January 31, 2017: Where We Are.

We have a narcistic pathological liar in the White House, one not endowed with a superior intellect, and who may also be insane. I read the New York Times and watch the evening news on television. My hunger for news is insatiable and after I indulge myself I feel worse than I did craving information. Is my hope impeachment or invocation Section 4 of the 25^th Amendment of the US Constitution? And how long do I have to wait?

How did we get here?

The road to Trump was paved by the craziness of the Tea Party and the virtually unlimited funding of the ultra conservatives by the likes of the Koch brothers. It was managed by the Republicans in a dysfunctional Congress; they were determined to block any and all initiatives coming from President Obama. Certainly, Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan may claim significant victories in this area. But Trump’s victory was ultimately delivered by the criminal negligence of the Democratic elite. We practically had no Democratic primary. Bernie Sanders stood up advocating progressive views. Most democrats thought Bernie’s nomination would lead to certain defeat, given the anti-socialist paranoia instilled in the course of the past three-quarters of a century. The minds and souls of the lesser educated mass voters were successfully influenced to vote against their self-interest. Joe Biden was briefly considered; he would have been a strong vote gatherer in the rust belt and other areas that went for Trump. But, not to challenge the heiress, Biden quickly stepped to the side. The Clinton team was given the uncontested winning ticket and they blew it. They did not recognize the power of the disaffected lower half of the rust belt population; they ignored the FBI warnings about Russian interference; they campaigned where it did not matter and failed to do so where it mattered; they behaved like amateurs and led us down the loosing path to the horrible reality where we now find ourselves. Even though Hillary got close to three-million more votes than Trump, given how the electoral system is stacked against the Democratic majority, Trump won with 77-thousand key votes in three counties that thus handed him the electoral college majority that then sent us on our horrible un-American current course.

As I am writing these notes, we are ten days into the Trump era. In these ten days we strengthened our Chinese competitors (by stepping away from the multi-lateral Pacific trade agreement we created a void that now China is proceeding to fill); we strengthened our ISIS enemies (by targeting Muslims and Muslim countries we are telling them that they were right all along, we are anti-Muslim, and thus all Muslims should view ISIS as their true advocate); we picked a stupid fight with Mexico that can only hurt both them and us; we told some of our closest allies that NATO will no longer provide them protection against Russian aggression; our president told the executive branch to step back from protecting the health and well being of the average American citizen.

What next?

Who knows. Most presidential acts are now based on no forethought, no legal vetting, frequently partially withdrawn before the are explained to those who are to execute the implied orders. The press is told that they are the worst scum; conflicting and untrue announcements are called "alternative facts"; climate change is not man made, global trade is bad. And who knows what science is now?