In the column, "Is Donald Trump Right?", Fulcrum Executive Editor, Hugo Balta, wrote:
For millions of Americans, President Trump’s second term isn’t a threat to democracy—it’s the fulfillment of a promise they believe was long overdue.
Is Donald Trump right?
Should the presidency serve as a force for disruption or a safeguard of preservation?
Balta invited readers to share their thoughts at newsroom@fulcrum.us.
Joe Kaul from Colorado shared these thoughts...
My Father and his 5 brothers fought in World War II.
He came home with 4 brothers and one eye out of commission.
All you have to do to answer your question is to answer this question through the lens of the Greatest Generation.
Take one example: the disgusting attempted overthrow of our government on Jan 6, 2021. The men and women who defended our country and the world against fascism overseas would tell you in no uncertain terms that this was the most un-American thing ever done by a sitting President. Full Stop.
So my point here is that if you were not mortified by this group of thugs attacking our US Capitol, then I suppose you can tolerate just about anything that Trump does to "Get his way" with US policies.
Well, I got news for you: once you accept that type of treasonous behavior, you have just said to the Greatest Generation, "You and your sacrifices don't matter to me and my MAGA friends." Maybe in this twisted, self-serving light, Trump is right.
Trump's trade war with China is on the verge of costing American Farmers their livelihoods and seriously endangering our nation's food supply.
U.S. farmers produce 40% more AG products than we can consume in the US, so overseas markets are crucial.
Last year (2025), China bought $12 billion in soybeans alone from US farmers.
Since Trump decided to punch them in the nose, China has bought $0.00 of AG soybeans from US farmers.
This same scenario played out in the first Trump administration, so he had to give them a $10 billion aid package to bail them out.
While he may try this approach again, it is not even close to a long-term solution.
You see, there is something called "Trust" in a supply chain. When a large market like China loses trust in the US AG market, they have no choice but to turn to alternative markets like Brazil and Argentina for their Ag products. When trust erodes and new supply chains are formed with new partners, it takes years, if not decades, to rebuild those relationships.
By then, sadly, many of our US farmers —the backbone of rural America —will likely have no choice but to "sell the farm."
So maybe we should start asking US Farmers if Trump is right, since he has screwed up these important supply chains both times in office.
We invite you to read "Is Donald Trump Right?" and accept Hugo's invitation to share your thoughts at newsroom@fulcrum.us.
The Fulcrum will select a range of submissions to share with readers as part of our ongoing civic dialogue.
We offer this platform for discussion and debate.
photo courtesy of Michael Varga.
An Independent Voter's Perspective on Current Political Divides
In the column, "Is Donald Trump Right?", Fulcrum Executive Editor, Hugo Balta, wrote:
For millions of Americans, President Trump’s second term isn’t a threat to democracy—it’s the fulfillment of a promise they believe was long overdue.
Is Donald Trump right?
Should the presidency serve as a force for disruption or a safeguard of preservation?
Balta invited readers to share their thoughts at newsroom@fulcrum.us.
David Levine from Portland, Oregon, shared these thoughts...
I am an independent voter who voted for Kamala Harris in the last election.
I pay very close attention to the events going on, and I try and avoid taking other people's opinions as fact, so the following writing should be looked at with that in mind:
Is Trump right? On some things, absolutely.
As to DEI, there is a strong feeling that you cannot fight racism with more racism or sexism with more sexism. Standards have to be the same across the board, and the idea that only white people can be racist is one that I think a lot of us find delusional on its face. The question is not whether we want equality in the workplace, but whether these systems are the mechanism to achieve it, despite their claims to virtue, and many of us feel they are not.
I think if the Democrats want to take back immigration as an issue then every single illegal alien no matter how they are discovered needs to be processed and sanctuary cities need to end, every single illegal alien needs to be found at that point Democrats could argue for an amnesty for those who have shown they have been Good actors for a period of time but the dynamic of simply ignoring those who break the law by coming here illegally is I think a losing issue for the Democrats, they need to bend the knee and make a deal.
I think you have to quit calling the man Hitler or a fascist because an actual fascist would simply shoot the protesters, the journalists, and anyone else who challenges him. And while he definitely has authoritarian tendencies, the Democrats are overplaying their hand using those words, and it makes them look foolish.
Most of us understand that the tariffs are a game of economic chicken, and whether it is successful or not depends on who blinks before the midterms. Still, the Democrats' continuous attacks on the man make them look disloyal to the country, not to Trump.
Referring to any group of people as marginalized is to many of us the same as referring to them as lesser, and it seems racist and insulting.
We invite you to read the opinions of other Fulrum Readers:
Trump's Policies: A Threat to Farmers and American Values
The Trump Era: A Bitter Pill for American Renewal
Federal Hill's Warning: A Baltimorean's Reflection on Leadership
Also, check out "Is Donald Trump Right?" and consider accepting Hugo's invitation to share your thoughts at newsroom@fulcrum.us.
The Fulcrum will select a range of submissions to share with readers as part of our ongoing civic dialogue.
We offer this platform for discussion and debate.