Getting More and More Confused (And Slightly Bemused)

The recent happenings with our president has me baffled (more baffled than I usually am). He ran his campaign as a populist but, as the columnist Dana Milbank has said, he is now governing as a plutocrat. What are we to make of this?

Well, it's beginning to look like he hoodwinked a lot of people. He said he was going to help those that government has left behind and that he was going to do a lot of good things, really, really fast. But it seems the main thing he is doing fast it trying to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and, more specifically, he seems hell-bent not so much on that as on looking for ways to benefit some of his already very-well-off constituents.

I'm wondering when there will be a backlash against his actions? That is, from the voters he promised to help.

My sense is that it will happen way down the road and happen in unexpected ways. And it will lead to impeachment. I'm not Nostradamus, nor do I play him on TV, but the situation reminds me of how other mighty ones have been taken down. Particularly how certain dictators were driven out of their countries. They come in as saviors and leave as pissed-off Judas Iscariots.

The Book, Trump Revealed

I have finished the excellent book by Michael Kranish and Marc Fisher, Trump Revealed: An American Journey of Ambition, Ego, Money, and Power. The writers write for the Washington Post. A stunning book--detailed (there are about 60 pages of notes), well-written, and fair.

What did I learn about President Trump?

One key takeaway is that, for Trump, virtually any publicity is good publicity. In the book, Trump talks about his first divorce and he appears almost gleeful because he sees it as a boon to his businesses.

Another point that stood out was his apparent lack of friendships. In a way, it was sad. You could see he was a bit apologetic for not having friends, but he brushed that off by saying, essentially, his businesses having always been all-consuming.

Another point that stood out is how little Trump had to say about his parents. About his dad, he just kept repeating something to the effect, "My dad showed me the business and I will always be grateful for that." And about his mom, he basically just said she was a good woman and that he loved her.

I'll write more about the book in the future.

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Promises in Peril?

I am in the middle of reading an interesting (and long) article by Jenna Johnson in The Washington Post titled, "'I will give you everything.' Here are 282 of Donald Trump's campaign promises." It packs quite a punch. It simply takes the president at his word. They are the things he said on the campaign trail.

Here are some I find the most interesting:

--"Create at least 25 million jobs and 'be the greatest jobs president that God ever created.'"

--"Bring back manufacturing jobs from China, Mexico, Japan and elsewhere. States that can expect a rush of jobs include Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Michigan, Ohio, Florida, New Hampshire, Iowa, Nevada, New York and Virginia."

--"'Get Apple to start building their damn computers and things in this country, instead of in other countries.'"

--"Make the auto industry in Michigan 'bigger and better and stronger than ever before.' Trump plans to return to the state each time a new factory or auto plant opens."

--"Bring the coal industry back to life in the Appalachian Mountain region."

--"Release his tax returns as soon as an Internal Revenue Service audit is complete."

--"Refuse to eat another Oreo until Nabisco fully moves production back to the United States from Mexico."

So far it's an interesting article (I've read up to #63).

Yet, something tells me that President Trump will not do well with these promises. It's rather depressing.

I think I'll go eat a whole bag of Oreos.

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Sins and Misdemeanors

It seems the president and Attorney General Jeff Sessions have been in the news. I guess there's no news there. Yet, for the president, not much of it has been good. It seems every day a new brouhaha is brewing, or boiling over.


The latest being (as of a few days ago) that Sessions spoke to a Russian ambassador twice during the presidential campaign, yet when he was in his confirmation hearing, he denied talking to anyone from Russia.


Yet, common sense would seem to dictate he mention that during the confirmation hearing. It is a red flag that he didn't. But, he has decided to recuse himself from any upcoming Russia-Trump investigation.


That is good news. Yet, a number of Democrats in Congress think that's not enough. They think he should resign from his position as Attorney General. As an goodwill gesture I think those Democrats should back off. It was an error on Session's part. An error of omission, not a sin of commission.