Oct. 23, 2025 7 AM PT
To the editor: The disturbing picture of falling particles because the East Wing of the White Home is turning into a pile of rubble is a transparent warning to heed (“The White House starts demolishing part of the East Wing to build Trump’s ballroom,” Oct. 22). What’s the explanation for this demolition? An over-sized, pointless, ostentatious ballroom.
It’s paying homage to the parable of Nero fiddling whereas Rome burns. People are already struggling on a regular basis to outlive. This abhorrent show and the disregard by this administration’s out-of-touch, don’t-care, cavalier angle has not-so-startling symbolism within the systematic drumbeat of the dismantling of our fading democracy.
This administration has an obvious mission to destroy what’s revered and solemn in three quick however essential phrases: “We the individuals.” It’s not “the individuals be damned, I need what I need at any price.” The unhappy demise of the historic East Wing and the nation’s precise survival are one and the identical to them: Simply tear it down.
That’s the ugly reality we should all face. We’ve to resolve what sort of nation we finally need to stay in: one in every of utter disdain and hatred for some, fixed dismay and chaos for too many, or a greater various for all individuals to stay free, with out the fixed concern of an autocracy-in-the-making that we’re witnessing in actual time?
Frances Terrell Lippman, Sherman Oaks
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To the editor: I attended a “No Kings” rally and, upon rethinking the newest and egregious occasions within the Trump administration, I imagine the protests had been inappropriately named.
Simply have a look at the development of the White Home ballroom, the D.C. navy parade, gold accents on nearly every thing within the Oval Workplace that’s not alive, a deliberate eightieth birthday bash complete with UFC fights (the place are the lions?), prosecution and persecution of political enemies and a attainable try to gather $230 million from public coffers over President Trump’s personal harm emotions, all whereas he takes credit score for every thing and blame for nothing.
This all leads me to imagine I ought to have been attending a “No Emperors” rally. Does Caligula ring a bell?
Marshall Barth, Encino
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To the editor: Trump is destroying the Folks’s Home simply as he’s destroying the individuals’s democracy (“Trump demolishes White House East Wing despite promising to protect it,” Oct. 22). He dropped feces on the American individuals in an AI-generated video he appears exceptionally happy with and that his sycophants within the Republican Get together write off as humor. It’s not humorous.
“America First”? Yeah, proper after Trump will get his. And nobody tells him “no.”
I need my nation again, and I’ll protest for so long as it takes to guard democracy and the rule of regulation.
Sheila Winston, West Hills
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To the editor: My due to the Los Angeles Instances and to columnist Jackie Calmes for this tasteful Opinion piece (“Trump is in his Louis XIV era, and it’s not a good look,” Oct. 23).
The truth that I could should spend the subsequent few of my later years with a convicted felon within the presidency can be dangerous sufficient, however to do it realizing that the remnants of a free press may ignore, throughout this time of what could also be our waning democracy, the disgust a few of us really feel at having a wannabe despot as our worldwide embarrassment can be an excessive amount of.
The Structure and nature guarantee us of his energy’s finish, thankfully. The kitsch his actions go away behind could be cleaned up and the White Home restored. I hope that I stay to see it, and should the individuals stay sovereign.
Ronald Webster, Lengthy Seaside
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To the editor: The federal government is shut down and the Senate Republicans are having a luncheon on the concrete slab that was as soon as the Rose Backyard on the White Home (“Trump hosts Senate Republicans at renovated White House as the shutdown drags into fourth week,” Oct. 21).
Whereas the GOP senators are eating on burgers, fries and candies, authorities providers that serve needy households are scrambling for federal funds and 1000’s of federal employees are with out paychecks. Whereas the senators chill out and hearken to songs like “YMCA,” individuals with households, mortgages, healthcare prices, automobile funds and utility payments — primarily their workers — aren’t being paid.
These with out paychecks aren’t all Democrats or Republicans. They’re merely hard-working People, with most of them being the very individuals who preserve the federal government operating. Individuals who depend on their representatives to make sure that their authorities will look out for them and shield their wants and greatest pursuits.
And but, these revered senators, who will not be with out paychecks, are partying at a luncheon underneath candy yellow umbrellas as a substitute of burning the midnight oil to get the federal government up and operating once more. What elaborate hubris. Disgrace on all of them.
Betsy-Ann Toffler, Studio Metropolis
