As in most weeks I share 90 percent of your thoughtful column. I do not agree that the country turned far to the right. Rather I think we came back to our center - away from the identity politics of the hard left progressives.
Of course I hope that Trump can overcome his personal behavior issues and support what the majority of us want to see - an America where education focuses on academics, a sane legal immigration policy, economic opportunity for all, and foreign policy leadership in support of our interests.
The only thing that kept Trump from his worst inclinations the first time around were the grown-ups in the room, the generals he thought would follow his orders, an attorney general with a conscience, a Big Oil exec who was a Boy Scout, and an FBI chief who wouldn't pledge allegiance to him- those with years of service and who understood sacrifice, ideals, and lofty goals. How can all of that be forgotten? So many of his first staff, experienced career revolving door government people (and ALL Republicans) have told us or written accounts that this emperor has no clothes, and the pundits of media (except Faux Nuze, Tucker the C, and other similars, of course) told us over-and-over who Trump was, and is. This time around, he’ll be avoiding the likes of them, and seeking only acolytes of a particular extreme persuasion.
We probably don't know half of the ‘crazy’ that went on in #45's White House, but you can imagine what it could have been, because we know how he tried to subvert the Constitution by coup, loyalty oaths to himself, incited an insurrection, pressured a foreign country to fabricate nonsense against his political opponent, politicized the Justice Dept, firing of whistle-blowers, obstructed the Mueller Investigation, abuse of pardon power, use the Army, and profiting from the presidency. We know his predilection for authoritarian leaders, how he mishandled secret materials and how notes and memoranda were routinely burned in the fireplace and even flushed down the toilet to prevent public access.
For anyone who bothers to search and can discern truth, this Svengali who has made so many forget is a deeply flawed person without vision, an unscrupulous egomaniac and pathological liar who has only served his self-interests his entire life. There is no balance to him, only his vision-free, transactional self. What a role model for the young! Our country will suffer from this for generations to come.
We now have HIS stacked and corrupted Supreme Court giving him Carte Blanche immunity to prevent Impeachment #3, to disconnect him from any of the foulest deeds his dwindling mind may come up with.
Suddenly, there is a chill in the zeitgeist, as every person of intellect who writes or speaks publicly seems to be couching their words ever so carefully so as not to offend, because "der Fewer" has his lists, and WILL be exacting revenge on his enemies, while he employs a meat axe to our institutions for the benefit of his cronies (all as foretold in his roadmap Agenda45/Project 2025). As soon as he has his team of misanthropes fully assembled, you’ll likely see him out on the links, playing with fellow (and richer) oligarchs who can do his family favors. That will be Trump 2.0.
There are far more to being president than the title. Governing requires compromise, patience, thoughtfulness and adaptability: qualities Trump utterly lacks. He doesn’t read. He doesn’t study. He’s incapable of reflection, rigorous analysis. Character matters. Empathy matters. Kindness, decency, respect matters. A leader leads by example, not by meaningless , hollow words. A leader is someone who doesn’t deceive, deflect and distract from the truth.
As Heart sick, and frightened as I am, I needed to hear this perspective . I hear “Hope.”, however faintly, in your words! Thank you for your thoughts!
As in most weeks I share 90 percent of your thoughtful column. I do not agree that the country turned far to the right. Rather I think we came back to our center - away from the identity politics of the hard left progressives.
Of course I hope that Trump can overcome his personal behavior issues and support what the majority of us want to see - an America where education focuses on academics, a sane legal immigration policy, economic opportunity for all, and foreign policy leadership in support of our interests.
The only thing that kept Trump from his worst inclinations the first time around were the grown-ups in the room, the generals he thought would follow his orders, an attorney general with a conscience, a Big Oil exec who was a Boy Scout, and an FBI chief who wouldn't pledge allegiance to him- those with years of service and who understood sacrifice, ideals, and lofty goals. How can all of that be forgotten? So many of his first staff, experienced career revolving door government people (and ALL Republicans) have told us or written accounts that this emperor has no clothes, and the pundits of media (except Faux Nuze, Tucker the C, and other similars, of course) told us over-and-over who Trump was, and is. This time around, he’ll be avoiding the likes of them, and seeking only acolytes of a particular extreme persuasion.
We probably don't know half of the ‘crazy’ that went on in #45's White House, but you can imagine what it could have been, because we know how he tried to subvert the Constitution by coup, loyalty oaths to himself, incited an insurrection, pressured a foreign country to fabricate nonsense against his political opponent, politicized the Justice Dept, firing of whistle-blowers, obstructed the Mueller Investigation, abuse of pardon power, use the Army, and profiting from the presidency. We know his predilection for authoritarian leaders, how he mishandled secret materials and how notes and memoranda were routinely burned in the fireplace and even flushed down the toilet to prevent public access.
For anyone who bothers to search and can discern truth, this Svengali who has made so many forget is a deeply flawed person without vision, an unscrupulous egomaniac and pathological liar who has only served his self-interests his entire life. There is no balance to him, only his vision-free, transactional self. What a role model for the young! Our country will suffer from this for generations to come.
We now have HIS stacked and corrupted Supreme Court giving him Carte Blanche immunity to prevent Impeachment #3, to disconnect him from any of the foulest deeds his dwindling mind may come up with.
Suddenly, there is a chill in the zeitgeist, as every person of intellect who writes or speaks publicly seems to be couching their words ever so carefully so as not to offend, because "der Fewer" has his lists, and WILL be exacting revenge on his enemies, while he employs a meat axe to our institutions for the benefit of his cronies (all as foretold in his roadmap Agenda45/Project 2025). As soon as he has his team of misanthropes fully assembled, you’ll likely see him out on the links, playing with fellow (and richer) oligarchs who can do his family favors. That will be Trump 2.0.
There are far more to being president than the title. Governing requires compromise, patience, thoughtfulness and adaptability: qualities Trump utterly lacks. He doesn’t read. He doesn’t study. He’s incapable of reflection, rigorous analysis. Character matters. Empathy matters. Kindness, decency, respect matters. A leader leads by example, not by meaningless , hollow words. A leader is someone who doesn’t deceive, deflect and distract from the truth.
Excellent column …
All that comes to mind is,
Do the words “lipstick on a pig” strike a familiar note?
Its still a pig!
As Heart sick, and frightened as I am, I needed to hear this perspective . I hear “Hope.”, however faintly, in your words! Thank you for your thoughts!