Dear Editor:

As an avid reader, I’ll begin with a compliment that I often read Joe’s Journal “early and often,” even though often I may agree to disagree.

Joe’s column (Rough Road Ahead, July 27) cited comparisons between our current political divide and turmoil and referred back in time from 1968 to 1974 and Watergate as a comparison to today.

Joe left out some key information that failed to include that President Nixon’s first (1969-1972) term was a remarkable success (thus his 520 to 17 Electoral landslide victory in 1972) and the country did nearly a complete turnaround as Nixon worked to end the war in Vietnam, created Detente with Russia, ended the Draft, Reduction in nuclear arms treaties (SALT), and reestablished Law & Order (irony noted) before his abuses in the Watergate coverup. Nixon worked to reform the Welfare State, LBJ’s Great Society that all but destroyed the family unit, primarily in Afro-American families and creating a dependency on government assistance. Nixon’s second term began with successes establishing the EPA and relations with China.

Joe mentions “bugging” and “tapes” but no mention that JFK had no issue doing the same.

Does this excuse Nixon in his attempt to abuse power and then attempting to cover up what White House staff had started without his prior knowledge? No!

I will agree with how Joe ended his column:

“For the political class and their minions, truth is irrelevant. The only thing that matters is grabbing and holding on to power.”

But would Joe agree that the vast majority of the Fourth Estate has now become complicit with the Biden administration and his abuses in power and how the FBI and DOJ are now politically weaponized in a current coverup of the Biden family extorting cash from foreign entities – far beyond any attempted by the Nixon administration?

More and more, what is not reported (to add to the collapse of our Southern border) and not told to the American people by the mostly partisan majority in bed with the inept Biden administration and how that complicity will only continue to damage our Democracy.

Robert Devost

Edgecomb and Jericho, Vermont