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Is America now a banana republic?

DEAR EDITOR:

The term “banana republic” is often used to describe countries in Central America as not just politically and economically “unstable,” but sometimes volatile.

This is characterized by a politics of lawless revenge, where new governments coming in would arrest those from the previous governments for just doing their jobs and even go after the press. The term is often used by Americans to describe our Central American neighbors to the South (Guatemala, Honduras, Panama to name a few). With recent events, it appears the United States is starting to drift from being a constitutional republic to a banana republic.

The current political climate is very toxic. Whatever political affiliation you have or don’t, the recent raid on former President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate should alarm all Americans that current / former administrations and deep state actors are starting to use the FBI and DOJ to go after their political opponents or Americans who don’t agree with their agenda. This is not only wrong, but if not stopped, could destroy our constitutional republic. The FBI and DOJ should not be used to target specific individuals, whether they agree or disagree with the policies that are put in place. Whether you like or hate former President Trump, this is a wake-up call for America. This reeks of desperation from both major political parties and the deep state.

We need to step back and see how truly corrupt and weaponized the FBI and DOJ have become. You cannot make specific examples of individuals who you don’t agree with and use “kid gloves” on the ones you want to protect (Hillary Clinton private email server; Hunter Biden’s laptop; political elites mask mandate violations, etc.), while labeling parent protesters as domestic terrorists.

In 2002, former President Bill Clinton designated Berger as his representative to review classified documents. During his visits to the National Archives, he removed classified material. Found guilty, he was fined $50,000, two years’ probation and 100 hours of community service. A majority of Americans are not given this type of lenient treatment; they are usually prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

To see the FBI and DOJ used as a political weapon is treading on dangerous ground and moving the United States closer to a banana republic. Lavrentiy Beria, police commander of the People’s Commissariat of Internal Affairs (NKVD), once boasted, “Show me the man, and I’ll show you the crime.” More simply, “Guilty until proven innocent.” It appears we are edging toward that philosophy. As a Navy veteran, along with past and present veterans who have fought, spilled blood and given lives to preserve and protect our constitutional republic, this should concern every American.

LARRY YORK

Warren

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