Just so much property

Author: admin

There’s no question most people in this country and around the world are outraged and heartsick about what’s happening to immigrant families. Most, but sorrowfully, not all.

As if the tragedy of yanking crying toddlers and children from their mothers and fathers was not enough, the tortured “reasons” for doing so are yet another travesty.

“Like kids going to summer camp,” from Laura Ingraham. Tucker Carlson: “Keeping immigrant families together threatens ‘your country’.” “Not like Nazi’s because we’re trying to keep people from getting in, not out,” from an incredibly ignorant attorney general. Then, an out-of-context Bible quote just to feel good about the verbal sewage he’s spewing.

We’re up to our knees in idiotic effluent flowing from the mouths of uncaring zealots and bigots who’ve surrendered ideals of decency, respect for others and even the rule of law.

The chief villain here, of course, is of our demagogue-wannabe in the White House. Without him, none of this would be happening. We wouldn’t be an embarrassed and angry Republic held hostage to this travesty against humanity. We wouldn’t be a further divided country of angry voices crying out for an end to the barbarism.

To say GOP “leadership” eunuchs in Congress aren’t participating would be to ignore the realities of what’s happening. In the Senate alone, not one – not even one – will sign on to proposed legislation to end this national nightmare. Democrats can’t reach the sensibilities of a seemingly heartless – or scared – majority.

Here, in the overheated, cactus-littered Southwest, many of us are angry and frustrated. Daily conversations include mostly sorrowful expressions of our helplessness and disgust. From supermarkets to doctor’s offices to golf courses, lots of words describing local angst float about. But, ideas to end what Trump has done are few. None, actually.

That “none” certainly includes me. I’m part of the confused, angry, embarrassed, ashamed majority. But, I’d like to offer a single perspective.

I believe Trump’s approach to his disastrous presidency has been more hard-charging real estate developer than political. Were it political, in the true sense of the word – and as practiced by nearly all presidents before him – we’d likely not be in this mess. A national disgrace created and orchestrated by a single source.

Trump’s modus operandi from the beginning has been to take outrageous positions and watch the outcry. He’s set verbal “goal posts” out there and, when his demands have been met, he’s moved them still further. “Bait and switch,” as it were.

Trump has exhibited not one honest spec of human emotion for the humanitarian travesty he’s created. Not one. The reason, I think, is because he views the situation as a real estate transaction. “Here are my terms; here are my demands. Meet them and we’ve got a deal.”

He’s said as much by telling Democrats, “Put up $24 million for my wall and we’ll talk.” And he’s said it more than once. I believe he sees the families he’s destroying as bargaining chips – as leverage, if you will. Nothing more.

He’s also taken the Mueller investigation off the front pages and reduced the cable political shows coverage to a few minutes at the end of the hour. If any mention at all. He’s been successful in a verbal shell game – taking the spotlight off what’s endangering his presidency by diverting it to the heartbreak and tragedy of others.

Trump’s often given media credit for being “politically savvy.” Not true, I think. His actions since assuming the office have not been those of any real politician in memory. He’s convinced his “base” that he’s “not a politician” and that his business acumen is what’s necessary to “rescue the country from politicians.”

People are mad. They’re protesting. They’re marching. They’re shouting from the rooftops. They’re expressing sorrow and outrage as best they can. But their voices, I believe, will go unheeded. He won’t react. And the GOP won’t suddenly find the guts to slap him down.

The only answer I see is purely political. It’s at the ballot box in five months.

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