An Open Letter to Ashleigh Padgett, Legislative Director for Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-GA)
(Editorial note: Trump and his Republicans indiscriminate, massive cutbacks in federal services is inflicting grievous harm on ordinary Americans, and the pain is only going to intensify. Citizens increasingly note Trump’s innate cruelty and lack of empathy. I believe we focus too exclusively on Trump and Musk as the chief culprits in the war being waged against America’s basic moral and democratic values. Republican politicians, with few exceptions, are either dedicated Trump loyalists or cowards who differ with him but are too afraid to openly oppose him. And all those Republican officials have a network of staffers, financial contributors, and political activists who labor on behalf of Trump and his criminal, anti-democratic, pro-dictator agenda.
I want to give more recognition to these behind-the-scenes operatives contributing to America’s destruction. I start with Ashleigh Padgett, Legislative Director for hardline Trumpist Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-GA). I provide a factual statement of what constitutes that destruction or Trump's cruelty and then ask Ms. Padgett for her position on that issue.)
Dear Ms. Padgett,
Long waits, waves of calls, website crashes: Social Security is breaking down. - Under Trump, Social Security resumes what it once called ‘clawback cruelty’
Advocates for Social Security beneficiaries described the action as cruel and harmful. (Ms. Padgett, what is your position on this issue?)
The New York Times reports that mass layoffs at the Department of Veterans Affairs have disrupted everything from clinical trials for veterans with cancer to local facilities being able ability to answer incoming phone calls. The agency has fired about 2,400 employees and plans to lay off a total of 80,000. (Ms. Padgett, what is your position on this issue?)
Food Banks Left in the Lurch as Some Shipments Are Suspended
The earlier this year Trump administration froze funds for hundreds of shipments of produce, poultry and other items that states had planned to distribute to needy residents. Rural communities are most likely feel the deepest immediate impact. Emergency food assistance programs, including those funded through the Commodity Credit Corporation, are the food lifeline for rural America. (Ms. Padgett, what is your position on this issue?)
Trump’s slash-and-burn government rampage has eviscerated the United States defenses against virulent epidemics and will have lasting effects on global health, according to an overwhelming consensus of health care experts. The Centers for Disease Control, located in Ashleigh’s home state of Georgia, has suffered sharp cuts in funding and manpower. From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: ‘We are going to see people die of AIDS because of CDC cuts, expert says. The National Institutes of Health, the country’s primary agency for promoting vital health research, is in turmoil due to the Trump Administration’s attempt to starve its funding operations. Republicans have not offered one iota of scientific data to support their weakening of our health agencies. (Ms. Padgett, what is your position on this issue?)
The Dire Consequences of the Destruction of USAID
(From ChatGPT search on “Trump” and “consequences of USAID demise”)
The cessation of USAID assistance is projected to result in a significant increase in global mortality rates across various health sectors. Recent analyses have provided the following estimates:
(The figures above underscore the critical role that USAID has played in global health initiatives and highlight the potential human cost associated with the withdrawal of such support).
Trump's America—Land of Cruelty and Vengeance | Opinion
Feb 7, 2025 · “…for all his talk of ‘making America great again,’ it's evident that Donald Trump's version of greatness has nothing to do with leadership or moral rectitude. Trump's definition of greatness rests solely on the notion of power. To Trump, a great nation is not one that leads the world, but one that ignores its suffering in pursuit of self-interest.” (Ms. Padgett, what is your position on this issue?)
Political Sadism and Defying the Power of Cruelty –
Mar 17, 2025 · “The Trump regime exemplifies the dark draw of cruelty and its dangerous consequences…Trump tries to assert his control through fear, modeling the dictators he coddles…his unapologetic heartlessness reminds me how humans are capable of unspeakable brutality.” (Ms. Padgett, what is your position on this issue?)
Donald J. Trump has a cruel streak. He willfully causes pain and distress to others. And he repeats this public behavior so frequently that it’s fair to call it a character trait…This is vile behavior. What kind of person attacks a rival by mocking the appearance of his wife? For the whole of his (2016) presidential campaign, Trump has gleefully launched gutter attacks like this…it requires a particular breed of lowlife to advertise the sexual superiority of one’s mistress over the mother of one’s children. (Ms. Padgett, what is your position on this issue?)
We must resist and condemn the overwhelming cruelty of the Trump administration
(Letter from cleric to Lancaster Online
St. Paul, in his first epistle to the Corinthians, set before us faith, hope and love. Our current administration sets before us incompetence, arrogance and cruelty. (Ms. Padgett, what is your position on this issue?)