After the recent Senate impeachment vote not to call witnesses, followed by acquittal, I’m disgusted to be an American. Strong and effectual moderate Republican leadership has seemingly been replaced by individuals without spine, knuckleheads like Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, and right-wing fanatics, all claiming House impeachment statements were only “hearsay,” while, at the same time, preventing those who truly heard and saw from testifying. I guess presidential threats take precedence over almost 250 years of three branch legislative, executive, and judicial governmental rule, the latter spelling out a set of constitutional checks and balances.

To my Trump-supporting friends and relatives — how can you back an individual whose unflattering credentials include, but are not limited to, thug, criminal, womanizer, bully, and pathologic liar? The man has consistently intimidated from a position of family wealth via a pack of unscrupulous lawyers ready to squash and/or sue victims, informers, and competitors. And now, as POTUS, he can spread his pathetic personality globally, to whomever will listen, using his bully pulpit.

What‘s wrong with our country? What’s wrong with our moderate Republican leadership, which has apparently gone yellow belly? It’s obvious to me that dictatorship is soon to follow, if it isn’t here already. Dangerous. Very dangerous.

Robert A. Linden

East Lyme