BY JOHN L. Horton
“I am absolutely a Nationalist.” — President Donald J. Trump
“A person shows what he is by what he does with what he has.” — Anonymous
“When a person shows you who he is…believe him.” — Maya Angelou
“If you don’t know, now you know…” — The Notorious B.I.G. (Christopher George Latore Wallace)
Well, here we go, again: President Donald J. Trump vs. the “enemies of the people.” In the past several weeks, Trump has accused Democrats and other political opponents of being anti-American and pro-Socialist and Communist-oriented. While it has been said that “some” people pick on Trump; it could also be said that Trump picks on “some” people.”
Many of Trump’s supporters say that he is an “unorthodox” POTUS. That Trump is not a real politician, but a businessman. However, I would say that Trump has been given many byes/waivers, unlike any other POTUS in our history. After all, it is Trump who has said on several occasions: “I am absolutely a Nationalist…” Also, beginning with his Inauguration Speech, Trump has espoused and admitted to a “deconstruction of the administrative state.”
Contrast this view of Trump/POTUS: married three times, children by all three wives; three adult “children” and son-in-law, all involved in “our” governmental/White House (business-political) affairs; refusal to show income taxes; substantial time spent in his personal properties; conflicting financial and business interests; number of campaign staffers and administration officials who have plead guilty to federal crimes and/or been dismissed for corruption and malfeasance; payments to a porn star (Stormy Davis), and a playmate (Karen McDougal).
Trump and some supporters claim that he is a “stable genius,” uses reverse psychology, and is a multi-dimensional chess master operating against amateur checker players. Still other supporters claim that his presidency is a “gift from God Almighty.” In the past several years, the Trump presidency has been credited with having a “hidden genius” (Jared Kushner, son-in-law) and being advised by a “black intellectual” (rapper Kanye West). (Heck, you can’t make this stuff up….)
Meanwhile, critics of Trump claim that he exhibits fang-tooth nastiness and juvenile recklessness. For example, George Wills (Conservative columnist) opined in a Washington Post column (June 27, 2018): “…Meaningless noise is this administration’s appropriate libretto because, just as a magnet attracts iron fillings, Trump attracts, and is attracted to louts.
As evidenced of this “loutish behavior,” Trump just recently appointed Louis Dejoy as the U. S. Postmaster General (June 15, 2020). Dejoy was a major financial contributor to the Trump campaign. Reportedly, Dejoy is in the process of deregulating postal procedures and obstructing mail delivery to affect mail-in election ballots so that the Trump campaign can claim “election fraud” and an “illegitimate election.”Trump has gone so far as to tweet that the upcoming November elections should be delayed/postponed over mail-in voting fraud claims.
In conjunction with this, there is an (unsafe) rush to get a “miracle cure vaccine” before the November elections. Jared Kushner and other senior White House officials are pushing for this “October-November miracle cure vaccine.” Many of our nation’s top health experts and pandemic practitioners have warned about the rush to get this vaccine without it being properly tested and verified.
Many of Trump’s former Cabinet members (John Kelly – Chief of Staff; H. R. McMaster – National Security Advisor; Rex Tillerson – Secretary of State; James Mattis – Secretary of Defense; John Bolton – National Security Advisor; etc.) have publicly stated that Trump is “incompetent, irrational, insensate, and irreparable.” That Trump is intentionally “disruptive and divisive” to a fault. They, and other senior advisors and top officials, have “questioned” Trump’s principles, policies, and practices during his time in office.
Among his many proclivities and various shortcomings, Trump’s administration has been “swamped” by his selection of only the “very best”: Michael Flynn, former NSA, pled guilty, lying to the FBI; Paul Manafort, former campaign manager found guilty of eight felonies; Jared Kushner, senior presidential advisor/son-in-law, investigated for failure to report foreign contacts and under-reported debts and liabilities; six Cabinet secretaries (Ben Carson – HUD, Ryan Zinke – Interior, Tom Price – HHS, Scott Pruitt – EPA, Steve Mnuchin – Treasury, and David Shulkin – VA) spent taxpayers’ monies on lavish travel, office remodeling and personal expenses. This is hardly the promised: “draining of the swamp.”
Then, there is Trump’s history of denigrating and demeaning women, especially those who are perceived to be “strong. competent and established.” Among the many are: Stormy Davis (called horse face); Carly Fiorina (unattractive face); Rosie O’Donnell (fat, ugly face); Heidi Cruz (re-tweeted an unflattering photo); Omarosa Manigault-Newman (a dog and crazed, crying lowlife); Megyn Kelly (accused of menstruation, blood coming out of her eyes and wherever); Mika Brzezinski (low I.Q. and bleeding badly from a facelift); Senator Elizabeth Warren (regularly referred to as “Pocahontas”); Arianna Huffington (unattractive both inside and out); Representative Maxine Waters (a seriously low-IQ, dumb, stupid person); Oprah Winfrey (very insecure and will be exposed as weak and incompetent); Bette Midler (extremely unattractive); and Cher (stop the bad plastic surgery); Dr. Deborah Birx (pathetic). Additionally, Trump has attacked and demeaned three different African-American female journalists: Abby Phillip – dumb questions; April Ryan – a loser; and Yamiche Alcindor – racist questions. And the list goes on….
All in all, I would call Trump the “D” POTUS: divider, disruptor, detractor, deflector, disabler, denier, destroyer, disbeliever, disparager, discourager, damager, doubter, etc…. It has been said that Trump has a tendency to “diminish” and “damage” those persons whom he comes into contact with, sort of a “reverse” King Midas touch. It has been said that “a person shows what he is by what he does with what he has…”
Needless to say, I am profoundly perplexed and emotionally disturbed that “my/our” president would think and espouse this divisive language and exhibit such hurtful behavior…especially at this time and place in our history and circumstances, with the coronavirus pandemic and economic woes confronting the nation as a whole. Currently, the nation is experiencing almost 5,000,000 confirmed coronavirus cases and almost 160,000 deaths. And, recently, the U. S. economy experienced the largest downfall, ever, during this year’s second quarter: shrank at a record-breaking 32.9%; caused by fall in consumer spending, exports, business investment, and federal, state and local government spending.
Now to address the question of what to do about Trump’s vile language and incendiary behavior? First, what we can do is to “learn from our history.” America has always been troubled by our history of racism and discrimination. I believe most of it is based around greed, fear, anger and hatred. And, I honestly believe that Trump has harvested and utilized these “social negatives” to maintain and sustain his presidency. For some of us, MAGA (Make America Great Again) means MAWA (Make America White Again)…reminiscing the so-called “Good Old Days” of pre-civil rights, integration, and the like. This aptly applies to Trump: “When a person shows you who he is…believe him.”
Interesting enough, Trump’s (only) niece, Dr. Mary L. Trump, a trained clinical psychologist, has just released a “tell-all family memoir,” describing how Trump’s decades-long history of darkness, dysfunction and denial has turned him into a reckless leader who “now threatens the world’s health, economic security and social fabric.” In the forthcoming best-seller, “Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World’s Most Dangerous Man,” Mary Trump says that Trump exhibits all the traits of a person suffering from severe narcissistic personality disorder, as put forth by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) of Mental Disorders, which is the standard for the classification of mental disorders used by mental health professionals in the United States based on the following criteria for narcissistic personality:
· Having an exaggerated sense of self-importance.
· Expecting to be recognized as superior even without achievements that warrant it.
· Exaggerating your achievements and talents.
· Being preoccupied with fantasies about success, power, brilliance, beauty and/or the perfect mate.
· Believing that you are superior and can only be understood by or associate with equally special people.
· Requiring constant admiration.
· Having a sense of entitlement.
· Expecting special favors and unquestioning compliance with your expectations.
· Taking advantage of others to get what you want.
· Having an inability or unwillingness to recognize the needs and feelings of others.
· Being envious of others and believing others envy you.
· Behaving in an arrogant or haughty manner to others.
Furthermore, over the past several years, President Trump has been accused of being “unhinged” (Omarosa Manigault-Newman) and creating an environment of “fear” (Bob Woodward). Previously, “fire and fury” (Michael Wolff) has discussed negative circumstances inside and conflicting situations within the Trump administration. John Bolton’s book, “The Room Where It Happened,” has accused Trump of being unfit, unprepared and unstable for the presidency. Additionally, Trump has predicted violence and possible civil war will occur, if Democrats are successful in the November Presidential and Congressional elections. Moreover, Trump predicts that the Stock Market, Wall Street and World Economy will collapse, if he is not reelected in November.
It has been said that the strong do as they will and the weak suffer as they must. However, I believe America is (still) the greatest nation in the world, despite its blemishes, bruises and blushes. America has not reached her full potential and rightful destination for all of her peoples…not yet, but she can. America has enough riches, resources and reserves for all of us to be adequately provided for. There really are enough natural resources, human resources and technology resources for all of us.
In this Trump era, we still have much work to do regarding diversity, inclusion and recovery. Our national motto should still be “E pluribus unum,” (Out of many, one). We should still be striving to maintain this concept as one of our nation’s principle objectives: one for all, and all for one, realizing a true “United” States of America, as much as possible. Also, we should be able to expect statesmanship, dignity, character, honor, integrity, selflessness, accountability, intellect, vision, and compassion from the POTUS, of all of our peoples. In brief, a good government needs a “body politic”: a “head” to see the way forward; a “heart” to make it feel good; a “spine” to keep it upright.
Together, “we” can do this. Together, “we” can do almost anything. If it is to be, it is up to “us.” We have come too far and done too much, together, to settle for anything lesser. Together, “we” must continue to strive for the common good, general welfare and more perfect union. Therefore, let us come together and do the right things…for all of us. And, may “we” keep our America safe, strong, sacred and special in every way which possible. For the doubters, detractors, deniers, and others of that niche among us, I conclude with a quotation by The Notorious B.I.G.: “If you don’t know, now you know…”
