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Day to Day Politics: The Trump Report No. 17 – More Mayhem.

Monday 19 June 2017

America has never, in my knowledge, seen a Presidency like Trump’s. Scribes like me wonder at the breathtaking capacity of his capacity to self-destruct.

1 Let’s have a run through what’s taken place since my last report. Well I suppose the strangest thing was the Presidents peculiar invitation to go around the cabinet table and heap praise on their leader as though he was some sort of spiritual maharishi.

Before beginning he said of himself.

”Never has there been a president, with few exceptions, the case of FDR – he had a major Depression to handle – who’s passed more legislation who’s done more things than what we’ve done,”

We’ve achieved tremendous success,” of the administration’s achievements. “We’ve been about as active as you can possibly be at just about a record-setting pace.”

I’m going to start with our vice-president. Where is our vice-president?” “There he is,” Trump said jovially to titters from the others.

”We’ll start with Mike and then we’ll just go around, your name, your position,”

It had to be seen to be believed, watching these men and women groveling, conjuring up suitable words of praise in worship of their God like figure. I don’t think even Jesus requested that of the disciples. It was the sort of thing one might see at a ‘Born Again’ charismatic prayer meeting.

Read the individual comments here.

2 Whilst America is no closer to sighting Trump’s Tax returns he has disclosed more about his fortune.

Trump disclosed making more than $US528.9 million ($694 million) over 15½ months, including his first three months as US President.

Not bad money even for a President.

3 Did you know that he has also repealed the bills Obama put in place after the Global Financial Crisis. Thank goodness the bills in their present form are unlikely to pass the Senate.

4 Continuing on his Obama hating ways and might I add showing his lack of knowledge in international diplomacy, he decided to reverse Obamas progressive discretion with Cuba. Apparently he thinks he can demand that countries become America like overnight. Look how long it has taken China to reach its present stage.

So he denounced what he called his predecessor’s “terrible and misguided” opening to Cuba, outlined a new policy Friday that seeks to curb commercial dealings with the government in Havana and to limit the newfound freedom of U.S. citizens to travel to the island.

5 Here is a link to the Huffington Post parody of Trump’s super push. It was something hard to put into words, like a little boy bully trying to place himself at the center of the action.

6 His first reaction to the London fire seemed to be to bolster his own attempts for a Muslim travel ban. As if those tweets weren’t bad enough he then went onto criticise the London Major who, it seems he has history with.

Jennifer Rubin writing for the Washington Post writes:

”Trump took the second part out of context and responded viciously, “At least 7 dead and 48 wounded in terror attack and Mayor of London says there is ‘no reason to be alarmed!” (The mayor, of course, was telling them not to be alarmed by the heightened police presence.)

Trump was not done, however, inanely tweeting, ”Do you notice we are not having a gun debate right now? That’s because they used knives and a truck!”

One is prompted to ask if he is off his rocker. But this is vintage Trump – impulsive and cruel, without an ounce of class or human decency.’’

”It pains me to write this, our President acted like a clod, a heartless and dull-witted thug in sending out a series of tweets.’’

7 Last but not least the President of the United States is being investigated by Special Counsel Robert Mueller for ‘’Possible obstruction of justice’’ He even confirmed it in an early morning tweet.

Meanwhile, political commentator Seth Abramson went as far as saying the development effectively made the White House “a crime scene”.

Conclusion.

When I peruse the news from the US every morning it’s almost like I have to pinch myself to wake from some sort of bad dream. Is this the United States I used to know? I’m beginning to think that was also a mirage.

My thought for the day.

”We are given an extraordinary gift to think creatively however only a few give it much thought”

 

 

7 comments

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  1. Terry2

    Trump has signaled tightening of US relations with Cuba stressing that the freedom and human rights of the Cuban people is his priority : so he will clamp down on trade, in particular surging tourism which will directly impact on the fledgling home-stay industry which is enabling humble Cuban citizens to open up their homes to mainly US tourists and to generate a few dollars income.

    Obama saw that opening up relations with Cuba would gradually force the relaxation of the excesses of the Castro regime and, through a process of political evolution, encourage a democratic transition – that’s not the way Trump does it.

    In the meantime a triumphant Trump returned from his immensely successful trip to the Middle East – he said it was – where he danced with the Saudi Royals and sold them a whole truck-load of armaments : no mention of human rights in Saudi Arabia, no call for women’s rights in a kingdom where a woman can be punished just for driving a car.

    Trump was vocal about Cuba’s political prisoners, demanding their release but no so much in Saudi Arabia where the regime continued to repress pro-reform activists and peaceful dissidents. In 2016 over a dozen prominent activists convicted on charges arising from their peaceful activities were serving long prison sentences.

    Prominent activist Waleed Abu al-Khair continued to serve a 15-year sentence imposed by Saudi Arabia’s terrorism court that convicted him in 2014 on charges stemming solely from his peaceful criticism in media interviews and on social media of human rights abuses. Prominent blogger Raif Badawi served the fourth year of his 10-year sentence, but authorities did not flog him in 2016, as they previously did in January 2015.

    Trump, you’re flagrant hypocrisy is boundless but sadly the MSM are not calling you out.

  2. Kathy Stavrou

    What nonsense to say he’s destroying himself, by his standards he’s doing very well, it’s silly old American romantic self congratulatory exceptionalist image of self that’s being pulverised, but as whoever said, all countries have the governments they deserve, and all will be punish-ed, as it truly says in Romeo and Juliet.

  3. helvityni

    I watched the first part of Oliver Stone’s interview with Putin. I found it very interesting, can’t wait for the next instalment…

    I would not watch any Trump interviews, even if I was paid to do so, same goes for Dutton and his ilk…

    Someone tried to interview Tones once, he refused to speak, just shook his head…illuminating!

  4. john ocallaghan

    I was always a keen follower and commentator on politics both local and international,and especially American politics,but i have to admit that after the election of Trump i have being badly burnt.
    I intend to hold on tight and hope the roller coaster does’nt chuck me out during the journey,and if i manage to keep my eyes closed and grip the safety rails i may just survive,and open my eyes to a new fairer more sensible world.
    Aint Utopia a life saver!

  5. wam

    Have a look at graydon carter, the editor of vanity fair. In the march issue he has a comparison between ‘the short fingered vulgarian and kim jong un. He terms the advisor as ‘trump whisperer’ and ‘..the world ..a room filled with gas…we have an ignorant strongman about to light a $20 gigar with a match’.

  6. paulwalter

    The Trump Presidency IS some sort of weird and it is even weirder that many Americans still support it.

    Something is seriously wrong with large slabs of the public through the supposedly well educated West.

  7. Daniel Ross

    Does anyone know of a video of this cabinet address that John mentions at the beginning of this post? 🙂

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