Letters to the editor for Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2015

The myth of Donald Trump

Donald Trump supporters have bought a myth of his being a fabulously successful businessman. In fact, Trump inherited a vast fortune from his father, Fred Trump, who built a real estate empire worth $400 million. His father set him up in business and Donald’s contribution was to incur huge debt and stick banks and bondholders with financial disasters. Trump hotels and casinos had four high profile business bankruptcies.

Trump has switched political party affiliations five times since 1987. He’s held wildly conflicting positions on important issues — abortion, health care, gun control, income taxes and immigration. The bold “tell it like it is” Trump, in reality, is an indecisive, shallow “flip-flopper.”

Trump has been a heavy Democratic Party donor, including to Hillary Clinton. He made significant contributions in the crucial contest that put Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi in power in 2006. Trump contributed $10,400 to Reid, including to his 2010 Nevada Senate race. As recently as September 2013, Trump made contributions totaling $6,000 to very liberal Democrat California Attorney General Kamala Harris, a strong “sanctuary cities” supporter.

While Trump compares himself to Ronald Reagan, the former president’s son, Michael Reagan, says his father would be “appalled” at Trump’s antics of juvenile personal insults. He told Newsmax: “You can be a Reagan Republican or a Trump Republican, but you can’t be both.”

It’s time for Republican voters to get real — Donald Trump is full of bluster with no real substance and unqualified to be president.

Jim Hartman

Genoa