Last week saw the carnival known as the Trump presidency hit a new low. The chief clown embarrassed himself, again. This time it was at a campaign event masked as a press conference to discuss sanctions on China for its recent outrages in Hong Kong. Somewhere between the White House door and the Rose Garden Trump forgot this and proceeded to excoriate Joe Biden and other Democrats. He also added to his mountain of lies.
In a telling action, CNN and MSNBC both cut-away from coverage in the middle of the event. It wasn’t the first time this has happened, but their stomachs apparently could take no more. They shifted back to “fake news,” things such as the death toll from the coronavirus and the latest polls documenting that the Trump base has now pretty much shrunken to non-college educated white males living in rural areas. One must wonder why he doesn’t quit now given that he hates losing. Why not let Pence take the November shellacking and then go on TV to condemn him for blowing it?
It is, of course, too early to count chickens regarding the outcome of elections still more than three months away and utterly naïve to expect Trump to do the right thing and simply walk away from the disaster he helped create. So anxious are some of us to be rid of him that we’d guarantee him a pardon from his many felonies if he would just quit. Donald, take my word for it, that would be the deal of the century.
Between now and January 20, 2021, Trump will have many opportunities to do more damage. He could start a war, for example, or disband the CDC and NIH. He could give Alaska to Putin in exchange for the right to build a Trump Tower in Red Square. You get the idea.
And not that it matters, he will have very few opportunities to rehabilitate himself. The economy is headed for a painful recession. Pundits suggest that Trump’s touted stock market “wins” will be history by November, once the reality of the economic tsunami that accompanied the pandemic fully blossoms. The poor souls who incredibly tell us we are fortunate to have a “businessman” as President will realize that the emperor has no clothes. He may very well be run out of DC on a rail by some of his own former supporters. Yes, even reality-denying zealots have a breaking point.
Looking forward to the next three months of our national nightmare, you can expect the following:
No progress on healing the racial divide that continues to simmer. In fact, given the unfortunate inevitability of another tragic triggering event, more civil unrest may be inevitable.
Growing recognition that Trump’s failed leadership has resulted in a pandemic that will still be with us in the fall. Odds are better than 50-50 that the virus will be worse on election day than it is now.
A severe recession. How much stimulus can the Treasury afford? Eventually, as we already are seeing, many small businesses will call it quits. There will also be a realization that some industries, such as airlines and cruise ships may never return to normal.
More scandal. Does anyone expect Trump to turn over his tax returns to New York authorities before election day? Does anyone not expect more Trump administration officials to get caught, or at least be credibly accused, of serious misconduct?
Trump will resort to new lows in his attempt to discredit Joe Biden and Democrats generally. Remember when Trump suggested that Senator Ted Cruz’s father was involved with the assassination of JFK? Remember Trump’s leadership on the “birther issue” that he used to gain national prominence? You ain’t seen nothing yet. By the time Trump is done with Biden, Al Capone will look like a saint by comparison. Remember, truth is not an obstacle to the man described as a sociopath by his own niece.
Trump needs to go and, fortunately, appears to be Biden’s best weapon. The Orange Menace has imploded, but only a fool would assume that the end of his presidency is inevitable. People got to vote. We better take nothing for granted because even though we expect the worst from Trump, he keeps surprising us. America, vote. Do whatever you can to encourage your friends and neighbors to vote. Our future depends on it.
J.E. Dean of Oxford is a retired attorney and public affairs consultant. For more than 30 years, he advised clients on federal education and social service policy.
Frances Reed says
Of course – during the last four years the Democrats have made no scurrilous comments about Trump, nor have they insulted him. They have been the essence of politeness and good manners. Everyone knows that. They haven’t lied, slandered, libeled President Trump AT ALL – being rude,and vulgar is perfectly OK if they do it,” we’re Democrats so we are blameless.” Should Trump defend himself – well see what a pig he is – his self-defense isn’t allowed.
There is a “Pandemic” and a gleeful bunch of people hyping it up and saying ITS ALL TRUMP’S FAULT. So useful this happened before an election – let’s keep it going. I mean, 600 thousand people dead world-wide and 16 million cases. There were only 500 million infected and 5o million who died of the Spanish flu in 2018/19 -we’ll do our New Math -and show that 600,000 is FAR WORSE than 50,000,000 and let’s find an AMERICAN to blame for it. China? You don’t really believe Trump saying it originated in Wuhan do you? He’s being racist. Stopping people coming from China and bringing Covid19 with them? – that’s xenophobic.
It is so sad that Trump haters are screaming the issue is only Trump, and it’s not. It’s a bunch of fat cats on Capitol Hill who have had their nice powerful, money-making lives disrupted by someone who sees right through them – THEY are the Emperor with no clothes. These men and women, promising you all the great things they are “going to do for racial equality” are the ones who have done precicely NOTHING in all the years they have been there ( check Biden’s 50 year record) – other than get rich. Do you really think they will do anything now? Once again – its promise anything to get elected – because the public are all fools.
Trump is the first President in modern times to actually attempt to keep his promises. (Show me where he failed and I’ll show you Democrats who are undermining him at every turn) – “We can’t let him succeed – he might get re-elected!”
Despite what NAncy Pelosi and her cohorts may think. Americans are not idiots – blatant lies, slathered in rhetoric and virtue signalling don’t fool most of us.
So, as Mr. Dean urges in his letter. November 3 get out and vote! (TRUMP2020)
Deirdre LaMotte says
I dislike Trump immensely. What I find utterly terrifying are people who express opinions such as this, knowing full well how sick he is and how he loves bringing out his supporter’s hate.
Wow, just wow. The hatred and bigotry of Trump is unlike any our nation has seen. His strategy is always to tear us apart.
Now he is using camouflaged goons as a prop for his re-election campaign. . He is our founder’s worst nightmare; I now understand our founder’s apprehension and fear about a gullible electorate. Gosh, did they have foresight, or what!!!
Frances Reed says
I’m so sorry Ms LaMotte. Truth hurts doesn’t it? (Trump 2020)
Ron Jordan says
Deidre, as I look forward to a fitful sleep, knowing that some of my neighbors truly want to have another 4 years of a misogynistic, racist as President. As Frances so eloquently states that the Dems have been pushing Trump’s behavior at every turn, pushing him into the corners of doing truly horrible things that pale in comparison to any President this nation has duly elected. I will argue that President Trump was the winner in the last election, he has held this office with distinction like no other President in the history of the republic. Dastardly, impish childish, retaliatory and vindictiveness that is well, beyond the pale. So you say Frances Reed, that Donald Trump is a great President and your vote will help him to be reelected. Here is my hope Frances Reed, that you won’t be hospitalized for Cov 19 which your dear leader had written off as a hoax and now has killed close to 14ok people in this nation. Won’t listen to the Scientists because that would take any and all glory from him in front of the American people. He wants to open our little schools here in Kent County to kill the rest of the senior citizens at Heron Point and other locales where Seniors live. Let us hope Frances Reed, that you aren’t over 5o years, a person of color and have diabetes or any underlying condition or need medical insurance which has been virtually wiped out by the Senate Republicans and without a plan to replace it. There never was a plan to replace, it should be replaced because President Obama can up with the plan and any plan he made, any policy he got passed or signed off with an Executive Order had to be………….wrong. So, Frances Reed, I pray we won’t have to have this conversation again because if we do, means your vote allowed modern day fascism to return to our planet. What Hitler wanted to do, to the United States during WW2, has been accomplished within by one Donald Trump, the “fiddler Nero of watching democracy burn to the ground, thank Frances Reed for this ringing endorsement, we thank you, America thanks you for this gift that won’t stop giving us hell.
samuel tomlin says
OMG! thanks for your message and thanks very much for your wonderful work