This was originally posted by a veteran friend Al McCormack.
I find myself in a somewhat reflective mood today. The Holidays have a way of reminding us of those who are no longer with us, so perhaps that explains it. But more than that…
I watched Fox News Sunday (FNS) this morning with Chris Wallace. The “Question of the Day” for this Sunday’s panel was “How Much Trouble is the Trump White House in?”
Is there a “bias” in that question? I mean, it struck me that in order to get a fair perspective on the “Trump White House”, shouldn’t the question have been “IS the Trump White House in Trouble?”
The apparent bias of the first question is clear when compared to the second question, right? (if not, don’t bother reading any farther)
They were referring to the “Government shutdown” over the 5.8 Billion Dollars the President had requested for “the wall” (Border Security). Also referenced were the resignations of Mattis (SecDef) and McGurk (US Envoy) that occurred this week due to the President’s decision to withdraw from Syria and to reduce the military force in Afghanistan.
Our nation is over 21 TRILLION Dollars in debt. We spend millions and billions of dollars on really stupid stuff. Instead of 5.8 Billion for a border wall, the Congress appropriated $10.6 billion in “economic development” aid for Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador to help stem (illegal) migration.
Really? Is this about solving problems (needed border security), or is it about “poking the President in the eye” – DENYING him the ability to deliver on a campaign promise THAT THE AMERICAN VOTERS ELECTED HIM TO DO?
I remember the speech that President Eisenhower gave upon the occasion of the end of his term as President. The line I’d like to ask you to recall (or learn) is:
In his farewell address, Eisenhower famously warned against “unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex.”
I’m a really old guy, so when I ask you if you remember a song from 1969, “Monster/Suicide/America”, by the band Steppenwolf – I recognize many of you will never have heard this song. I will remind you of the lyrics:
***
“The spirit was freedom and justice
And it’s keepers seem generous and kind
It’s leaders were supposed to serve the country
But now they won’t pay it no mind
‘Cause the people grew fat and got lazy
And now their vote is a meaningless joke
They babble about law and order
But it’s all just an echo of what they’ve been told”
***
The lyrics speak to America of the 1960’s/1970’s, but perhaps the lyrics ring true almost 50 years later? They continue:
***
“Our cities have turned into jungles
And corruption is stranglin’ the land
The police force is watching the people
And the people just can’t understand
We don’t know how to mind our own business
‘Cause the whole worlds got to be just like us
Now we are fighting a war over there
No matter who’s the winner
We can’t pay the cost”
***
I’m not a philosopher, I’m just a regular guy. I served for 24 years in the Army/Army Reserve and served in Operation Desert Storm. I consider myself to be a “God Fearing, Constitution loving, American citizen”.
I was not initially a supporter of Donald Trump for President, but I voted for him (given the choice between Trump/Clinton). Given that he IS the President of the United States, I wonder why so many immediately are against whatever he does. I do NOT admire his language or his style sometimes, but I am an admirer of many of the policies/programs he has overseen/ implemented since he became President (NOT the bloated Budget!). So when I opine on the reflexive nature of the opposition to President Trump, know that I am not a dyed-in-the-wool “Trumpster”. I’m an American. One who loves his country, and one (I hope) that is “fair minded”, rational, and someone who cares what happens, if not for me, for my children and grandchildren.
WHY is it that so many instinctively, and reflexively, DISagree with President Trump, no matter WHAT HE DOES?
Am I wrong? Am I seeing reflexive disagreement where it doesn’t exist? Does anyone else feel like me?
What is going on in our great nation? It used to be that after an election, BOTH Democrats and Republicans were AMERICANS FIRST! What happened to that attitude?
My friends, at this special time of year when so many celebrate HOPE, let us ALL pray for the leadership of this great nation. PRAY for the elected officials that you agree with, and more importantly pray for those elected officials that you disagree with – let us today, PRAY for all of our elected officials.
If you believe in the Bible, read 2 Cronicles 7:14
“if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
If your diety beliefs do not include the Bible, I ask you to consider prayer in whatever manner you deem appropriate – to pray for our leaders, and pray for our nation! Pray that what is happening in our nation is not the product of the “Military-Industrial Complex”!
(WoW – that was LONG.! Stupid? Waste of time? I pray not)
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A sentiment greatly put. The Government has become too bloated and unresponsive to the needs of the people. I loved the line in Trumps inaugural address where He says the People, not the Party or Individual rules in DC. It is time to remind D C of this. Let’s start with Congressional Term Limits! I too am an Army Alumnus Regular 69-72, then Reserves till 98 including Desert Storm. Was MSG on retirement. Keep up these missives, they are neededThanks. Yours. Leo Dorrington
Hi Leo. Thanks for the comment. We all wish Congress would have term limits but can we count on them to hurt themselves? For them it is like winning the lottery when they get elected. I’m sure there are many good people but not enough to make this happen. We can only pray that one day something will happen to end career politicians. All the best to you and yours this New Year!
I am an original Trump supporter. However, I am no longer a supporter of his. My problem is not his policies, which I agree on about half. He lost my support by his continued insulting of our Intelligence and Military Organizations.
How many time has he said similar to; “Our intelligence Agencies are wrong because ____ said so”. He has taken Putin’s word on our elections as well as Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s word on Jamal Khashoggi’s death despite his briefing that “everyone else” knows. He has said that our agencies are wrong because a despot said so! He should not be taking the word of any leader over his Intelligence Agency findings.
Yes, he “walked back” on his remarks in Helsinki. The trouble is, that that was not the only time he said exactly the same thing. He has only “walked back: the one. What about all of the other times he has made similar remarks?
His trashing of our Military Leaders is another item that I can’t abide. When a Draft Dodger says “I know more about ISIS than the generals do,”, which he insisted during the campaign, I really doubt it. And no, it was not just campaigning rhetoric. If it was, he would have stop saying similar items after the election.
No, I do not hold Trump’s Draft Dodger status bother me. Just about anyone who could used deferments did for various stupid reasons. I guess that was better than heading north.
Trump’s inability to treat the Military Leaders as well as the Gold Star families with respect and compassion should concern us all. M, Kelly has remarked on the Gold-Star incident. Yes, they were being used for political purposes. And if Trump would have denounced them for this, no problem. When he called into question the depth of their loss among other statements, that crossed way too many lines.
I truly hope that Trump can reach a working relationship with Congress. Otherwise, this will be a long two years.
A couple of observation on the Investigations. Since he is innocent, why doesn’t he help them so they will conclude faster? His obstructionism just makes him look guilty. No, Mueller is not going to make up facts to convict Trump or anyone else. He is one of the most professional investigators current active.
He FINALLY made a troop visit! However, he turned t into a political rally and insulted our allies. The visits are suppose to be about the troops not the President. Previous Presidents talk about the troops and their problems. Not about their own.
Plus He LIED to them. His comments about the Military Pay raise was pure fiction. The pay raise was not 10%, more like 2.6%. And they did get pay taises each of the last 10 years. These are really stupid lies. It is really insulting to lie to their faces!
Unilaterally pulling out of Syria is his right. He has every right to do this anytime he wants. But, what about our allies? The Turkish Leadership has already said they will wipe out the Kurds the second we leave. How will we get any other local allies if we abandon the Kurds?
I seem to have gone a little beyond the original topic and I apologize
Jon B.
Jon. Much of what you say is accurate. I guess, in many ways I agree with you. In some ways I do not.
I have relatives that live in New Jersey, across the Hudson river from NYC. In many ways, they consider themselves “New Yorkers”. I’ve visited often enough that I have come to know and recognize “New Yorkers”.
They have this baffling way of leading with almost absurdity on various topics, sometimes unbelievable. But in “new york speak”, they all understand one another. This partially explains your view on President Trump and what/how he says it. When you first are introduced to “new york speak”, you believe that many of them are self-centered egotists, when usually, it is just their manner of speaking … not reality.
One other point. President Trump doesn’t talk like other politicians, or even like “polite society”, because he’s NOT!
I’ve come to interpret what he says as a never ending stream of transactional negotiations in a very public way. Sometimes he seems uncaring, or unaware, or even stupid because of some of his assertions. But be aware – he is none of those things. We have difficulty understanding his manner and approach because we have never seen anything like him before on the national political stage. It’s downright disconcerting!
Now for (what I consider) the “good news” regarding his “disconcerting ways”. He gets results. Positive results.
Tell me those things that he has actually DONE (not just SAID) that you disagree with? I did not agree with the Trillion dollar budget he signed but the readon he gave for doing so was to “save” our terribly underfunded military. He has accomplished so much in such a short time … BECAUSE of the manner and methods he employs in his constant “transactional negotiations” that he is working on every time he speaks and/or acts.
Jon, it is confusing, embarrassing, even very frustrating at times … but he consistently delivers RESULTS … and results that I seldom can find much reason to quibble with.
Yes he is a vulgar, obstinate, loud, sometimes embarrassing narcissist. But that is EXACTLY who/what he needs to be to get the results he has promised.
You’re right in most of your observations. And you probably are uncomfortable with the way he goes about his business, I know I am. But he DELIVERS RESULTS. I know a lot of politicians who say all the “right things” in all the “right ways”, but never DO, or ACCOMPLISH anything.
I’ve grown tired of the politicians. Even though I know I’ll wince often by things he says, dammi if I don’t celebrate the things he’s actually DONE.
I understand what you’ve written. I don’t disagree with much of it. I’m just willing to put up with all that you’ve pointed out to get the accomplishments he has delivered!
Mac M,
I realize that New Yorkers are very strange, to say the least. Their talk is just as crazy. My friends from NYC are stranger than my friends from California. I have no problem with Donald Trump talking as he does. That is his “style”. Plus, I never expected Donald Trump to be a normal politician. Anyone who did has not been paying attention to the news for decades. He has been a public figure for decades so everyone should have realized what we were getting.
The trouble is, he is no longer Donald Trump. Now, he is President Donald Trump.
Most politicians, especially on the national and international level study English and Speech. They study so they can talk effectively and clearly. Politicians must talk clearly and plainly. They have to be understood by everyone. The way President Trump (PT) talks is causing severe divisions in this country and with our allies. PT’s style is great for a businessman, a local politician even. But not above that. Clarity becomes very important.
Domestically, most people have trouble with the President’s story continuity changing. Case in point, the Stormy Daniels story. PT has come out with three versions of what he knew when. I do not want to argue about Stormy Daniels. My point is not about his participation, it is about the changes in his story. The story itself does not upset all that many people, it is PT’s changes in his version. His way of referring to other people, especially women and browns, has caused divisions in a lot of us all.
My main complaint about how he talks is the way he changes his mind on the fly. How many times has PT said essentially, “Give me this and I will sign it”, and then not signed it. This happened more than for last year’s budget negotiations.
Internationally, speaking clearly is critically important. How you say things is much more important than what you say. (I will never understand diplomacy) PT’s way of speaking has cause consternation among our allies.
Your question of what accomplishments I disagree with. His tax cut for one. He proposed a great tax cut for some people. The tax cut for the rich and for corporations do not have an expiration date. The middle class tax cut does. It was only approved until 2025. to be “renewed” after that. Plus I think Reagan proved trickle-down economy is bullshit.
I strongly disagree with his “accomplishments” of unilaterally pulling out of treaties. I believe that ALL of the treaties should have been tried to be renegotiating before we pulled out. Now, what country is going to believe that we will honor our commitments? They have proof that a change of administration can trash all of their work. Yes, it is his right as President. That don’t make it right though.
His pulling us out of the Paris Accord was wrong. I strongly disagree with all of his ecological policies. Global Warming is real. Who cares who caused it. We don’t argue who is to blame for a forest fire, we put out the dam fire. THEN we discuss blame. Global warming must be treated similarly. I have a son and hope to have grand-kids. I would really like them to be able to breathe fresh air.
Unilaterally pulling out of the Iran Nuke Treaty has caused a lot of dissent among our allies. No the treaty was not the best possible, but it was better than nothing. It was a foot in the door to open further negotiations. We are not negotiating a replacement treaty, we just stopped talking. Why do we stop talking to someone who is trying to get nukes. We talk to despots who already have them.
What he wants to accomplish, I disagree with the wall. There is much more effective ways of stopping people at the border. If you have a wall, you become complacent about security. You have a wall, no one can pass! Tunnels anyone? What about migratory animals? Isn’t Mexico suppose to be paying for this thing anyway?
A Digital Wall will be much more effective. If we take the money PT wants for his wall, which is less than 20% of what will be needed, if we take the $5B PT is demanding and apply it to technological solutions we can get a lot more coverage all along the border.
His polishing his golf game irks me, but that is not an accomplishment you were referring to. Did he complain about Obama golfing too much? Didn’t we all agree?
You say he consistently gets results, what results? Why did he have ANY failures. He had both chambers of congress and still could not get immigration reform through. No Democrats do not care more about obstructing PT than national security. They are patriots as well.
There obstruction on the wall’s funding is a difference of opinion. And they have every right to do this. Its not right, but it is legal. I guess right/legal argument applies to both sides.
I supported Candidate Trump and PT initially. I still hope he succeeds and is a great President. I’m not a politician. It seems like a lot of them would rather see the country fail if they don’t get their way.
Jon B
P.S. The Troop visit while long over due and much appreciated. However, PT turned it into a political rally and signed MAGA hats. Presidents should not politicize Troop Visits. Active Duty personnel can not show political bias, or at least they weren’t when I was in. PT was not entirely wrong for signing them. They CO’s should never have let anyone bring in a MAGA hat. This was not a rally for Candidate Trump and should not have turned into one.