The Issue of this election is not about Ukraine, it is about facing the hard truth that it is not Russia or China that are the biggest threats to our country and this planet, it is the United States of America. We are the ones who overthrew the democratically elected president of Ukraine in 2014 with our support and instigation of the Maidan Revolution — one of over 950 coups in 138 countries since 1945.

The taxpayers of this country shell out almost $1T a year to a military that has never passed an audit or won a war since World War II. We have over 750 military bases in over 80 countries, and a bigger military budget than the next 10 countries combined. All of this while U.S. citizens have no access to universal healthcare, no access to universal education, and a minimum wage still stuck at $7.25 per hour.

Face it, we live in a thugocracy that plunders its own people to fund destabilization and conflict around the world to make arms dealers wealthy. Ask Lloyd Austin, Secretary of Defense and a Raytheon board member, about these connections. Don’t be fooled by Russia and China fear-mongering. Let’s invest in American citizens and not in sorrow, tears and blood.

John Garn

Ripton