We keep putting up with Donald Trump’s tantrums: Readers sound off From Trump's fight with Acosta to having a support system to battle alcoholism to the midterm results, our readers sound off on recent headlines.

USA TODAY

Letter to the editor:

Since when do we put up with President Donald Trump behaving like a spoiled child, calling names and silencing reporters doing their jobs? He is completely out of control and now his staff is lying about what happened during his news conference between him and CNN’s Jim Acosta, when we all saw it with our own eyes. Why is the rest of the news media just acting like it’s business as usual? What is happening to this country that we all just put up with the president throwing one tantrum after another? It’s embarrassing. The world sees this. Reporters are supposed to ask tough questions; after all, the public can’t just walk up and ask them. It’s been their job for years.

Chimane Dolan; Holland, Mich.

News media need to show Trump respect

Letter to the editor:

I watched Wednesday’s White House press conference with President Donald Trump, and I was taken back by how rude and disrespectful some reporters were to him. Regardless of their opinions of Trump, he is the president of the United States and deserves the respect of that office. After all, he won the election to that office.

I believe the news media can act in a more respectful manner and still get their questions answered, without yelling and screaming and refusing to give up the microphone. Are they that rude or just looking for attention, like a three-year-old?

We are all Americans and need to show respect for the office.

Charles Krummell; Cedar Park, Texas

Children shouldn’t watch Trump on TV

Letter to the editor:

Any competent school teacher would have defused CNN journalist Jim Acosta’s apparently irritating persistence by saying something like, “Mr. Acosta, I find your question and behavior inappropriate, so I will not answer your question at this time.”

Instead, President Donald Trump immediately flips into his counterpunching, bullying persona, calling Acosta a “rude, terrible person” who should be fired and saying that what Acosta said was “horrible.” And then Trump continues his tirade of ad hominem into another questioner by calling her a “racist” for simply asking if he thought he emboldened white nationalists by calling himself a nationalist — a question many people would like an answer for.

Trump should be sent to the principal’s office or spend some time in “timeout.” Children should not be allowed to watch Trump on TV under any circumstances.

William Scott Taylor; Frederick, Md.

Addiction kills; there’s strength in numbers

Letter to the editor:

Addiction is a disease that tells a person they don’t have a disease.

I am speaking from over 34 years of continuous recovery. This experience has been possible only because I wanted to stop using alcohol and drugs. When the pain of using became worse than the pain of not using, I was finally willing to do something about my problem. This willingness led me to a rehabilitation program where I received effective education about addiction, personal and group therapy, and introduction to Twelve Step recovery programs. Even as my mind slowly cleared, it became evident that people who wanted to stay clean went to meetings — regularly. I also learned that there is a great disparity between people who need recovery and those who want recovery.

The bottom line is: I was, and still am, willing to do whatever it takes to stay drug and alcohol-free. However, I’m one of very few who chose this path.

I’ve been to enough funerals to remind me that addiction takes no prisoners; it kills. Until I find a methodology that brings me more peace of mind and comfort in my heart, I’ll keep coming back to the meetings.

Ron Bikacsan; Nashville, Tenn.

Letter to the editor:

As a 35-year hepatologist (liver specialist) and a 20-year recovering alcoholic, I can say there’s no proven medical treatment for alcoholism, only sedative use for easing withdrawal. Psychiatrists have no patience, interest or success in using individual therapy for alcoholics. No form of psychotherapy has been proven to be effective. Group experience, i.e. Alcoholics Anonymous and residential treatment centers have very good results. Using 5 to 10 percent success rate as a measure of Twelve Step success is misconception. That includes those who are sent by the courts, dragged there by families and told to go by employers. Nobody will have success when forced to go. The success rate of someone who wants to get better, can be honest about their issues, and has the opportunity to be in an residential 90-day program followed by regular AA meetings will likely do well. Helping others get sober goes further toward keeping one sober than anything else.

David Miller; Birmingham, Ala.

Trump disrespected our fallen heroes

Letter to the editor:

Kudos to USA TODAY’s coverage of President Donald Trump skipping out on the high-profile World War I commemorative ceremony in Paris due to a little rain.

There are always logistical workarounds for a gathering of this caliber. Trump simply chose to skip this event due to apathy, and only after taking a little heat does he now choose a convenient scapegoat — his own Secret Service! Unbelievable.

Notice how Trump never steps up to accept responsability? The buck never stops with this finger-pointing commander in chief. When the stock market goes up, he claims all the credit. When it falls, he quickly blames others. As a veteran, I cannot respect this phony draft dodger who couldn’t care less for fallen heroes — or veterans, for that matter. He only cares about Trump. Americans deserve a command in chief with a modicum of character.

Jon W. Ingalls, retired Navy commander; Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

We said ‘yes’ to accountability

Letter to the editor:

President Donald Trump made these past midterm elections about himself. He said, as he crisscrossed the country, that this election was about “me.”

The majority has spoken, and the majority has rejected “Trumpism,” despite a relatively good economy (though the rising debt worsened by the Republican tax reform will soon haunt us). We have rejected the politics of division and lies (that Democrats are for open borders and going easy on criminals); his bullying tactics and name-calling; his assault on the environment; his coddling of foreign tyrants (especially Saudi Arabia); the corruption in his administration and his disregard of the emoluments clause; and his hypocrisy on health care.

Most importantly, we have said “no” to one-party rule and a spineless Congress, and “yes” to accountability. Let the investigations begin and the rule of law prevail.

Mervyn D’Souza; Edison, NJ

Historic shift in demographics of Congress

Letter to the editor:

Political power in America has always been concentrated in the hands of one narrow slice of the population. Even as other groups have won the right to vote and hold office, white men have continued to hold a monopoly on political power. The question, whether Americans will have elected leaders who reflect their own life experiences is urgent. The midterm elections marked a historic, if incomplete, shift in the power structure. Across the country, women of all races were on the ballot in record-breaking numbers.

More women than ever before will serve in Congress and state legislatures starting in January. Yet these victories also remind us how difficult it is to challenge the system that zealously defends the white male status quo. The demographics of Senate will remain largely unchanged. America is changing. Can our political power structure catch up?

Brenda Choresi Carter, director of Reflective Democracy Campaign; San Francisco

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