Where are the Republicans and Democrats with a backbone? The silence from them is deafening.

After Paul Manafort’s and Michael Cohen’s court appearances, I was hoping someone, anyone, would have the courage to tell it like it is. Elected officials are Americans first and no party loyalty is worth selling out their country. They should remember what happened in other countries when people didn’t speak out.

It is outrageous that the president has praised a criminal and is considering a pardon. Manafort is not someone to be admired; he stole from the American people by not paying his fair share of taxes.

The gall of Cohen is unbelievable with him establishing a GoFundMe page to pay his legal fees.

We are living in an alternate universe where black is white, up is down and truth isn’t truth. This is not normal behavior, and the next generation is watching and learning. Is this the kind of behavior that today’s children should model?

People need to wake up before it is too late.

Gail Beaucage, Lewiston