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What do you value? What are your values? I value honest business. Many people don’t answer their phone anymore because of all the scam phone calls. I value honest business. Do you, like me, have an elderly relative who received the phone call from an alleged traveling grandchild who needs money to get out of jail? A big scam. Hard to catch. I value honest business.

I was misled in a smaller deal this year. The ad said it was a closeout sale at the Maui shirt store in the United States. I like Hawaiian shirts. The closeout prices were low. I ordered XXL. After a month, no shirts. I sent an email, no answer. The order was processed and shipped from China! When the shirts came they were XXXL. I didn’t open the package; I sent an email. No answer. In the end, the shirts were too small. No returns, it was called a closeout. It was all legal. It was not honest. I value honest business. What about you?

Not everyone values honest business. Many people — I repeat, many people — value getting your money over being honest. Such people are happy to live by the words attributed to P. T. Barnum, “There’s a sucker born every minute.” Such people are happy to be on the edge of what is legal. I know the common saying; “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably isn’t true.” Still, I ordered Maui shirts.

Many people do not value honest business. Maybe you don’t. Vote your values. If you pay attention at all, you know that Donald Trump is in the group that values getting your money over honest business; here are three examples.

First, Trump University was never a valid place to learn to do business. Trump invested his name and reputation in a scam to collect thousands of dollars from …  well, “there’s a sucker born every minute.” In February 2018, the federal court approved a $25 million settlement with students who said they were duped by Donald Trump and his defunct Trump University.

Second, Trump has a history of not paying or underpaying subcontractors. Thousands have sued because of nonpayment. Donald Trump would rather pay lawyers to drag such lawsuits out in court than pay bills he owes. The failed Taj Mahal Casino is an example where a Trump bankruptcy ended many of the lawsuits with the trades people getting only a fraction of what Trump owed.

Third, Donald Trump created the nonprofit Trump Foundation. True to his value system, he used the foundation in self-serving activity, which caused the state of New York to close the foundation and fine Donald Trump $2 million.

If you value honest business, vote for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris for president and vice president. Vote for Tina Smith for senator. Vote for Dan Feehan for 1st Congressional District. Vote for Thomas Martinez, Minnesota House of Representatives 27A. Vote for Dan Sparks, Minnesota Senate District 27.

Joel Xavier

Ellendale