Ernst, Grassley and Miller-Meeks owe an explanation

From a young age, we believed that the laws and rules of our nation defined our civility in terms of the values, ethics, and humanity they embraced. Since Jan. 20, most of us are witnessing a lawless president disregard our laws — our values, ethics, and humanity. We watch the ineptitude of Congress, paralyzed and unwilling to do its job to defend us against Trump and uphold the rule of law. We are spectators to the destruction of democracy in America.

In emails to Sens. Joni Ernst and Chuck Grassley and Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, I questioned the validity of Musk and DOGE actions within each federal department, the lack of justifiable job terminations, the random determination of how much money to cut from each department, unfounded claims of fraud, corruption, and waste, the lack of transparency and accountability, breaches of security and violations of privacy laws.

I challenged the qualifications of the people approved to lead the various departments because, unlike previous department heads, those chosen by Trump have no expertise to serve as cabinet secretaries in any capacity. I challenged how immigrants were being deported without due process, and attacks on universities and international students. Repeatedly, I asked them to be a functioning branch of the government and exercise their duties as legislators.

We are losing our democracy and our constitutional rights to an authoritarian executive branch. Ernst, Grassley and Miller-Meeks should explain why they are allowing Trump to take their powers and enabling him to control the judicial system.

Ida Weibel

Long Grove