Bearing Witness to Trump Week 9

Week of March 19 – 25, 2017

It was reported early in the week that the Trump administration was at one time considering the placement of military equipment in his inauguration parade….just like all other dictators, despots, and thugs do around the world. Now America is so proud and not so exceptional anymore to have our own.

The first good news in many months; the Republican plan to repeal and replace Obamacare that would have raised rates and caused 24 million to lose coverage, has died. In his first legislative defeat, repealing Obamacare, he does not blame his strategy or own administration or his fellow Republicans who caused it to fail, but of course the Democrats. What is it with Republicans that they can never be introspective enough to ever ever admit a mistake. They spent 8 years bitching and moaning about Obamacare and voted to repeal it dozens of times…..but obviously they had no other plan to make government work for the people who need it, other than to obstruct and deconstruct the government they were elected to serve. True patriots indeed.

Trump claims that he will just let the ACA explode all on its own, and he is happy to let that happen since Congress did not act on his ultimatum now or ever. Hum, I believe there is a word for people who allow innocent bystanders to be hurt or die out of political warfare and retribution. They are called terrorists. And what would that make Trump and his Republican enablers?  And I didn’t think America negotiated with terrorists.

In a blockbuster testimonial reminiscent of Watergate, FBI head Comey says that yes indeed the Trump campaign and administration is the target of an investigation into the interference of Russia on the past American election. Can you imagine if this had been Hillary? Republicans would be constructing the stage for a public stoning and hanging by now.

When House Intelligence Chair Nunes apologized to his colleagues that after receiving a briefing from intelligence sources on Russian influence he went directly to the White House to brief Trump. That’s another true patriot alright. Ex-campaign manager Paul Manafort is thought to have received millions of dollars from pro-Russia Ukrainian sources. This follows the revelation that short-lived National Security Adviser Michael Flynn also worked for and took payments from foreign governments as an unregistered agent all while he was involved with the campaign. Then there was AG Jeff Sessions meeting with the Russian Ambassador and other conversations he couldn’t remember during his confirmation hearings. Trump has sure drained that corrupt swamp.

What many fear most is that this behavior of Trump is becoming so normalized, that is the normalization of deviance. Just like during the campaign that are becoming desensitized and immune to it. God save us all. Maybe he could go out on 5th avenue and shoot someone and get away with it just like he once joked. Or maybe it wasn’t a joke after all.

Meanwhile, the slaughter of consumer protections continues with the Senate moving to repeal internet privacy regulations put into place. Now wireless providers can track and share our data without asking for our permission, unlike broadband telephone internet providers. Can there be any doubt how much they disdain ordinary Americans whom they claim to be working for and protecting.

The Keystone Pipeline is approved. The Clean Power act is expected to be gutted. Yes, these must certainly be good Christians watching over the health of our families and stewardship of God’s creation.

Trump’s new hands-off approach to military decisions and actions is racking up more casualties. This time over 200 civilians are reported as collateral damage due to American airstrikes deep inside of Iraq where after months they are still fighting to retake Mosul. We have been in this hell-hole of a war for over 15 years, the longest in our history, with no end in sight.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson announces he will skip NATO meetings, but not a Russia trip. He is still not talking to the press or the American people. He too shows his disdain for who he is supposed to be working for.

The above news items have been taken from a number of international, national, regional, and local news media sources, both print and digital. Additional editorial opinions and comments about these news items are those of this author.