Democracy. Government of the people, for the people. A very revolutionary concept when our nation broke from the British monarchy nearly 250 years ago. Hundreds of thousands of Americans have sacrificed their lives in creating and defending democracy since that time, in the Revolutionary and Civil wars, and World Wars I and II. Perhaps someone in your family, or ancestry, died protecting this ideal.

Oligarchy. Government of the few, for the few. In the short time since Donald Trump was inaugurated, we have seen a handful of billionaires dismantling the institutions of our great heritage. Not for the benefit of the people, but for their own power and wealth. Donald Trump’s cabinet is filled with billionaires. I’m certain none of them care about the price of eggs, or gas, or health care. They care only about tax cuts on their wealth.

And who elected Elon Musk, and why is he ransacking seemingly every federal agency? Who is he to decide which government services stay or go? Do you really think he cares a wit about the American public? Spoiler alert: No. He cares only about his own power and wealth, which comes at our expense.

President Trump and his billionaire comrades are stealing us blind. If you actually care about democracy, the flag, the Pledge of Allegiance, all that stuff you learned about as a kid, then stand up against this corrupt clutch of people executing a coup d’etat and turning America into an oligarchy; of the few, for the few.

ERIC HALPERIN

Gearhart