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When a person purposely engages in lies that are intended to incite emotions in the manner of Trump, the results follow a general path: first, a majority of the people find his behavior embarrassing; then a growing number find his behavior insulting; and then his behavior becomes dangerous to people including, in this case, in the context of the peoples of other nations. The only question regarding how much suffering that person will cause to others is answered by how long it takes people to remove him from power.
In many cases around the globe, that removal from power requires some degree of violence. Yet in the United States, there is a non-violent method defined by the US Constitution. By no coincidence, Trump and his band of merry fools hold the Constitution in utter contempt. Indeed, the current part-time occupant of the White House clearly views himself as superior to any previous president, and instead humiliates himself in his sycophantic adoration of another leader.
One need not be a liberal of progressive, a member of the Democratic Party or the Democratic Left, to find this in and of itself troubling. Many hold the Russian people in high regard, with respect for Russian history, yet still find Putin to be a terrible human being. Indeed, the only people who share Trump's love for Putin are either seeking personal economic benefit, or are those dip-shits who like Putin's government because they see it as a white button on a multi-colored shirt. These are the off-spring of those who hated the Soviet Union because it was red.
During his campaign, Trump spoke of purposely damaging NATO. Who would benefit? Putin. During the republican national convention, Trump's people removed the plank about assisting the people of the Ukraine from their party's platform. Who benefits? Gosh, who did Jeff Sessions meet with at that time? After the November election, President Obama announced increased sanctions against Russia. The same day, Flynn had five (5) telephone conversations with the Russian ambassador. He did so with president-elect Trump's support.
When Trump accused President Obama of tapping his phone, he went well beyond being a fucking national embarrassment, and became purely insulting. It's not that he hadn't insulted people his entire life, including in the republican primary and general election campaign. To his discredit, he insulted large groups of people that he consciously was attempting to appeal to for their votes. Yet, most of the time, he purposely insulted people, because he holds them in the same contempt as the Russian prostitutes he paid to urinate on.
After both democrats and republicans in Congress stated that there is zero truth in his lies about President Obama no more so than his crude birther horseshit he and his administration sought to move the goalposts. He pot it in quotes. Only in two of the four tweets to his twits, not that it matters. Microwaves. No comment necessary. Andres Napolitano said ... Either poor Andrew is too fucking stupid to be trusted to pour a glass of water, or he purposefully lied. He didn't even put it in quotes.
In fact, intelligence officials from two European nations both members of NATO had informed US intelligence sources about a number of meetings between Russians of interest and some people engaged in the Trump campaign. One wishes that James Comey could speak openly and honestly to Congress and the American people on Monday. But, he has to follow the rules.
Likewise, one wishes that H. R. McMaster could speak openly about the dangers Trump poses. Yet, when he was forced to accept that position, as he was active military, that three retired military officers had declined, he was surely aware that his job was to play the same role Al Haig did in the Nixon White House. But he, too, has to follow the rules of his trade. I'm confident that being put in the position of apologizing to England wasn't a high-point in his career.
What various leaders, intelligence, and military officials think and do is important be they foreign or domestic. Still, I find myself thinking about what the common, decent human beings of the world are thinking. Surely, they are wondering if the American people will stand up and force the machinery of the government to remove Trump from power. They know that, as Vine Deloria, Jr. said, there is no system on earth that will not gladly sacrifice one of its own for a moment's peace. And the US Constitution provides a lawful, peaceful method of doing so. When a president violates every sense of common decency, it indeed fits the definition of high crimes and misdemeanors.
The stakes are obviously high. At his least damaging, Trump will play Robin to Putin's Bat Man: favoring the military and energy corporations owned by the opulently wealthy, while cutting all services to human beings. Allowing this to happen will decrease the possibility of non-violent change in America. No, we can not sit by and allow this to happen.
People ask me what they as an individual can do? That's a fair question. A sincere question, too. My response is to ask what are they good at? What issues do they care the most about? Focus upon these talents and issues. Do not allow a shithead like Trump to make you feel like your issues aren't just as important as the next person's. Chances are, there are plenty of people around you who value that same issue. Our goal isn't to limit us to any one front, but to fight on all fronts, as Malcolm X taught. And while Trump believes he has true power, that's his delusion. You have true power. Exercise it.
Keep your eyes on the prize!
H2O Man
Me.
(35,454 posts)Very Excellent. I don't see how this guy can hold on beyond June this year. You?
I had figured June before he was sworn in. If enough people take an active stand, it may be earlier. He is a cowardly punk. It may take longer if people sit back. But nothing will surprise me.
What a good word. Last night I referred to him as a cheap mafioso with goons and thugs.
H2O Man
(73,333 posts)but I try really hard not to curse, or use offensive language. My father often used LBJ's "he ain't a pimple on a good man's ass." I think Trump is an abscess on a bad man's ass.
When I visited my brother today, he referred to Putin as "Bladder-smear Poop-skin."
Lochloosa
(16,019 posts)We are living in dangerous times.
Also, I hope your family is doing well I think of your loss.
H2O Man
(73,333 posts)These are very dangerous times, indeed. Yet, that same circumstance provides us with unique opportunity.
I'm going to visit my cousin tomorrow. While we cannot change that tragic incident, we have some plans we are busily working on to try to insure it does not happen to others in the future. I'll be posting more about this soon.
Again, thank you. It means a lot to me.
dalton99a
(81,073 posts)H2O Man
(73,333 posts)babylonsister
(170,963 posts)who claim we're not respecting dt, he's only been there two months. I told this woman when he tells the truth and earns my respect, I'll think about it.
This woman is diehard; kept spewing Brent Bozell's website, not accepting anything else.
I backed away gracefully, as I do.
H2O Man
(73,333 posts)Part of my duties at the mental health clinic involved responding to "community crises." I never invested energy in arguing with a psychotic person's beliefs. People who love Trump fit that description.
spanone
(135,636 posts)H2O Man
(73,333 posts)burrowowl
(17,607 posts)As usual!
Thanks
H2O Man
(73,333 posts)littlemissmartypants
(22,418 posts)You are one of the reasons DU is so great. ♡ lmsp
H2O Man
(73,333 posts)I appreciate your kindness!
NBachers
(17,007 posts)H2O Man
(73,333 posts)I'd like to think that I add something of value here.
Thekaspervote
(32,606 posts)What strikes me about this criminal is like sooo many of them, they truly truly believe they are the smartest person in the room. THIS is always their undoing. It will b his as well.
Yes, keep your eyes on the prize... hold on.... hold on
H2O Man
(73,333 posts)I agree 100% about this fellow's belief that he has the ultimate in superior intelligence. He surpasses even Nixon in this form of self-deception. Nixon had both a superiority- and inferiority complex, which -- as strange as it sounds now for me to say this -- provided something of a stabilizing force in his self-destruction. Trump will fall harder and faster.
Solly Mack
(90,740 posts)H2O Man
(73,333 posts)voteearlyvoteoften
(1,716 posts)We have the power
H2O Man
(73,333 posts)I find myself humming John's "Power to the People" these days.
Wounded Bear
(58,440 posts)I sincerely hope we can resolve this peacefully. Though, in all fairness, a President Pence will be no walk in the park.
Literally choosing the lesser of two evils.
H2O Man
(73,333 posts)Thank you for pointing that out. Pence is also dangerous: he is in favor of foreign policy by way of energy corporations and military force, and an extreme threat to even the basic foundation of social justice.
Yet, with the grass roots' based organization required to get rid of Trump, we can also put Pence in check. Constitutional democracy requires an on-going effort. We can build to the point of not accepting any of these evil shitheads.
panader0
(25,816 posts)You need to make your collected essays into a book. I'd buy it.
H2O Man
(73,333 posts)My last computer shit the bed a while back, and I hadn't backed up a few of the files that I should have. Re-writing these is taking me more time than I thought it would. But a book is in the works .....for as Rubin used to remind me, with patience, even the smallest creature can climb the highest mountain.
NBachers
(17,007 posts)step by step, one foot slowly in front of the other. It would be easy to see these people as feeble and unable. But what they've been through in their lives, their determination, what they have done to get here, and what they continue to do, is astounding.
We will do the same.
grantcart
(53,061 posts)You can spook 35% of the herd all the time, or you can spook all of the herd some of the time, just can't spook a majority of the herd most of the time.
H2O Man
(73,333 posts)I remember back in 1978, Rubin telling me that there's few things more dangerous than a large group of tax-payers, who realize that they have been had. Even that 35% of the herd pose the dangers associated with a stampede of mindless beasts. It's essential that conscious people step up and take back control of this nation.
OldEurope
(1,273 posts)H2O Man
(73,333 posts)mtnsnake
(22,236 posts)Yes, we as individuals can do something to get out of this mess. We have a voice. Everyone should be phoning their congressmen no matter if those congressmen are democrats or repukes and let them know we're not going to put up with it.
Yesterday, after posting this essay, I spent some time looking through some old letters from my mentor, Rubin "Hurricane" Carter. Although he spent 20 years incarcerated for a crime he did not commit, he survived by recognizing that he was a free man. Now, if he could do that, we can certainly do this.
coeur_de_lion
(3,666 posts)Although he spent 20 years incarcerated for a crime he did not commit, he survived by recognizing that he was a free man. Now, if he could do that, we can certainly do this.
That remains true forever -- no one can really steal our freedom because it comes from inside.
I also liked this
People ask me what they as an individual can do? That's a fair question. A sincere question, too. My response is to ask what are they good at? What issues do they care the most about? Focus upon these talents and issues.
I'm trying to figure that out for myself and have no answers yet but I want to do something.
malaise
(267,826 posts)Rec
H2O Man
(73,333 posts)Usually, I attempt to put some thought into what I write; this one wrote itself.
malaise
(267,826 posts)as always
MagickMuffin
(15,893 posts)I always enjoy your point of view.
As President Obama stated over and over and over
"Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek."
"Change in America doesn't start from the top down. It starts from the bottom up."
Change versus More of the Same
H2O Man
(73,333 posts)One of my old co-workers, who remains a good friend, has found Trump's "presidency" depressing. She asked me why I remained upbeat? I reminded her that, when she does family therapy, it sometimes requires a crisis before the family members will become invested in making healthy changes. This nation is part of the human family. We are experiencing a severe crisis. And a large number of us are ready to invest ourselves in creating healthy change.
Strike while the iron is hot.