The Smithsonian? Seriously? Another example of Donald J. Trump trying to dumb down America.

Hobble the Department of Education. Remove federal workers in multiple agencies rather than systematically and thoughtfully revamp services most Americans rely on in some form.

Degrade or destroy global relationships built over decades. Make inane, off the cuff grand statements about annexing sovereign territory. Alienate trading partners all over the globe.

Somehow I would like to believe there was a plan in all of this, but I can see nothing more than a general direction of creating a country with an obscenely rich oligarchy and a narcissistic personality.

The only true means of stopping the present sham is not the courts. Mr. Trump learned to manipulate them years ago. It is us, the regular folks, who need to be more involved and remove those who are sleeping or ignoring reality.

LEE JETTE
Astoria