In reference to a recent Ledger article ["Trust and truth under Trump: Americans are in a quandary," Jan. 15], as Ronald Reagan’s press secretary in Michigan in 1980, I was privy to many interesting comments by Reagan’s close associates.
Reagan would shake his head at the misrepresentation of his comments by the "liberal media," but he never complained. I wonder what Reagan would think today with the plethora of supposed "news sources" that bombard citizens daily leaving many saying, "What is the truth?"
Reagan understood both points of view.
His secret to success was his ability to compromise; making his constituents feel good about his giving some ground for the overall benefit of Republican accomplishment. Democrats didn’t feel Reagan was the bad guy, only that he would take a stance and then open everything up to discussion. Sometimes Reagan sided with the Democrats. I suppose that is why he was loved.
In 2018, instead of Ronald Reagan we have Donald Trump. Instead of a smile and an understanding we have a scowl and a bias that detracts from what truth there is. No one loves a complainer, especially a president, even if one thinks it's fake news.
As I write this prior to the first State of the Union address by Trump, it is my hope that he will begin a new wave of understanding and compromise, showing it prior to the speech so that both parties will stand and applaud as they did for Reagan.
After all, what is really important is that this country feels good about itself and that can only happen with a leader who is loved by the majority and not just his golfing buddies in New York and West Palm Beach.
Ron Heller, Lakeland