Dick-tater Trump

On November 9, 2016 the day after Donald Trump was elected president of the United States, I wrote the following:

Last night I was angry. This morning I am no longer angry, just scared, my children are scared. They are scared because they have heard the words Trump has used. Scared because they have seen the actions Trump has encouraged. My job, and a job that I have taken very seriously over the last 26 years is to calm the fears of my children. At this moment and based on recent encounters I have had with Trump supporters I am at a loss of how to do that. I want nothing more than Donald Trump to prove me wrong. I want nothing more for myself, for you, and especially for our children for Donald Trump to make America great again. I will support that ideal anyway I can but never at the expense of others.

So, what can we do? Hope for the best. Hope that the office changes the man. Hope that all the bluster and bullshit was simply an act to get elected. Hope that he can calm the tide of hate and anger he encouraged throughout the election process. Hope that he sees the terror and the fear in the eyes of some of the citizens of this great country and Hope that he doesn’t use it against them. Hope that he surrounds himself with smart and compassionate people who will leave their egos and personal agendas at the door. Hope that he truly heard the stories from the people who elected him. Hope that he realizes that it will take an uncommon man and an uncommon commitment to solve the problems of the common people of this country. Hope.

Now, four years later I can honestly say Trump lived-up to all of my worst expectations and fear. The office didn’t change the man if anything it fed his already enormous ego. The bluster and the bullshit wasn’t act it is who he is, a man without a plan. A man without a morsal of compassion or empathy. He didn’t calm the tide of hate or anger he threw gasoline on it. Trump built his Presidency on fear. Fear of the unknown, fear of a boogeyman, fear of each other and our institutions. He has created so much turmoil and mayhem that tonight he will be barricaded in the White House surrounded by a newly erected fence with the National Guard stationed to “protect him”. If that sounds like a third world dictator trying to prevent a coup that is the kind of atmosphere Trump has created.

Was he able to surround himself with smart people? No, in four years he had the highest cabinet and staff turnover than any other President in modern history. To this day, four years later, the Trump Administration has several hundreds of positions open that have never been filled. Important jobs that help the citizens of this country. Instead, what has happened is career government employees have left in droves, which Trump and MAGA claims is draining the swamp. But like any other business if you don’t have a plan, if your goal is to accomplish nothing in four years other than feed your ego and line your pockets why do you need workers?

No despite what 35 to 40% of the population believes, you know who they are, what color they are, and what their values are, Trumps four years were a failure for the vast majority of Americans, the world, and the planet. I read a quote from a historical scholar recently that said in the future other historical scholars will need to spend less than 10 minutes studying his presidency to determine that Trump was the worst President this country has ever produced, and there have only been 45 in our short 200+ year history.

Why was he elected. Hell, who knows. A guy with absolutely no credentials to run a country other than a television show, being a member of the lucky sperm club, and one failed business after another. But for whatever reason he has convinced some Americans that he is a success, and if we forget he is quick to tell us over and over again how lucky we are to have him. If America really wanted a realty television star, we would have been better off with Maury Povich, or Hulk Hogan, or Dog the Bounty Hunter, or even Rick Harrison from Pawn Stars.

So, will we wake-up in the morning and know for certain that this nightmare is almost over? I hope so. If not four more years of Dick-tater Trump will be catastrophic for this country and possibly the world. If you haven’t voted go now.