Voters can end our country’s downward spiral

Dear Editor,

It was two years ago this month that The Economist’s cover page declared the U.S. economy “The Envy of the World.” Inflation was at 2.6% and falling and the U.S. economy was the fastest growing economy in the G-7 at 2.8% (G-7 are the largest industrial nations in the world.)

Contrast that with today. Inflation is now 3.4% and our growth rate now is 1.5%. That is, inflation is UP, growth is DOWN!

Fuel prices have doubled in the case of diesel fuel and will not go down for months, according to oil industry experts. We are in the midst of yet another endless war in the Middle East which is the direct cause of the fuel cost explosion. The war with Iran was a war of choice which was started by President Trump who campaigned on the promise of “No more forever wars in the Middle East.” Who knew that President Trump would lie?

It is clear to me that, due primarily to this war, costs to average Americans will continue to go up for at least the next 18 months. The world’s economy runs on diesel. Russia was the world’s No. 2 exporter of diesel but now has an export ban in place. The U.S. is the No. 1 exporter of diesel. This is benefiting the Exxon- Mobil’s of the world as their profit margins have soared, but at the expense of small businesses, truckers, farmers and YOU. All of this was entirely predictable.

Elect a failed business executive with multiple bankruptcies to the highest office in the world and even the strongest economy in world history can be wounded by incompetent management.

Americans have a choice in November. As a country and as an economy we can not return to prosperity with the Trump Administration and a Republican Congress. Two more years of continued failed leadership will only accelerate our decline. We have gone from “The Envy of the World” to “The Enemy of the World” in less than two years with our tariff wars with China, Canada and the European Union and our actual war with Iran. We have drastically reduced our military support to Ukraine. We were the leader of the Free World two years ago. We now roll out the red carpet for Putin of Russia and Xi of China.

We have a choice next month. We are running out of time to stop the damage we are causing to the world and to ourselves. Your vote can make a difference. Make it count.

Dr. Paul A. Haupt

Menominee

Printed in EagleHerald 10/9/26