By Brigitte L. Nacos
Trump does not unite but he divides people and nations;
Trump does not build but he destroys bridges;
Trump does not solve but he creates problems;
Trump does not clean up but he corrupts politics;
Trump does not uphold but he violates democratic values;
Trump does not tell the truth but he lies day-in and day-out.
Voices of reason and sanity are not heard in President Trump’s White House and Administration. Instead, the intellectually and ethically challenged narcissist-in-chief is validated by his like-minded wrecking crew of extremists in domestic (i.e., AG Jeff Sessions and EPA Director Scott Pruitt) and foreign/national security (i.e., John Bolton and Mike Pompeo) politics and policy.
In her new book titled “Fascism,” former Secretary of State Madeline Albright writes in the concluding chapter, “Trump is the first anti-democratic president in modern U.S. history…If transplanted to a country with fewer democratic safeguards, he would audition for dictator.”
I wonder, though, how many of those safeguards are left and whether the remaining ones will crumble under constant attacks by Trump’s wrecking crew.
The Republican majorities in both Congressional chambers certainly are not democratic safeguards against presidential encroachment. Instead of providing the inter-branch checks and balances prescribed in the U.S. Constitution, GOP members are on bended knees before their dear leader.
The judiciary still holds strong. The question is, how long?
As candidate and as president, Mr. Trump has relentlessly attacked officials in the Department of Justice, the FBI, the intelligence community, and judges whose rulings he did not like. Just read a few of his many tweets for confirmation.
And now, Republican members of congressional committees, such as Rep. Devin Nunes, act more like President Trump’s defense attorneys than members of an independent legislative branch in their war against the Department of Justice, especially independent counsel Robert Mueller, Deputy Attorney-General Rod Rosenstein, and most recently even AG Sessions—all of them Republicans.
A free press is the most important foundation of a democratic system. Thus, the First Amendment!
Major news organizations have maintained their independence thus far. After providing “breaking news” all the time to Trump’s campaign for the Republican nomination, the press’s investigative reporting had displayed in the last 18 months and continues to report on the dark underbelly of President Trump and his supporting cast.
But Trump’s attacks against the “fake” media are of great concern. Today, he threatened to take access credentials away from the press. He has repeatedly threatened changes in the libel law—even though that would not be in his power.
And, then, there is Trump’s impact the rest of the world.
I am happy that North Korea released the three Americans held hostage in the world’s worst totalitarian system with a ruler responsible for horrific human rights violation.
I am nevertheless all for negotiating with the country’s ruthless ruler Kim Yong Um.
But Mr. Trump as chief negotiator?
The North Koreans have already manipulated Trump who, after all, changed his name calling of Um from “rocket man” to high praise characterizing him as “honorable” and “open.”
There will not be a Peace Nobel prize for this U.S. President.
By pulling out of the multilateral Iran deal that kept that country’s nuclear program under international control, Trump moves the U.S. and the rest of the world closer to war in the Middle East.
I recently read an excellent book by a German scholar, Heinrich August Winkler, titled “Zerbricht der Westen?” (Does the West break up?). The volume analyzes the developments within Europe and also the state of affairs in the U.S.-European alliance.
There have been strains in the strong post-WW II transatlantic relationship before but never as severe as during this presidency. Trump has shown his disdain for the European Union, NATO, individual countries, and individual leaders as candidate and now as president.
The president's recent announcement of severe tariffs on EU steel and aluminum imports looks like an overture to a trade war against friends and foes. And now, with the retreat from the Iran deal, Trump has opened a deep gap between the U.S. and its most loyal friends and allies in Europe.
The first reactions by leaders in Europe were measured. But it is entirely possible that the Europeans, led by French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and British Prime Minister Theresa May, will decide to keep the Iran Agreement alive in concert with Russia and China in defiance of President Trump.
Trump moved us toward a break-up of the West and an isolated America.
Excellent
Helga Hormozdi
Posted by: Helga Hoemozdi | May 09, 2018 at 04:16 PM