Last nigh #45 gave his first State of the Union
(SOTU) address. If you tuned in here to get my take on that, I extend my sincere apologies.
Consider this post alternative programming.
Over most of my adult life the Republican Party has campaigned perpetually to distinguish itself via frenzied non-stop
marketing, self-labeling, and branding, as the Family Values Party, the Law and
Order Party, and the Party undeniably and irrevocably committed to national
defense. These standards were hallmarks embraced by evangelicals,
fundamentalists, and the Christian Right. You might say it was a match made in
Heaven.
A little over two and a half years ago, June
16, 2015, Donald J. Trump entered the fray of campaigning for the Presidency.
From that day to this day, he has presented himself, first as the un-candidate,
and for the last 53+ weeks, as the un-President; a man whom his supporters
insist is not a politician, and whom many of his detractors contend is unworthy
of his titles, President, and Commander-in-Chief.
This post is not intended to represent a
critique of Mr. Trump. I’ve done that, and in all likelihood, I will do so
again at some point in the future. Today, however, I will simply share a few
observations about the human pretzels that so many erstwhile stout Republicans
have forced themselves into, all in an effort to defend at all costs the words, actions, and
policies of the man they say on one hand is not a politicians, but on the other hand, dismiss so many of his behaviors and decisions, as “just politics.”
In keeping with my commitment to brevity, I’ll
use just four examples of how the renowned Party of Lincoln transformed itself into the Party of Nixon (and the Southern Strategy), and then pivoted to become the Party of Trump
(and Good People on Both Sides). I fully appreciate that virtually no one wants to
be called a racist. In contemporary American society, white Americans, in
particular, bristle at the notion that anyone might deign to use that
appellation to refer to them or one of their own. To each and every person who
feels that way, I have one, and only one thing to say. I truly believe the best
way to avoid having that pointed verbal hand grenade tossed in one’s direction
is to separate oneself from racist behavior, and deeds.
I fervently believe that truism holds for and
applies to white people in general, and as our country’s titular leader, to
#45, in particular. As for the latter, I am frequently bemused whenever I hear
Mr. Trump’s most ardent supporters passionately knocking down any suggestion that
Mr. Trump is a racist, or that he even says things that are accurately
categorized as such.
Upon hearing often angry disavowals, I am
reminded of one of Queen Gertrude’s lines from Act III, Scene II of the play Hamlet
by William Shakespeare, circa 1600: “The lady doth protest too much, methinks.” In the
event that the stilted language of a 17th Century English poet,
penned in Shakespeare’s trademark iambic pentameter, is less than clear, the simplified
CliffNotes-like interpretation is, Queen Gertrude was reacting in a fashion that
let on that she considered the actor playing the Queen in the play was a
stand-in for her, and that in that light, she (the actor) was being overly effusive and
insincere.
Translation/relationship to #45 defenders and apologists:
Folks who rush to deflect, divert, or deny that #45 is, at least on occasion,
being, acting, and/or speaking in racist terms, are insincere, and over the
top. If they don’t know better, they should know better.
As
we wend our way beyond AD 1 (One Year After Donald), here are four quick
observations about things that have changed since the GOP installed #45 as it’s
North Star. In keeping with their pact with their now Dear Leader, #45
supporters, surrogates, and spinners, insist that these changes are all
positive, or, in classic alternative facts/fake news fashion, that they
actually do not reflect changes.
1. Family
Values Party – As I noted in last week’s post, (https://thesphinxofcharlotte.com/2018/01/24/evangelicals-have-given-trump-a-mulligan-it-must-be-to-infinity/),
evangelicals, fundamentalists, and the Christian Right endorse marriage and the
family as the foundation of civilization. The synthesis of wedlock, faith, and
spirituality was previously ingrained as keystone American values, or at least
as GOP talking points. Then along came Mr. Trump with his penchant for
swearing, creating less than truthful narratives, and if you believe 20 or more
women…and Mr. Trump, in his own words, accosting women, to whom he is not wed.
Tony Perking, Franklin Graham, Jerry Falwell, Jr., and all the folks who deem
themselves true believers (In Trump they trust), gave him a mulligan on all
that stuff. If the guardians of the Gates to Heaven feel that way, who am I to
argue. Just let me reiterate…a lot has changed.
2. Law and
Order Party – For years, more than I can recall, the GOP has anointed itself as
the foremost keeper of the flame of all things related to law enforcement. So,
imaging my surprise when I see and hear daily, sometimes hourly, and if I’m
watching CNN on a weekday, multiple times per hour, reports that one, several,
or a whole host of Republicans is questioning the authority and or the good
intentions of the FBI, the CIA, the Justice Department, and/or any other entity
comprised in what we Americans refer to loosely as the Intelligence Community.
A couple of years ago, that would have been hard to imagine. Now, it’s de
rigueur. Just let me reiterate…a lot has changed.
3. National
Defense Party – I was a youngster for a significant part of the Cold War.
Hazily, I recall Khrushchev pounding his shoe on his Delegate’s desk at the
United Nations, the Bay of Pigs invasion and the Cuban Missile Crisis. I remember the Berlin Wall, and the fall of the Wall. I remember that The United Soviet
Socialists Republic (USSR), and subsequently Russia was considered, by members
of the GOP, our mortal enemy, global adversary, and geo-political rival…right
up to 2016. Suddenly, circa 2017, #45 has shown a greater propensity to
demonstrate faith and confidence in Russia and Vladimir Putin than in our own
country’s Intelligence Community. TrumpWorld not only doesn’t think that’s out
of character, they believe it’s perfectly logical, and give their guy digital high
fives multiple times per day. Just let me reiterate…a lot has changed.
4. Evangelicals,
Fundamentalists, and the Christian Right – On occasion, as a PK (Preacher’s
Kid), I concede, I find myself out of step with certain elements of religious
dogma. Prayerfully, I seek forgiveness. Conversely, when asked whether he has
ever asked God for forgiveness for his actions, Mr. Trump said: “I’m not sure
that I have. I just go on and try to do a better job from there. I don’t think
so. I think if I do something wrong, I think I just try and make it right. I
don’t bring God into that.” I don’t even know what to say about that one. I
think I’ll just let it speak for itself. Oh yeah, Just let me reiterate…a lot
has changed.
I’ve
written before about the apparent hypocrisy of conservatives and would be
saints, in regard to their unbridled support for #45. As we now hear that in
addition to harassing folks that he appointed himself, members of his own
Party, and a host of people heretofore acceptable to the GOP, and clearing the
way to release a partisan GOP penned memo written without having evaluated the
supporting documentation, while preventing a parallel memo from Democrats, all
the while ignoring Justice Department warnings that the release could provide
irreparable harm, he has, through his attorneys, indicated that Mueller has not
met the high threshold necessary to interview him in person. For an individual
who claims there is neither collusion, nor obstruction, there is an abundance
of actions that cast doubt on those claims. In conclusion, “Welcome To Donald’s World: A Lot Has Changed!”
I’m done; holla back!
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