I suspect my emotional trajectory about Trump over the past few months mirrors yours. But lets put this to the test and find out. I'll tell you how I've been feeling, and then you tell me, and we'll compare notes.
Immediately after the November 2016 election, there was a panic about Fascism and a resurgent-racism.
Rightly or wrongly, that panic seems to have mostly died away now. (I'm not saying that it's good that people are becoming more relaxed about Trump, I'm just saying that it's happening.)
And instead, the predominate emotion I have when I think about Trump is not panic now, but just disgust.
The reality is beginning to sink in that we have elected an absolute buffoon to the office of President of the United States.
It hardly seems real. Surely this guy who gets in twitter fights with Rosie O'Donnell and bragged about his sex life with Howard Stern isn't really going to assume the most honored office in the country?
With any luck, Trump and his cronies will all get voted out in 2020. But the damage to America's legacy is already done. Whatever else happens from now, this guy is going to go down in the history books as the 45th President of the United States.
This is the moment American democracy officially jumped the shark.
Link of the Day
Noam Chomsky on Trump and the decline of the American Superpower
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4 comments:
I'm still waiting for the panic to abate. His sledgehammer touch with China, Germany, the UK and the soon-to-be-also-rans of NATO -- this is not the cautious retooling of intercontinental agreements and alliances in good standing. This is "I'm throwing all the chips in the air because I know I'll catch most of them on the way down." But his personal history gives me no reason to share his confidence (quite the opposite). And disruption on that scale tends to hurt a lot of innocent people.
As a longtime Lefty, I will admit this about this historical moment: I'm grateful to be called a number of staggering hypocrasies. When Reagan was hardballing the Russians I would vocally reverse the "Better dead than Red" sentiment. Hey, why always approach these guys with the stick? Why not the odd carrot? Why can't we be friends? Currently the shoe is on the other foot, and only Democrats can be "trusted" to see the Russians for the villains they truly are.
Similarly the all-embracing trust in the EU and NAFTA. I was a university student opposed to NAFTA, did my bit in the election campaign which hinged on it. Now, 30 years later, it's likely to be repealed, and I'm squawking? Time for considered reconsideration, perhaps...
Yes, there's been some interesting reversals lately, haven't there? I suppose if Trump is in Putin's pocket, then at the very least that means we won't have a war with Russia. (Whatever else he may do).
And you're right about the panic. There probably is good reason to be very worried.
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