To the Editor:

As usual, I only write these letters to the editor to hopefully influence undecided voters trying to figure out what's happening in our country's divided political landscape.

It gives me unbridled joy to repeat the national statistics documenting the destruction of the progressive movement in our country since President Obama took office.

During that time, the Democrat Party's representation in elected office has fallen from 55 to 46 US Senators; governorships went from 28 to 16; and US House seats went from 256 to 194. Also, Republicans control nearly 1,000 more state legislative seats. A growth in the Republican share of state legislative seats from just under 44 percent in 2009 to 56 percent today.

For the 2016 election, here are the following facts: of the 3,100 counties in the country, Trump won around 2,600 and Clinton won around 500. The Electoral College results were 306 for Trump and 227 for Clinton. Popular vote totals were 62.9 million votes for Trump (46 percent) and 65.8 million votes for Clinton (48 percent). Interestingly, this discrepancy between Electoral College and popular vote results has occurred four times in US history: 2016, 2000, 1888, and 1876.

Also, in 2016, 67 percent of the 100 largest cities in America have Democrat mayors, no surprise when one looks at the disastrous fiscal and crime conditions in those cities. Quite like the fiscal death-spiral Connecticut is currently experiencing, given our Democrat governor now calling for increased taxes and unfairly proposing special, new, exorbitant taxes for our hedge fund industry. A move that, like GE and, now, a giant insurer in Hartford, will surely induce more and more companies to flee the state and region.

Combining the disastrous decline of the Democrat party mentioned above with the cognitive dissonance exhibited by President Obama when he stated he could have beaten now-President Trump in the last election portends exceedingly well for Republicans now and, especially, in 2018.

But, wait, there are additional reasons for Republican glee: the public's observance of the real progressive ideology in burning and destroying public property at "peaceful" demonstrations; actual physical assaults on people expressing allegiance to our president; censorship of any views contrary to progressive views on college campuses; and boycotting and other Nazi-inspired intimidation techniques on businesses who differ with anti-American, progressive dogma.

In closing, thanks (really) to my public detractors who also take the time to express their own opinions. Their letters, like mine, should stand on their own merits for all to see and judge, using their own, personal criteria. Something, of course, not permitted by progressives.

Yours Truly,

Peter McLoughlin

26 Pleasant Hill Road, Newtown         February 8, 2017