Tragic Comedy.

Tragic Comedy.  I awoke this morning to the dueling stories of Russian hacking and the fall of Aleppo.  There are so many levels of hypocrisy going on with Obama and his band of idiots that one is puzzled when considering where to begin with this bunch.  I was going to wait until January 20 to write my farewell blog to Obama; but this latest escapade on his part has accelerated my timeline.  Juxtapositioning Obama with his Russian hacking nonsense and the horrors occurring in Aleppo is such a clarifying moment, such a perfect illustration of his presidency, that I moved his goodbye up on the schedule. 

While events in Syria continue to spiral out of control and are just small steps away from genocide; while people worldwide stare aghast at the tragic pictures of suffering in this war-torn country; while the viscous and despotic Assad continues his reign of terror; what do we find our president is indignant about…This man who is the Commander in Chief of the planet’s most powerful military force and whose ineptitude bears major blame for the Syrian tragedy?  The Russians have hacked our government!  What?  They did what?  You mean this stuff that all nations, including America, have been dabbling with for the last ten years or so and that has been pointed out to you, Mr. president, for about two years by various U.S. intelligence departments and agencies?  Are you talking about this high-tech issue that you have repeatedly referred to as minor and not worthy of action because it might upset the Russians and Iranians?  Is this another of your red lines that cannot be crossed…Well, maybe you can cross them if you sit down at the table and promise not to do it again, at least not too many times again?  Not only has Obama proven to be a spineless leader for human rights and freedom, but he is a toothless tiger with no guiding or fundamental philosophy of right and wrong.  With no resolve and with his credibility destroyed by prior acts (or lack thereof), he rhetorically parades around like an end-zone celebration, playing the tough guy when everyone knows he has no stones.  It is so bleeding pathetic for him to be suddenly outraged by Russian/Chinese/(fill in the blank) tech-mischief, while real-life tragedies are exploding in the Middle East, that one has to wonder…When was the last time this man actually got out of the house?  Look…Should Russia or any other country be hacking into our government’s or citizenry’s records?  Of course not.  But that is an issue best addressed by Congress and the intelligence agencies under whose authority it falls; not by a spur of the moment tantrum of the chief executive.  Does any rational person actually believe that Donald Trump won the 2016 Presidential Election because the Russians wanted him to?  Really?  Putin and his band of thugs seems to have done pretty well since Hillary presented them years ago with her little red reset button. Why...why would Putin want to gamble on a wildcard like Trump?

I understand loyalty to a political party.  I understand allegiance to principles of governing and the fight to see them instituted.  If you sincerely believe in something, you should fight to defend it.  I can even understand how so many Clinton supporters remain in denial about losing the election to Trump; it hurts to lose.  It especially hurts to lose when you are so cocksure that you were going to win, you had an overwhelming advantage and lost because you played it safe, and you were beaten by an obviously flawed candidate that never should be President.  But any objective person, any logical thinking human being, must face the reality that when considering: The human tragedies in the Middle East, the ever-increasing global boldness of China and North Korea, the bald-faced aggression of Russia towards its neighbors and the world in general, the domino-effect failures of South American socialist governments, the Middle Eastern refugee disaster that is occurring in Western Europe, the colossal failure that is Obamacare, the rapidly diminishing usefulness of the zero-rate interest fed policy that has artificially propped up our economy, the exploding national debt that has doubled over the last eight years, the hateful divisions that have seeped into our culture between races/classes/genders, the huge numbers of people who have dropped out of the workforce and turned instead to government support, the surrendering of long-held principles of freedom upon which this country was founded in exchange for politically-correct pabulum, the continuing dysfunction of our infantile government which is setting new highs for inefficiency and ineffectiveness, the politicizing of what should be independent government agencies being used for partisan agenda purposes, the obvious disdain for our nation’s military accomplishments since its birth and the human sacrifices that made those victories possible, the constant probing and prodding into the private lives  and liberties of U.S. citizens, the disregard for our nation’s border integrity and the security threat that disregard poses for our populace…There is only one word that can adequately describe the two-term reign of Obama as president.  Cluster*&#@! 

A specious, narcissistic, shallow, unprincipled community organizer who was elevated to an office for which he was clearly unqualified and unprepared for… Obama became president.  He was acclaimed for genius when there was only ego; he was heralded as a great orator when he was only adept at reading words from a teleprompter and simply stuttered, paused, and stammered when required to speak extemporaneously; he was hoisted up to the leadership of the Democratic Party, only to shepherd its decimation over his terms to its lowest point of influence since the Depression years; he presided over a lessening of the dignity and integrity of the office to which he was elected, instead prancing around with his nose in the air, on the balls of his feet, and donning an air of imperial majesty; he filled his administrations with ideologues and unqualified, sophomoric yuppies who believed they were infallible and that the ends always justified the means; he cluelessly ran about the globe thinking himself to be grand when foreign nations and leaders were finding him comical, and even laughing at him behind his back.  He leaves office thinking himself to be a legend in his own mind, when most sensible people see him as the emperor bereft of clothing.  And now, at the end of his little play, when the curtain begins to lower on this tragedy in American politics, he engages in a vigorous effort to rewrite history; urging people to ignore what is on the video and transcript, cherry-picking various factoids to build flimsy arguments of success and accomplishment, desperately announcing last-minute initiatives and appointments that are apparently results of last minute and miraculous epiphanies, and throwing snarky shade towards his successor.

There is only one appropriate assessment to make of this president, this small man, who I find to be the absolute worst Chief Executive in my lifetime of sixty-four years; that being…Don’t let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.

After the Thrill is Gone.

After The Thrill is Gone.  Everyone knew it would be entertaining if Donald Trump ran for President; but I don’t believe anyone realized just how truly entertaining it would turn out to be.  I’m not as enthralled with the Donald as many, but I must admit to the guilty pleasure of relishing the liberals’ gnashing of teeth and tearing of flesh.  After spending decades constructing a politiosphere inside the WDC bubble where their liberal bureaucracy could flourish, they are now faced with the potential of having it systematically dismantled.  Even worse, the dismantling will be performed a man they have dismissed with the ultimate display of condescension and contempt.  Sweet!

Now…back to the reality of having to govern once you win the election.  The giddiness of the right, the thrill of a conservative-filled cabinet, and the opportunities presented by simultaneous control of Congress and the White House has led many to overlook the fact that the Donald is still the Donald.  The character flaws and arrogant bluster that led many Republicans to criticize him during the primary season still remain and if you look closely, there is no indication that they have been mitigated.  If anything, the electoral success that Trump has realized will magnify many of the less desirable traits of his persona.  The Republican’s new trophy President may turn out to be rather high maintenance, awkward company at social gatherings, and rather capricious in his fidelity. 

Based on his cabinet selections, Trump is apparently laying the groundwork to follow through on his promise to take a new, business-like approach to government.  Whether we are examining domestic policy or foreign policy, a change in approach must be welcomed; the recent past policies from both parties have been dismal failures.  The larger questions remain: Are we draining the swamp only to replace it with a different type of polluted water?...While we have certainly reached our tolerance limit regarding career politicians, how can we manage to separate full time office holders from their vested business interests?...Can a corporate mogul season his business management with a necessary sprinkling of civics reality?  A break with failed policies is a good thing; but only if the break is deliberate, thoughtful, and results in improved policy.  Trump likes to talk about winning; I do believe it is his favorite word (other than Trump).  Can Trump accept the fact that even though he heads up a party with clear control on the levers of political power; it is nonetheless necessary in a government such as ours that a certain amount of consideration be given to the opposition party and an occasional compromise on practice (not principle) will be necessary.

When the time comes that the Donald Way is not the accepted way, either by Republicans, Democrats, or both, how will Trump deal with this new concept?  Having lived a life of privilege, having had full and ultimate control of Trump Universe; how will this egomaniac of a man react when he is told….No?  Will he react as a child, blow up the process, and expose himself to be the self-centered opportunist that many suspect him to be?  Or will he exhibit a new-found maturity late in his life, fully grasp the enormity of the Office, and engage in honest and productive discussions about governmental policies and practices? 

Can you imagine the frustration one must experience when they lead their whole life having things strictly their way, only to find that once they achieve perhaps their greatest accomplishment, things can no longer be just their way?  There will ultimately be those moments when President Trump sits in the oval office, looks back at the good old days when his world waited with anxious anticipation for his (and only his) direction, and thinks to himself… Why am I doing this?  Why can’t I just tell France to go screw themselves?  Why can’t I take profit from a National Park system that is more than adequate for recreational purposes?  Why can’t we just eliminate this social program and replace it with that one?  Why do I have to subjugate myself…MYSELF…to these infantile fools in the House and Senate? 

How the Donald reacts when these inevitable moments arrive will define his Presidency.  And based on the victory dance understandably being executed by the Right, which vests them intrinsically with Trump, conservative government will significantly rise and fall with his success or failure.  A hard lesson we have all learned from our youth is that sometimes, it is difficult to dance with the one that brung ya.  As difficult as it is for some in the Republican establishment to admit, Trump is the one who has brought their party to this position of opportunity.  It will either become a marriage of evolving maturity and accomplishment or it will be a deteriorating dissolution of an ill-advised union.  "What can you do when your dreams come true and it's not quite like you had planned.  You're not quite lovers and you're not quite friends...After the thrill is gone."  Only one thing is for certain…it will be interesting.

Amidst the Bluster and the Angst.

Amidst the Bluster and the Angst.  Donald Trump has commenced his Victory/Thank You Tour and the Democrats have continued their Bitching and Moaning Tour; both are equally absurd.   For a good, historical perspective on just how decisive this past presidential race was, check this great piece by Andrew C. McCarthy:

http://www.nationalreview.com/article/442718/donald-trump-no-landslide-electoral-college-popular-vote-opportunity-bill-clinton

Trump has every right to crow about his improbable win; it is always so much sweeter to come out on top when most everyone has discounted your chances.  On the other hand, as McCarthy points out, his margin of victory is far from historic in scope.  A victory nonetheless, it is certainly not a mandate.  However, what does constitute a mandate is the undeniable move to Republican by state governments, the U.S. House of Representatives, and the U.S. Senate. 

The fact that our government is bitterly divided on a partisan basis is not lost on the American voter.  Nor is it a mystery that when we have a Congress and a White House split between the parties,  our government has proven itself to be incapable of functioning.  While much is to be said about “government is best that governs least”, there is no doubt that most Americans are absolutely fed up with the childish and sophomoric gridlock that has possessed WDC over the last several presidential administrations.  It seems that the greatest opportunity for our political parties to misbehave and show their worst side is when they are simultaneously in the Senate minority and out of power in the presidency.  Oftentimes, there is a very thin line between principle and obstructionism; it is most often defined by your perspective.

While Trump’s victory was certainly no landslide, it was a win.  The inability of much of the Democratic faithful to accept their defeat at the hands of this…amateur politician...is unsavory and reflects poorly upon their party.   As McCarthy aptly points out, the Democrats lost the presidential race more than Trump winning it.  A strong argument can be made than there were many Democratic candidates that could have easily beaten Trump; just as there were many Republican candidates that could have likely beaten Clinton.  But if we enlarge the picture and look at what happened to the partisan balance in the Senate, the House, and in Governors’ seats and state legislatures across the nation, we can see a truth that has consistently escaped the grasp of Democratic leadership and president Obama.  The electoral failure of the Democratic Party in 2016, and in the recent past non-presidential races, is not the tactics and strategies of the campaigns; it is the MESSAGE. 

The fact that America has put Republicans politically in charge of much of this country is basically grounded in the fact that they are fed up with the liberal mantra that calls for an ever-larger and more intrusive government.  The electorate has come to understand that in order for real, fundamental change to occur; one party must be put into the proper positions to implement that change.  THAT is why Trump won; THAT is why the Republicans remain in control of the House and Senate; THAT is why the numbers of Republican state Governors and Legislators is growing.  But the key point here is for Republicans to understand that they have been put in this position of authority not because of their glowing credentials and a high degree of faith in their integrity.  The bottom line is that the liberal policies, both domestic and foreign, of the Democratic Party have failed this country and people yearn for a change.  The change agent is the Republican Party.  Donald Trump, Mitch McConnell, Paul Ryan and all the other Republicans in positions of authority make a huge and tragic mistake if they see the 2016 elections as a validation of themselves as great candidates.  This past election was a perfect storm of frustration and anger that has resulted in giving the Republican Party an opportunity to change the way this nation does business.  There is now nowhere to run and nowhere to hide for the Republican Party.   The only measuring device that matters for the next few years will be how much positive change they can create for our government.  If they get lost in their own importance; if they get enthralled by absolute power of all three branches of government; if they get blinded by greed and ambition and the fever to hold on to the power…they too will face a political apocalypse in the not too distant future. 

Republicans were not elected because they are so good; they were elected mainly because the Democrats have been so bad.  If the Democratic Party can somehow get past their angst of defeat, pull their heads out of the nether regions of their bodies, and face the reality of their failed agenda, they will reassume the position of the loyal opposition in our political process and be perfectly placed to re-assume the spot of “the lesser of two evils” once the Republicans ultimately succumb to the corrupting enchantment of majority control.  Let me say this once again differently in an attempt to be perfectly clear: Republicans were not elected because of who they are; they were elected because of what they represent.  If Republicans wish to continue their 2016 electoral success into the foreseeable future, they damn well better make good (substantive, not subjective) things happen.

Do not mistake Trump for a conservative warrior who has arrived on a magnificent steed to slay the liberal dragon.  His whole lifetime, Trump has been only a breath or two from the Democratic mantra.  His victory will not somehow transform him into a bedrock conservative practitioner.  The policy differences between the Donald and Republicans in Congress will periodically be deep and wide.  No matter how much we all yearn for our government to be run more like a business, the fact is that it is NOT a business.  The President does not have the autonomy that a CEO has.  The taxpayer is not the equivalent of a shareholder.  Business law does not include conflicts of interest protections such as the Hatch Act.  Trump can inject business practices and principles into government that might very well improve its efficiency and effectiveness; but he cannot run the government with an iron fist the way he ran his business.  If he tries to go down that road, the end result will be disastrous for his administration and will fritter away a wonderful opportunity for positive changes in the way America does business.   There are good reasons for a governmental balance of power and people want to see that balance maintained.  As impatient as they are for some positive progress, they feel that government should work the way it was designed.  The President should lead the nation, the House should conjure up legislation, the Senate should refine that legislation, Congress should send legislation to the President for his approval, and the SCOTUS should sit in judgment regarding the constitutionality of said legislation.  It will be interesting indeed to see what comes after the Trump Bluster and the Democratic Angst recedes...assuming, of course, that it does recede.

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