You wisely acknowledge that Trump unhinged, with Congress and the Supreme Court majority in his pocket, still has the power and derangement to blow the whole world up should he become too bored with “peace” abroad and smash-and-grab governance at home.
Nonetheless, the G7 fawners and ring kissers are wrong to appease him - their hypocritical shows of respect are weakness to him and everyone else. Hitler held the same sway over other governments in his day, and how did that work out? Megalomaniacal sadists like Trump require resolute pushback without flinching. The only true leader on the planet currently is Ukraine’s Zelensky.
As usual, a perfect description of the NOW we find ourselves in...
They should teach your substack essays in journalism school as the best example of political commentary--or least there should be some kind of prize (a la The Edgar or The Booker) for the kind of writing you do: "The Menckie"..?
So, obviously, at this point we all understand that Trump is a sleazy, lying, impulsive, immoral gambler--which seems fitting for a former owner of casinos, if not exactly for the elected leader of a major world power with nuclear weapons... Of course, you'd expect a gambler to use insider information whenever he can get it, and The Don (and his twisted children) DO use insider info to make their illegal/immoral billions--
And it remains vitally important for commentators like you to keep calling Trump and his henchmen on their many crimes—can’t let that go… For you and the rest of us to give up—give in to moral fatigue, would be just what these criminals want—so we have to keep calling them on their manifold sins..
But I want to offer a suggestion… At this point in the big carny show, is it possible NOT to act/say/write that we are “surprised” by Trump’s immoral, insane behavior? –That it’s “shocking” when we see him bend, break and ignore all civilized rules of behavior?
In a way, this “surprise” and “shock” implies a certain foolish naivete—and even signals a weird kind of acceptance in the game Trump is playing… He NEEDS us to be constantly shocked that he acts the way he does. If he was routinely treated as an inmate on locked ward or a child who needs to spend some time in his room, we'd all be better off...
I think the best solution is the one you’ve arrived at in your column—a combination of somewhat ironic but still morally offended, modified outrage—You report the facts and his words/behavior with some amusement, but never lose track that he is, essentially, lying—that he is an overgrown sadistic child who lies whenever he opens his mouth. … What I’m suggesting is not giving in to Trump derangement syndrome—but always reminding people that He is the one who’s deranged and we are the ones keeping the grown-up boat afloat and headed toward the coast of sanity…
This is what you get when you sell your soul to the devil. In this case that devil is a lifelong grifter with multiple felony convictions who is surrounded by a Mafia-style family and worshipped by a cult of morons.
Reading this before getting out of bed. Bad idea, now I might just skip this day and roll over to tomorrow. But then I see my councilor today, so some of out of bed hopping is needed.
A bitchy Belgian married to an American husband I head nod every friggin day with this 🍊💩at the helm. Why in gods name did I want to come to America? Ok. Hop out. Today will be another splendid bad news day. It's exhausting.
You wisely acknowledge that Trump unhinged, with Congress and the Supreme Court majority in his pocket, still has the power and derangement to blow the whole world up should he become too bored with “peace” abroad and smash-and-grab governance at home.
Nonetheless, the G7 fawners and ring kissers are wrong to appease him - their hypocritical shows of respect are weakness to him and everyone else. Hitler held the same sway over other governments in his day, and how did that work out? Megalomaniacal sadists like Trump require resolute pushback without flinching. The only true leader on the planet currently is Ukraine’s Zelensky.
As usual, a perfect description of the NOW we find ourselves in...
They should teach your substack essays in journalism school as the best example of political commentary--or least there should be some kind of prize (a la The Edgar or The Booker) for the kind of writing you do: "The Menckie"..?
So, obviously, at this point we all understand that Trump is a sleazy, lying, impulsive, immoral gambler--which seems fitting for a former owner of casinos, if not exactly for the elected leader of a major world power with nuclear weapons... Of course, you'd expect a gambler to use insider information whenever he can get it, and The Don (and his twisted children) DO use insider info to make their illegal/immoral billions--
And it remains vitally important for commentators like you to keep calling Trump and his henchmen on their many crimes—can’t let that go… For you and the rest of us to give up—give in to moral fatigue, would be just what these criminals want—so we have to keep calling them on their manifold sins..
But I want to offer a suggestion… At this point in the big carny show, is it possible NOT to act/say/write that we are “surprised” by Trump’s immoral, insane behavior? –That it’s “shocking” when we see him bend, break and ignore all civilized rules of behavior?
In a way, this “surprise” and “shock” implies a certain foolish naivete—and even signals a weird kind of acceptance in the game Trump is playing… He NEEDS us to be constantly shocked that he acts the way he does. If he was routinely treated as an inmate on locked ward or a child who needs to spend some time in his room, we'd all be better off...
I think the best solution is the one you’ve arrived at in your column—a combination of somewhat ironic but still morally offended, modified outrage—You report the facts and his words/behavior with some amusement, but never lose track that he is, essentially, lying—that he is an overgrown sadistic child who lies whenever he opens his mouth. … What I’m suggesting is not giving in to Trump derangement syndrome—but always reminding people that He is the one who’s deranged and we are the ones keeping the grown-up boat afloat and headed toward the coast of sanity…
That last paragraph sums up perfectly why we are losing status in the world order.
This is what you get when you sell your soul to the devil. In this case that devil is a lifelong grifter with multiple felony convictions who is surrounded by a Mafia-style family and worshipped by a cult of morons.
People never seem to learn that appeasing a bully does not work.
Reading this before getting out of bed. Bad idea, now I might just skip this day and roll over to tomorrow. But then I see my councilor today, so some of out of bed hopping is needed.
A bitchy Belgian married to an American husband I head nod every friggin day with this 🍊💩at the helm. Why in gods name did I want to come to America? Ok. Hop out. Today will be another splendid bad news day. It's exhausting.