Readers' Letters: At least Trump supporters are getting what they voted for

We perhaps were open-mouthed at the raft of policies immediately implemented by Donald Trump following his inauguration – but they were mainly policies he had promised to implement prior to his election.

Leaving aside our agreement or otherwise with the policies, I do feel a sense of envy that an American vote has resulted in the implementation of what was voted for.

It seems that there is indeed a gulf in our own political approach as many struggled to know exactly what the Labour Party was going to put into action; other than “change”. I do not remember being told that (i) Labour intended to re-align our trade laws with the European Union’s; (ii) all those new houses to be built would not be built unless we miraculously found thousands of tradesmen and land; (iii) many other changes would have to await “consultation groups” to see if they could be implemented; (iv) the big “change” was to be the opposite of 14 years of Conservatism without any clear idea whether it would be “better” or “worse” – particularly if you are a lower middle-class pensioner; (v) we misunderstood in taking literally energy net zero (Labour’s manifesto to cut energy bills “not just in the short term, but for good”) when we now are told reducing bills remains a “long-term aim”.

Donald Trump is sworn in as the 47th president of the United States by Chief Justice John Roberts as Melania Trump holds the Bible (Picture: Morry Gash/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)

We were probably naïve writing a blank cheque for “change” which would have to be honoured by our grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

We are certainly bordering on negligent in not questioning a Government that constantly tells us “there is no money”, yet finds money to set up a multitude of costly new quangos and consultation groups.

James Watson, Dunbar, East Lothian

Breath of fresh air

Given that President Trump is rolling back all the worst of the left-wing policies which have been undermining the west for decades, I would say good for him.

He recognises the unscientific drive towards EVs as being purely profit-driven. He also sees that the US is being invaded by huge numbers of people from elsewhere who have countries of their own and he will send them back. He knows, as we all do that there are only two genders and he also knows that fossil fuels provide power and prosperity. That is why China uses them, as the US and the UK should.

The breath of fresh air the Americans are about to enjoy is long overdue here too!

Andrew HN Gray, Edinburgh

Trump enigma

“A riddle, wrapped in a puzzle, inside an enigma” (Churchill, radio broadcast, 1939) is an idiom used to describe a conundrum that’s difficult to solve. It applies to President Donald J Trump, as much as it does to Maria in the Sound of Music.

The enigma that is Donald Trump has yet to fully resolve itself in the eyes of the general public. Did Monday’s presidential inauguration (or Second Coming) shed any new light on this?

The religious dimension to the proceedings intrigued me. Was this aspect merely staged, a necessary piece of political presentation – simply style without substance? Or was there something, anything, deeper going on? From a Trump perspective the hymn How Great Thou Art could be directed heavenwards as a hymn of heartfelt thanks, or inwards in self-congratulation and adulation, or outwards as a thank you to voters. Take your pick.

The Epiphany carol As With Gladness Men Of Old talks of “the guiding star” which brought wise men with gifts to the newborn Christ-child. Again, for Trump, was some of this self-referential where he is that guiding star pointing to a better future. Or, heaven forbid, does Trump perhaps see himself as the central character – an actual Messiah sent by God? Trump’s reference in his speech to his near escape from the assassin’s bullet as an act of God hints more than a little at the latter interpretation.

In the Bible that Trump almost had his hand on while taking the Presidential Oath, the Book of Proverbs warns “pride cometh before a fall”. It backs this up with many examples of authority figures who experienced crushed egos when learning the hard lesson of humility. Rather than “God bless America”, a better amen would be “God save America” – and let’s include in that the rest of world caught up in his unpredictable slipstream.

Ewen Peters, Newton Mearns, East Renfrewshire

Perfect democracy

By chance this week I came across a quotation from the American journalist and essayist HL Mencken: “As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart’s desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.”

That “great and glorious day” has arrived. Rejoice for “the plain folks”.

Robin Sutherland, Edinburgh

Robber Baron

I was a recipient of an award from the Carnegie Trust back in my university days for which I will always be grateful. But on the other hand, the training received from the outstanding doctors and professors of Glasgow University's history department means I cannot allow Fraser McAllister’s rose-tinted glasses eulogy for Andrew Carnegie’s largesse (Letters, 22 January) to go unchallenged.

Yes, Carnegie did a lot of philanthropic work. But never forget he was one of America’s notorious Robber Barons who used bribery and bullets to always get their way.

Whilst the rest of the civilised world was coming to its senses and passing the first acts concerning workplace health and safety along with putting an end to child labour, Carnegie and his cronies turned North America for its tired, huddled masses into Dante’s Inferno via unregulated industry and wholesale plunder, whose avarice can rightly be attributed much of that land's great ills as the land of plenty became The Land Of Nothing For Free.

Carnegie’s change of heart came in the last 16 years of his life, and had zero to do with any inspirational uncles and everything to do with his fear of the fires of hell in the afterlife after making hell on earth for so many in this life. Even Theodore Roosevelt was moved to condemn him as one that had turned the making of money into a substitute religion, and those who despise the extreme left would do well to remember it was the likes of Carnegie that provided the fertile ground for Marx to till.

Mark Boyle, Johnstone, Renfrewshire

Made from girders

I see the makers of Irn-Bru are switching from a Scottish marketing firm to one based in London to go “in a new direction”. Fair enough – a decision presumably based on sound strategic and commercial reasons.

Yet surely this leaves a conspicuous minority of particularly parochial nationalists in a quandary? They rush to boycott Scottish companies that are, in any way, associated with the Union flag or England, and especially London, often labelling them “traitors”.

And yet, Iru-Bru is widely regarded as the quintessentially Scottish soft drink. Deary me, if you’re dyed-in-the-wool separatist, what do you do now?

Martin Redfern, Melrose, Scottish Borders

Angry protest

Like Joe Goldblatt, most of us were horrified by the murder of more than 1,200 people in October 2023 (Scotsman, 22 January). Sadly, the response of the Israeli government was the murder of more than 40,000 people in Gaza, and the obliteration of most of their homes, schools and hospitals.

This was the catalyst for the angry mob of Palestinian supporters referred to by Mr Goldblatt. This is not anti-Semitism but revulsion at a brutal injustice. There was no mention of the destruction of Gaza in his article, thereby totally missing the point.

I feel sorrow for all caught up in this nightmare.

Brian Bannatyne-Scott, Edinburgh

Lasting peace?

I struggle to understand why any intelligent person accepts information from a terrorist organisation like Hamas without questioning it. Yes civilians are killed in wars, but Hamas cynically weaponises their deaths. A Wall Street journal article recently revealed a message that the late Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar sent to mediators in which he called the death of Palestinian civilians “necessary sacrifices” and argued that the more innocent Palestinians are killed the more Hamas would benefit.

As for a lasting peace, just look at the celebrations of the Gaza civilians and Hamas during the recent transfer of the three hostages. It was disgustingly similar to their arrival on October 7.

Lewis Finnie, Edinburgh

Dream team

Brian Monteith’s suggestion that Gordon Brown could replace Rachel Reeves (Scotsman, 14 January) got me thinking what my “all-time Labour cabinet” would be.

Gordon Brown, wearing his 1997-2001 “Prudence” frock before the spending spree, is a shoo-in as Chancellor, perhaps Lord Robertson at Defence and Brian Wilson at Environment. The rest will have to wait till Sir Keir Starmer’s AI magic wand gets beyond the “ChatGPT does the pupil's homework” stage to a point several decades on where AI can recreate a deceased person from their DNA.

Then we could have Attlee back as PM, Bevan (founder of Nato) as Foreign Minister, Bevin (deliverer of the NHS) as Health Minister, Roy Jenkins as Home Secretary and Willie Ross as Secretary of State for Scotland.

Allan Sutherland, Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire

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