The Trump presidency could cost the nation more than we realize

[syringis]

An interesting article in the WAPO. It is very true.

By Eugene Robinson Opinion writer

As the saying goes, you don’t miss the water until the well runs dry: This deeply aberrant presidency threatens to cost the nation much more than even some of President Trump’s harshest critics may realize.

From 1988 to 1992, I was The Post’s correspondent in Buenos Aires, covering all of South America. It was a time when countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Peru and Chile — emerging from years of authoritarian rule — were struggling to reestablish democratic norms, and I learned one important lesson: It’s easy to lose the habits and values of democracy, but incredibly hard to get them back.

Perhaps most difficult is to recover lost faith in the rule of law. That is why Trump’s very public desire to use the legal system as a weapon against his political opponents is so damaging. “Lock her up” is more than a call to imprison Hillary Clinton. It is, potentially, a tragic epitaph for the consensus view of our legal system as a disinterested finder of fact and dispenser of justice.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-trump-presidency-could-cost-the-nation-more-than-we-realize/2018/03/05/0ddb1882-209f-11e8-94da-ebf9d112159c_story.html?utm_term=.ee3d999e3ef5

[syringis]

1. A sole way to limit the damages

Make an example : punishment, no pardon and reinforce the democratic rules.

[duforsure]

2. Putin's got the GOP

And Trump all compromised, and working for him. Trump's been told Russia is ignoring sanctions, and shipping missile components and supplies for their program to NK, yet says and does nothing? Pretty obvious, and the GOP in Congress do nothing too. They're setting us up.

[erronis]

10. But if politicians (and game show hosts) are so easy to kompromat, should we worry about

the non-repuglicans also? Filthy lucre and blackmail are blind to the left or the right of the aisle.

I think every effort to have transparency in all government dealings should be required.

[Rhiannon12866]

3. K&R! Thanks so much for posting this!

I had read it and thought it would make a must-read post, but then it slipped my mind. Gene Robinson is just the best, always puts things in perfect perspective - when he says anything, I make it a point to listen!

[kentuck]

9. I think he is right on with this analysis, also.

Any jackass can kick down the barn but it is much more difficult to rebuild it.

[syringis]

13. Hello Rhiannon

Last edited Tue Mar 6, 2018, 05:28 PM - Edit history (1)

I checked before posting. I was astonished it was not posted. It is a must read. I too, appreciate Gene Robinson. His opinions are generally very pertinent. And I do like the sober way he writes.

I have faith in your is your institutions. They are strong, you will get through this. But, in my opinion, Trump must be an example.

He and his minions must be punished without any pardon. It is important to show that democracy is not for sale and no one is above the Law.

[Rhiannon12866]

14. Well said, my friend!

And Eugene Robinson isn't only one of our best and brightest voices, he achieved recognition by winning a Pulitzer Prize!

[VOX]

4. A sobering read. It is absolutely imperative to remove these people from government ASAP.

Otherwise, a string of Trumpian Wanna-bes will take a crack at plundering the country’s coffers until there’s nothing left.

[poboy2]

5. Existential threat. No hyperbole. A fascist state is possible. -eom

[lark]

6. We are so on the same page.

That's exactly what I have been saying since before he was elected and he's surprised even me with the depths of his criminality, profiteering, pro-russia, anti-US worker, racist and anti-democratiic actions. He's the biggest threat to the democratic world since WW11 and is personally aligned with the losing side of that war. It's just unbelievable that our president is a Russian Fascist Nazi tool, letting Putin rule while he profits.

[FailureToCommunicate]

7. The citizens of this (once great) republic are under attack from without AND within...

Putin thru his puppet Trump and Republican enablers hack away at the foundations of our democracy.

Meanwhile 2nd Amendment gun nuts -again with their Republican enablers- are literally shooting us down in schools, malls, offices, churches...

As the British would say, Bloody Hell.

WE MUST, at the very least, try to resist... AT THE BALLOT BOX!!

Today is Tuesday: GOTFV!

[NewJeffCT]

8. agreed - even if Democrats win bigly in November

and Trump is impeached and removed from office in 2019 and Democrats win big again in 2020, it will likely takes many more years for the country to return to some semblance of normal. I'm guessing maybe a generation.

[not fooled]

11. And the kook brothers

--who stepped in to staff the administration and are running the parts of the government putin isn't--aren't going anywhere, even after the orange turd is gone one way or another.

[rock]

12. You're right

You cannot give up a Democratic principle for a little bit. You need to follow Barney's "Nip it in the bud" advice!