To the editor:

In 2017-2018 President Trump wanted a military parade in the nation’s capital. This did not happen because it was determined that the cost would be too exorbitant, roughly $92 million.

This year is the 250th anniversary of the Army and there is already a festival planned for the National Mall. The cost for this festival has not been published.

Now Trump wants to celebrate his 79th birthday with an expanded military celebration including a much longer parade. Current published cost estimates are a minimum of $45 million for the parade itself. After the parade, repairs to the damaged roads from all the heavy equipment are estimated to bring the cost of this expanded festival to $117 million plus.

I guess Trump thinks he has extra money to pay for his desired celebration now that he and Congress have slashed the Education Department, Humanitarian Aid, Public Programming, Medical Research, Veteran’s Services, Maternal and Child Health Services…and so many more-there just isn’t enough room in this letter to list them all.

There is something morally and ethically wrong with a President and Congress that would approve millions of dollars for a military parade and birthday party while taking money away from programs that help children and babies, the elderly, veterans, and persons with disabilities along with those who are starving, homeless, and/or ill.

Of course, what kind of morals, values and ethics can we expect from a president who repeatedly ignores the Constitution of the United States and recently stated “I run the country and I run the world.”

Deanne Romaine

New Ulm