Did anyone notice that Donald Trump threatened a Nuclear War with North Korea just a couple weeks ago? It appears that no one is really talking about it (I think) because no one actually believes him...
No one is inherently wrong just because they disagree with you…
Start with the most basic facts and look at this from the most basic level - to get on the same page, both sides have to at least agree on and get that out of the way first. When someone has an opinion on something, that person is not at fault for not agreeing with someone else who holds an opposite opinion. The idea itself, that someone has an opinion on something is itself predicated on the notion that they disagree with the other person who holds a different opinion.
Hmmmm...
It should be apparent to everyone that we now have a president who’s speech has become so detached from actual or perceived truth value, that he can say “if China doesn’t handle North Korea, were going to”, with relative impunity. No one even feels like they have to make a follow up inquiry on the topic because everyone is just assuming it’s all an empty bluff.
Let’s just step back into the previous presidency for a moment, and imagine if Obama had said “if China doesn’t handle North Korea, we will”. That would have been the only thing we were talking about for days, possibly even weeks and months - Mitch McConnell would have immediately petitioned for an impeachment inquiry, Sean Hannity’s head would have literally exploded on national television, Rush Limbaugh would be leading marches on Washington DC, Alex Jones would… Well who the hell knows what he would’ve done – just use your imagination and you’ll probably at least come close.
This latest craziness comes out of a flood of inept statements made by Trump - attacking the mayor of San Juan for her criticism of his handling of the disaster in Puerto Rico, the continued effort to diminish members of his own cabinet simply for disagreeing or holding opposing positions, endorsing neo-nazi / white supremacist protestors, criticizing NFL players for exercising their right to protest, labeling the independent counsel investigation into Russia as “fake news” (the true purpose of which still remains unclear). The list goes on and on, seemingly with no underlying purpose other than to grab the day’s headlines. However to anyone really paying attention, these things should be troubling at the least, and nuclear war should be horrifying – empty threat or not.
As a result of the constant lies, we now have a president who not only cannot be trusted to tell the truth, but he can be trusted to lie whenever he thinks it will serve his purpose. Lies are very perennial, and it feels to me like we are in a very different world with the consequences of a continuous flow of misinformation coming directly from the White House.
Everything I say against Donald Trump to a Trump supporter, sounds like simple partisan bias, and believe it or not I have zero connection to the Democratic party – I mean there is absolutely no partisan bias, 100% of the things I will say about Trump would not apply to any other Republican politician who just so happens to stand for things - and endorse policies that I may not like. In spite of my personal beliefs, and my previous connection to Donald Trump, this is a completely unique circumstance.
No one could ever have predicted that someone this scandalous, this inept, and this demonstrably dishonest would become President of the United States. He literally can’t get through an hour of the day without something that would have become a national scandal in some previous era in politics, coming out of his mouth. Consider this, and imagine all of the politicians who have destroyed their careers with one single indiscretion or even the slightest perceived hypocrisy.
To have that much power in the hands of somebody who’s ethical compass is this bad, or in my opinion this reliably bad - and I wouldn’t say this of any other republican who I generally disagree with, and I wouldn’t say this of Mike Pence who scares me for the obvious reason he’s a theocrat. Considering what we currently have, extremely religious would be preferable to the insanity of Donald Trump.
My enthusiasm for the impeachment of Trump suggests that I could be happy with a Mike Pence presidency. Given his religious commitments prior to Donald trump, he would have been one of my worst nightmares. I could actually see myself yelling from the rooftops, talking about the rise of the Christian right and the dangers of theocracy – but in the end, Pence seems more like a normal, predictable, solid, psychologically stable American compared to what we now have.
To take into consideration just how disconnected from facts, the total lack of reasonable concern he displays, and the contempt for the well being of the rest of humanity Donald Trump has - It’s an incredible moment in history. I don’t think there’s ever been another president that you could look at and say these things about so clearly.
Not even Nixon…
I started writing this post a couple weeks ago and it has morphed into a 3000+ word essay into the insanity that is Donald Trump’s presidency. I decided to split it up into three parts so as not to completely burn through everyone’s “political patience” all at once…
Thanks for reading and I look forward to seeing you in the comments… Part 2 and 3 coming soon...