It began with conspiracy theories and it might well end because of conspiracy theories.
Not that I needed any other reason to oppose Donald Trump before he became president, because he was a publicity-addicted real-estate developer who lied, cheated, withheld payments from people who did work from him, declared bankruptcy six times, and was (is) a vile, prejudiced, sexist. But the main reason I disqualified him was his belief in the conspiracy theory that president Obama was not born in this country. That sort of lazy, disjointed intellect is a sign that you are susceptible to other manipulators who can seize on your confusion to sow doubt, fear, and chaos.
Pretty much the Trump presidency so far, no?
Now it’s a conspiracy theory that has Ukraine, not Russia, hacking into, and apparently harboring, the Democrats’ computer server that led to Hillary Clinton’s defeat in 2016. The president has been told that this is, in fact, a conspiracy theory and that his own intelligence services know that it was Russia that hacked the computers, but he either doesn’t learn good or doesn’t care. Ether way, his failure to analyze is why he’s on the brink of impeachment.
And that doesn’t even take into account his denial of climate change, labeling it a Chinese hoax, or his saying that millions of illegal immigrants vote were the reasons why Hillary had more popular votes than he did.
It’s no wonder, then, that he reacts to verified facts in the way he does, lashing out with language that would appall any American, much less the not-ever-again moral Republican party.
Also, for someone who demands blind loyalty in his appointees and employees, the president is remarkably eager to undermine, attack and intimidate anybody who even seems to disagree with him. He’s churned through appointees and cabinet members and doesn’t even bother to fill vacancies he’s not interested in. He doesn’t seem to read briefing books or to be interested in policy nuances. What we’re left with is being governed by the gut instincts of someone who is ill-informed about how the United States government works, constitutional laws and norms, and plain old decent behavior.
It’s beyond absurd.
Which is why it’s imperative that the Democrats nominate a candidate who can stand up to him, expose his ignorance, and attract wavering Republicans and Independents who voted for him last time. I believe that candidate is already in the field and that neither Mike Bloomberg nor Deval Patrick will turn out to be anything other than late entrants who make headlines, but nothing else.
The election in less than one year away. Please register to vote if you are eligible, and help to register people who will vote for common sense and decency.
For more, go to www.facebook.com/WhereDemocracyLives or Twitter @rigrundfest
Facebook Comments
