushing hospital bills. There has to be a better way. 

Our political system is broken, and they are not working for us. What we need is term limits, ethics reform, and campaign finance reform. But guess what? You won’t find any Republicans in office fighting for those issues. 

 Please look through this website. Donald Trump is not a good person. He has not been sent by God and is here for himself. He is nothing more than a con-artist, who has succeeded in fooling and deceiving his supporters. No meaningful changes have occurred under this administration, and neither you nor me are better off. Walk away from Trump. Walk away from MAGA. Create or support something or someone that will bring about real change that will benefit the middle class and not just the rich.