This past Monday and Tuesday, PBS aired a special on George
W. Bush's presidency. It ran for four hours over the two days.
It was a frank recalling of W's life, beginning with his parents
George H.W. Bush and Barbara, and ended when he left the
White House for the last time. Though it was a scant eleven
years ago I forgot all the nation went through under his presidency.
Beginning with the 9/11 attack and ending with the worst
recession since 1929. But through it all, Bush was a man who
did his best under insurmountable odds, a man who loved his
country and the people in it.
There were those who said the United States would never
recover from the damage done in those four years. The
world, which was with us after 9/11, turned away in disgust
when it became apparent that we had given up our
principles for a false sense of security. Our reputation and
leadership role were badly damaged. We were no longer
considered the leader of the free world.
But slowly, in the ensuing eight years of the Obama
admininstration, we began to restore both our economy
and our image in the world. And with the exception of
the cock-up in Libya, our foreign policy was once again;
'we mean what we say and we say what we mean'. But the
economy wasn't improving for all sectors of the
population. The gap between the haves and the have-nots
was growing at an alarming rate. And into that void
walked a snake-oil salesman who promised these poor
people the moon.
Donald J. Trump, the consummate showman, made his
living talking the good talk, but he bailed out when it
came to walking the walk. He convinced certain
segments of America that their misfortunes were not
of their making. It was Mexico, China, NATO, and the
world, they were out to get us. We were suckers, chumps,
the whole world played us for fools. They took our money
and we got screwed. And if he was elected, he would make
them all pay.
Trump was crass and he was crude. He called the government
a 'swamp', and said he and he alone could finally clean house.
He insulted our allies and exulted the cruelest of dictators. He
attacked his political opponent and called her a felon who should
be in prison, and said he would make sure she would be if he
was elected.
He bragged about sexually assaulting women. He said he could
shoot someone on Fifth Avenue and not lose one supporter. His
campaign stops looked more like revivals, with chanting and
cheering, all the behest of the candidate, Donald Trump.
And in November of 2016, Donald J. Trump was elected president
by the electoral college, his opponent received three million more votes,
but not in the states that mattered. The world was mystified. Trump
began his presidency by lying, about everything, from the size of
the crowd, to the fact that the sun shone down on his inauguration
ceremony. And he has lied to the American people over 18,200 times
since. His inaugural speech was a diatribe listing all the perceived
ills of America. In stead of lifting up the spirit of the country he
put it down.
From that day, there has been a progressively downward slide in
opinion of the United States throughout the world. Our president
has been laughed at, and mocked whenever he leaves America to
attend meetings with other world leaders, and not without justification.
His behavior is appalling, his demeanor is condescending, his dress
is inappropriate, along with his manners. As my mother used to say;
"Were you born in a barn?'.
But his cluelessness is not just apparent amongst our allies, it extends
to our adversaries also. After his meeting with North Korea, he proclaimed
to the world that it was safe from nuclear war because of him. Really,
how did that work out? Kim is still busy building and testing nuclear
weapons as we speak. His best buddy, Putin, is still busy interfering in
our politics, and not in a good way. And his ever-expanding trade war
with China is destroying farming communities across the country. He
blunders though world like a bull in a China shop - pun intended -
destroying everything he touches. His saving grace is, most countries
believe his administration will end soon and America will return to it's
leadership position, if China doesn't usurp it. But that hope is wearing
thin also. How long can our allies demure in our favor?
As bad as the first three years of the Trump presidency was these past months
have been horrific. His total mis-handling of the coronavirus is criminal.
He has traded the economy, on which his re-election depends, for the lives
of thousands of Americans, his total lack of empathy for the suffering and
deaths of the people whom he was elected to serve is appalling. And once
again he is admittedly choosing the economy over the health and safety of
the rest of us.
He refuses to listen to the experts who are telling him that to open up America
at this time, before all the safety measures are in place, would cause the virus
to come back, perhaps worse this time. What kind of person admits to trading
lives for monetary gain?
And late this week, the virus struck close to home, Trumps personal valet has
come down with Covid-19, and a person close to the office of the Vice-president
has also been shown to be infected. While there is still not sufficient tests for
those who need a test for the virus the White House personnel is tested daily.
Whoops, how did that work out?
Trump has said that it just goes to show, testing is not the answer to combatting
the pandemic. Perhaps he is right, the answer appears to be; get rid of the main
problem in America come this November, if the county is still here.
I never thought I would say this; but I miss you 'W'! Hands down the title of
"Worst President of the Century" goes to Donald J. Trump.
I'm just sayin'
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