Hey Trump voters, are you happy with unelected Elon Musk calling all the shots? | Opinion

President-elect Musk

To all those who voted for President-Elect Donald Trump: Did you realize the president-elect Oh, wait, he was born in South Africa, so he doesn’t technically qualify for the position. But, hey, who cares about technicalities when Musk bought Trump and appears to now own Trump lock, stock and barrel. Trump fell immediately in line with Musk on Musk’s decision to shut down our government for Christmas. What else will Trump stoop to in order to keep Musk’s patronage?

Musk could have stayed home and helped govern South Africa. God knows, they need help. But I guess it was too messy back home.

Trump has bent over pretty far to placate his base. How much further will he bend for Musk?

Glenna Brouse, Lexington

Bread and circus

It appears we have gone back approximately 2,000 years to the Roman Empire when a triumvirate ruled. President-elect Donald Trump, his nominee to head the Department of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and his unofficial-advisor Elon Musk have replaced Caesar, Crassus and Pompey. The triumvirate’s goal was to seize power and line their own pockets through bypassing the Senate in Rome which represented the citizens. We seem to have not made much progress in our political institutions and thinking.

Additionally, judging from the proposed list of aspirants for Presidentially-appointed positions, there will certainly be no lack for the next administration of individuals (especially Linda McMahon and Hershel Walker) qualified to oversee the “bread and circuses” to divert the attention of the masses from more pressing and important issues.

Lacta Alea Est (translation - “the die is cast”)

Charles Myers, Lexington

McConnell’s responsibility

Really U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.)? You are responsible for this next administration of President-elect Donald Trump more than anyone. You could have conferred with your fellow Republicans and convicted this guy. You noted in an oral history interview that the U.S. House of Representatives was likely to impeach Trump very soon. “Someone listening to this years from now might wonder what’s the point; he’s leaving office anyway on January 20,” you said. “But apparently you can impeach somebody after they leave and if that happens, there’s a second vote in the Senate, which only has to pass by a simple majority, that prevents that person from seeking office again. So he could not only be impeached, but also eliminated from the possibility of a comeback for this office. So it is significant.” (By the way, Mitch, Trump was still President on Jan. 13, 2021 during his second impeachment).

Yes, it WAS significant. As for people listening to this years from now, YOU could have single-handedly stopped the disaster yet to come — a second Trump term. Thanks, Mitch. Your leadership could have prevented this. You reap what you sow but unfortunately, the majority of us reap what YOU sowed...

Lesli D. Nickell, Nicholasville

Changing times

Many Democrats and liberal Republicans show arrogance toward the anger and hate typical of those whose lives are terrible disappointments. When change is demanded, these same folks are more secure in homes, work( their income) and in their lives. Their Democratic leaders are feel-gooders, not the realist that the great Democrat Bernie Sanders is, joining cheers of Republicans calling him a communist or socialist.

Followers of President-elect Donald Trump now see their leader in love with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Putin relishes his rise in power as his and his nation’s oligarchs wealth vastly increases as China and India burn Russian oil burning which in turn increases production at the expense of our world’s own environmental changes.

At the same time, banking now finances more corporate housing and “We Buy Houses.” Housing and apartment costs are skyrocketing! Poor people invest in our government’s lottery and sports betting as they falsely dream of easy money.

It’s easy money for the rich, but not the 99 percent.

Don Pratt, Lexington

Historical warning

My uncle, Heinrich Aberle, joined the police force as a rare escape from poverty in 1920’s Germany. When German dictator Adolph Hitler came to power he took control of the civil police and made part of it his personal ‘Geheimestatspolizei’, soon better known as the ‘Gestapo’ with its mission to terrorize and suppress Hitler’s political enemies. The rest had no choice but to become soldiers in a German army of aggression. For Uncle Heinrich It led to his death in World War II and for the German people devastating hardship.

It shouldn’t be necessary to explain where I’m going with this as 2025 dawns with the insane charge that millions of loyal and honorable government employees and military leaders have suddenly become “the enemy within.” Add such MAGA plans as defunding medical research, since ‘Goldilocks and the seven dwarfs know more than does everyone at the NIH.’

All of this echoes that bumper sticker, ‘my kid can whip your honor roll student,” as people decide to trust their gut and MAGA ideology and forget things like reason and verifiable evidence.

But hey, it’s what you asked for when you cast your lot with goofball conspiracies and mock the warnings of science and history.

Ernest Henninger, Danville

Edited by Liz Carey

This story was originally published December 23, 2024 at 1:00 PM.