Dear Editor:

Now that we have a president who promises to drain the swamp, let’s get together and rid our government of corruption.

We have a corrupt congress and legislature who spend half of their time raising money to get re-elected and the other half doing favors for those same lobbyists.  Our political campaigns have become swamps of misinformation that choke out informed debate. Our public offices have become revolving doors for politicians cum lobbyists.  Let’s have real campaign finance reform.

The tax system is also rigged in that those of us who work hard for our money pay full freight while the trust fund dropouts enjoy lower taxes due to loopholes that most of us do not qualify for.  If you do not believe me ask your tax preparer what your tax bill would be if you declared your wages as dividends and capital gains.  You will be amazed at the difference. We need a fair system of taxation where everyone's income is taxed at the same rates.

The courts have also been corrupted with the use of binding arbitration being forced upon the public.  Everyday justice is miscarried by these arbitrators who are chosen and paid by the very corporations who insist on their use.  Our elected politicians have corrupted the basic notions of justice by making one set of laws for the wealthy business class and another for people who have to work for a living.

The corrupt practices in the financial industry that brought about the 2008 economic debacle resulted in too few criminal prosecutions.  Mr. Trump has promised to restore the Glass-Steagall Act and that would be a good start.  The financial industry had got to be made accountable through proper regulation and prosecution of criminal acts.  A white collar criminal is still a criminal.

Our system of healthcare is corrupt in that profit, even among the “non-profit” providers, comes before patient care.  Mr. Trump has said that we could have “better health care, much better, for less money.”

I am all for making America great again.  Let’s support our president as he drains this swamp.

Fred W. Nehring

Boothbay