What is the breaking point, the tipping point, for good, decent Republicans to stand up and declare that Trump is not a rational, safe leader for our great nation and start the process of removing him from office?
I didn't love George W. Bush. I disagreed with many of his positions and an even greater number of his actions. But I never once doubted that he was a capable leader, making informed choices. I never once doubted that he was acting in what he thought was the truly best interests of the United States.
I have yet to see evidence that our new President is a capable leader making informed choices. And since he will not release his interests and tax returns I have no idea if he is acting in the best interests of the United States or himself.
Donald Trump tweeted this morning that he is looking forward to seeing the "results" from a voter fraud app that he seems certain is going to prove his assertion that three to five million illegal aliens voted fraudulently. The app developer has already proclaimed that he has the evidence to prove these allegations, but in multiple interviews he simultaneously says he hasn't put all the data together yet to see the results. Yet he is certain of the outcome.
That's a big, giant red flag--when you're certain of your results without the actual data to back them up. It loudly screams that you're manipulating your data to your intended outcome instead of allowing the data to determine the outcome.
So back to my initial question. When this guy releases his "findings", if he won't release the data to back it up (or if the data is proven to be false or falsely interpreted), will Trump cling to the findings anyway (if they support his allegations of voter fraud), and will this be a tipping point for lawmakers? When the President of the United States of America boldly declares that proven lies are in fact truth (alternate facts as his campaign is fond of saying), will that be enough cause for our elected representatives on both sides of the aisle to say enough is enough?
We need leaders who are unafraid to speak truth to power. Right now, President Trump holds all the power. That is not how our government is designed.
Assert your Constitutionally-established power, Senators and Representatives. Check his power.
Don't wait for the balance to tip so far that it can't right itself.
Friday, January 27, 2017
Deep Breathing
I'm going to get very good at yoga over the next four years. I'm going to power my way through physical therapy so that I can run again.
Deep breathing. Calm, relaxing mantras. Miles of quiet footfalls. Whatever it takes to reduce the stress that our newly elected leader is generating on what feels like an hourly basis.
What the hell is going on? What have we, as a nation, done? And what are we, as a nation, going to do to stop this madness?
We currently have a leader who does not do anything without a camera present. Every action, big and small, is touted as the best thing that's ever been done. Which to me, seems to diminish the impact of actual great things that might be done. And it causes me to ponder, Is the President able to distinguish the magnitudes of the various actions he is taking, or in his mind are they all the biggest and best? Is he paying attention to not just what he's signing but also to what the ramifications will be? Or are they all just photo opps?
After the election, the left was criticized for "taking Trump literally but not seriously," and the people who voted for him opined that they take him "seriously but not literally."
It turns out, as evidenced by the first five days in office, that everyone should have taken him both literally and seriously. He IS going to stop Muslim refugees from coming into the country and he IS going to actually build a wall on the US/Mexican border. He says he IS going to break NAFTA. He IS repealing healthcare without having an alternative plan in place. He has scrubbed the White House website of all references to climate change and has ordered the EPA to remove all references to climate change from its website. Let me repeat that. He has ordered the ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY to remove links to research and findings regarding climate change. He is reinstating CIA black sites, which is a first step toward reinstating torture. He has muzzled the NIH, the Department of the Interior, and the EPA, prohibiting them from communicating with the press without first clearing it with the White House.
This is just the first five days.
And all this while he is still doubling down, publicly and contentiously and without any evidence that he is willing to provide to the press or public, on his belief that he lost the popular vote due to outlandish and widespread illegal voter fraud.
He's overly concerned with photos showing his inaugural turnout was not as good as Obama's first inauguration. Seriously overly concerned. It's taking up his time and thought process.
Breathe. Breathe again.
And in between breathing we all need to get up and do something to counteract this madness. Not just once. Again and again and again.
And again.
As if our nation depends on it, and depends on us.
Because it does.
Deep breathing. Calm, relaxing mantras. Miles of quiet footfalls. Whatever it takes to reduce the stress that our newly elected leader is generating on what feels like an hourly basis.
What the hell is going on? What have we, as a nation, done? And what are we, as a nation, going to do to stop this madness?
We currently have a leader who does not do anything without a camera present. Every action, big and small, is touted as the best thing that's ever been done. Which to me, seems to diminish the impact of actual great things that might be done. And it causes me to ponder, Is the President able to distinguish the magnitudes of the various actions he is taking, or in his mind are they all the biggest and best? Is he paying attention to not just what he's signing but also to what the ramifications will be? Or are they all just photo opps?
After the election, the left was criticized for "taking Trump literally but not seriously," and the people who voted for him opined that they take him "seriously but not literally."
It turns out, as evidenced by the first five days in office, that everyone should have taken him both literally and seriously. He IS going to stop Muslim refugees from coming into the country and he IS going to actually build a wall on the US/Mexican border. He says he IS going to break NAFTA. He IS repealing healthcare without having an alternative plan in place. He has scrubbed the White House website of all references to climate change and has ordered the EPA to remove all references to climate change from its website. Let me repeat that. He has ordered the ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY to remove links to research and findings regarding climate change. He is reinstating CIA black sites, which is a first step toward reinstating torture. He has muzzled the NIH, the Department of the Interior, and the EPA, prohibiting them from communicating with the press without first clearing it with the White House.
This is just the first five days.
And all this while he is still doubling down, publicly and contentiously and without any evidence that he is willing to provide to the press or public, on his belief that he lost the popular vote due to outlandish and widespread illegal voter fraud.
He's overly concerned with photos showing his inaugural turnout was not as good as Obama's first inauguration. Seriously overly concerned. It's taking up his time and thought process.
Breathe. Breathe again.
And in between breathing we all need to get up and do something to counteract this madness. Not just once. Again and again and again.
And again.
As if our nation depends on it, and depends on us.
Because it does.
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