John Tamashiro’s call for Democratic candidates to be criminally prosecuted for their campaign “promises” made me laugh out loud (“Dems should be held to account for promises,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, March 8). Let’s fact-check President Donald Trump’s tax-cut benefits he touts as having fulfilled its promises:

>> The U.S. trade deficit just hit $621 billion, the highest in 10 years.

>> The U.S. federal budget deficit has ballooned 77 percent so far in 2019, to $985 billion.

>> The trade war with China has decimated the American soybean and wheat farmers.

>> The “tax cut” was actually just a handout to Republicans and their corporate friends and donors. Tax revenue from corporations is down by over $80 billion because, to jack up the values, they repurchased more than $1 trillion of their own stock, which are mostly owned by the wealthy.

>> Only 4 percent of working Americans realized a pay increase.

As predicted, Congressional Republicans want us to pay for this giveaway by cutting Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.

What should be prosecuted here: verbal promises, or actions with real consequences for Americans?

William E. Conti

Waikiki

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