It’s been almost one year since our lying, narcissistic president took office. While it’s easy to be distracted by his petty, insulting tweets and his constant, unsubstantiated attacks on the free press, the election system, LGBTQ groups, and minorities and immigrants, we should not lose focus on the many other harmful actions of this administration.

Over the past year we have seen Donald Trump appointees whose qualifications emphasize toxic ideologies over experience, competence and ethics.

The Environmental Protection Agency, for example, has under Trump-appointed Administrator Scott Pruitt reversed rules limiting vehicle emissions, toxic waste from power plants and methane leaks from oil and gas drilling operations.

There are myriad examples of repeals and executive orders that are strictly pro-business and so destructive and dangerous to our essential welfare that they defy imagination.

The latest example is the tax reform bill. While Trump said it was “one of the great Christmas gifts to middle-income people,” he reportedly told his wealthy friends at Mar-a-Lago on Christmas Eve, “You all just got a lot richer.” Indeed they did, and so did he. And to address the $1.5 trillion the tax bill adds to the federal deficit, some Republicans are advocating cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security — vital safety nets that benefit every American who is not superrich.

The damage is done and will continue. Maybe the best we can do as citizens in this viciously destructive environment is educate, communicate and resist.

Paul Marsella

Providence