TRUMPOCRACY

Donald J. Trump

As of today, July 9, we still have 1290 days to go — assuming Trump lasts the full four years and then goes quietly. In terms of self-aggrandizement, relentless self-promotion, self-enrichment, multiple conflicts of interest, moral turpitude or any ethic or standard by which a presidency may be judged, we have in Trump the worst of the worst. That’s saying a lot, as we’ve had some really bum presidents.

Will/can the nation recover? Some of us believed the courts would rebuff at least a few of his worst actions — his putting lives at risk; his acting out as the president of grievance & vengeance; his appointing unqualified nutters to high office; slavering over immigration, allowing masked goons to swipe people off the streets and send many to the countries he terms “shit holes”; making up threatening new rules and regulations; rolling back whatever he doesn’t like; making up stuff and the worst yet — helping Bibi out with the bunker busters. There, Trump made war without consulting Congress. To be fair, so have other presidents, e.g., Truman (Korea); Bush the Younger (Iraq); Reagan (Iran-Contras).

The lower courts have often acted bravely and impartially in numerous instances, preventing Trump from acting unilaterally. But he has no qualms, none, about ignoring the courts and attacking the judges at all levels if he dislikes their rulings. No one will or can stop him. So far.

The three liberals who remain on the Supreme Court lack the votes to turn aside the Court’s worst decisions. And this Court is a profound disappointment. Some of us once thought the Chief Justice was an institutionalist who, above all else, wanted to preserve the Court’s authority, independence and reputation. This is no longer true. The Court has never been totally apolitical. But in Trump 1, and now 2, it has become a politicized bludgeon for the right with Roberts leading the way.

For example, on July 8, the Court ruled that the Trump administration can fire thousands of workers across the federal government. From this holding, and most of their other handiwork over the last few years, the Court’s reputation is waning, it is widely distrusted, it is feared and it is way out of touch with this country as it really is (e.g., overturning Roe; next up, same sex marriage). The Roberts Court has become a power center — which was not constitutionally intended. It was supposed to be the weakest element in the tripartite structure.   

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But Trump is not forever. Nor is Vance, the-hump-for-humanity guy who wants more babies but opposes government aid programs for infants and children. Luckily, there is an upside. There are no Republicans of significant national stature, not even JD, who can rival T’s audacity nor match his two great skills: first, shaping and benefitting from much of the ceaseless mainstream media output; and second, sniffing out and exploiting the weaknesses of others.

Of all the disappointments generated by Trump, by far the worst is the impotence of the Democrats in Congress. Schumer is plainly past his sell-by date. If you’e tired of looking at the top of his head whenever he’s on TV, please write and tell him to raise the rostrum. Hakeem Jeffries is a dedicated guy with the impact of warm Jello against a wall. No one, not even an insomniac, could have stayed with him for the eight hour speech. It didn’t move the needle, not even a little.

Trump’s “big beautiful bill”, enacted by the feckless over the feeble, screws the poor, gives the rich more and adds several trillions to the national debt. This, from the Republican Party, the stewards of fiscal probity. China holds much of the paper. But who gets the fortune cookie? Maybe we’ll just print more money as we’ve done in the past.

To the people who have departed for Mexico or Canada, Portugal or wherever, or those who are thinking about it, you may be disheartened (who isn’t?), but you should think again. Constructing a new life in a distant place may work for some but not for most. Expense, or a new language aside, so much of what is taken for granted here will not be easily replaced. The alternative is to stay and resist.

To flee is to be complicit in enabling the Trumpocracy.