The article “A Republican views the 2016 president election” sounded like someone trying to convince herself that voting for Trump made sense. The author still doesn’t get why so many of us found it hard to believe that “nice people” could vote for him. I, for one, am outraged because our collective well-being was betrayed.

There are some things I thought all Americans would agree on because they are the foundation of our common good. National security is one. Having someone in charge of the military and our nuclear arsenal who is level-headed and grounded in reality would seem to be paramount. Yet the party that claims to be big on national security has elected someone who is unpredictable, vindictive, prone to conspiracy theories and operates with his own set of “facts.” Our collective security has been compromised.

Next, there are our constitutional rights and the institution of democracy. Republicans have elected someone who threatens to limit freedom of speech and religion, endorses torture, has no trouble with conflicts of interest and questions the validity of elections unless he wins. So many red flags. While Republicans are outspoken about the right to bear arms, they have been conspicuously silent about the rest of them. Empowering someone who feels free to pick and choose which rights he wants to respect puts everyone’s civil liberties at risk.

And finally, the care of our planet. How did caring for our home become a partisan issue? We all depend on air, water and a viable climate. Electing someone who denies the need to do anything to help us protect our climate defies common sense. It’s bad for all of us. And time is against us. There is nothing “conservative” about Republican’s position on this issue. The appropriate word is “reckless.”

No, Republicans have traded away core underpinnings of our collective well-being in hopes of furthering their political agenda. And I am still left trying to reconcile the affection I have for some of the people I know who supported Trump, with the anger I feel at their having betrayed our common good.

Eric Hall

Lopez Island