Donald Trump will not be impeached. Nancy Pelosi acknowledged that fact awhile ago. After the release of William Barr's four page letter, it's clear he won't be charged with conspiracy or obstruction of justice. Richard Cohen goes back to three presidents to put Trump's presidency in perspective:
Robert Dallek begins a section of his superb biography of John F. Kennedy, “An Unfinished Life,” with three quotes. The first is President Theodore Roosevelt’s famous one about the “bully pulpit.” Trump uses his to belittle his critics and spread misinformation.
The second quote is from Franklin D. Roosevelt: “The presidency . . . is pre-eminently a place of moral leadership.” Who can claim Trump as a moral leader? Not even the infinitely adaptable Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.) can say that.
And the third quote is from President Harry S. Truman: “On my desk I have a motto which says ‘The buck stops here.’ ” With Trump, the buck never stops. He is forever blaming others for his own shortcomings. Taken together, the three quotes encapsulate the obligations and responsibilities of the modern presidency. Trump whiffs on all three.
It's clear, Cohen writes, that Trump and his real colluders -- the Republicans -- have to go. But Cohen doesn't have faith in the Democrats:
The Democratic Party, a mob of the unready, has set off to alienate the vast middle of the American electorate. It talks of socialism, as though the voters are clamoring for the government to take over General Motors. It suggests breaking up megacompanies such as Amazon, as though its customers feel abused by low prices and Shazam-fast delivery. (Amazon founder and chief executive Jeffrey P. Bezos also owns The Post.) The Democratic Party has presidential candidates who endorse universal Medicare without acknowledging its cost or what it would do to private insurance. It has candidates who support reparations for the descendants of slaves — a morally correct impracticality and, I would imagine, a hard sell in the sad areas of the country that Trump carried. Try making the argument to an out-of-work coal miner.
However, it's precisely the vast middle that has to repudiate Trump. One wonders if they're smart enough to do it.
Image: Quora
14 comments:
It is interesting how parallel our two countries are. The government in the States suffered much as we did with the lesser of two evils when called upon to vote or certainly hard decisions. A population divided at present with no real light at the end of the tunnel. So why wouldn't the Democrats throw a few "Sunny ways" into the political arena in the form of universal healthcare? They can always retract as we have witnessed. I shudder to think what our latest fiasco will bring this fall. To quote H.L. Mencken again. "The people get the Government they deserve and they deserve to get it good and hard". Vote Green.
I think I'll just turn my attention from Washington to more productive things - as far as possible. American domestic politics is like watching a slow-motion train wreck and counting bodies. No thanks.
I'd rather fight fascism taking hold in our country, beginning with its real bastion - Alberta.
I find myself thinking more and more of Mencken these days, zoombats. When I was fresh behind the ears, I thought he was a bitter old man. Now, I'm beginning to think he was right.
Like you, Mound, I'm coming to the conclusion that "the great experiment" is doomed.
Also from Mencken, posing as Nostradamus:
"As democracy is perfected, the office of the president represents,
more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great
and glorious day, the plain folks of the land will reach their
heart's desire at last, and the White House will be occupied by a
downright fool and complete narcissistic moron."
H. L. Mencken, The Baltimore Evening Sun, July 26, 1920
We have all but the clown, but he's right there on the opposition benches. Given David Beers' dredging up of the 2015 litany of Con Sin, it becomes apparent that the choices of offer aren't really choices, and that the pain may only be as protracted as the death throes of civilization.
I agree, Danneau. As time passes, it seems that Mencken was really onto something. It's not easy to accept his conclusion. But, more and more, the evidence moves in his direction.
I don't think that Mencken had too high an opinion of those that make up the rest or us: in the words of one of Chainsaw Mike's cabinet ministers whose name I've forgotten, the "powerless losers". I think Mencken would have agreed with him. But of course, he wouldn't have been wrong.
When it came to the common folk, John, Mencken was pitiless. Hr covered the Scopes Monkey Trial and didn't have a good word for the citizens of rural Tennessee. He was insufferable. But he also knew ignorance when he saw it.
Glad to see democracy is back in voters' hands after the "Resistance" (truth to power, man!) failed to nullify the 2016 election results.
Perhaps Democrats should try putting forward some (serious) policy ideas in place of sky-screaming hysteria. Like (real) healthcare reform. Infrastructure spending.
Resting on the laurels of FDR, is getting old. Same with all the hollow virtue-signalling.
Democracy, like The Donald, is the best of all worse alternatives. Maybe the Democrats will offer a real alternative to Trump in 2020. Tulsi Gabbard is looking good. You can tell by all the negative press she gets!
-CC
“No one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public.” I think one of my favourites. Oh yeah and the one about when a" cynic smells flowers he looks around for the coffin". I think he had to be the original curmudgeon.
Given the fact that Trump signalled today that he wants to completely sink Obamacare, its a sure bet that the conversation will switch, CC. No collusion? These folks were -- and are -- too incompetent to collude. They're screw-ups.
He was, zoombats. He never saw the world through rose coloured glasses.
This what The Donald tweeted today about healthcare:
'The Republican Party will become “The Party of Healthcare!”'
Given how "Tariff Man" delivered on killing "terrible trade deals," it will be very interesting to see what he has up his sleeve.
The Clintons and Obama delivered lousy healthcare reform because they got donations and speaking fees from the healthcare insurance industry. One could argue, Trump has different incentives.
My guess is that if he gets Democrats on board with some public/private hybrid system like the Medicare-Option (what Obama promised: literal Medicare-For-All,) he will share the credit, like he did with the First Step Act he spearheaded. (Which freed People of Color caught up in the Clinton's "era of mass incarceration.")
The Donald is really a classy guy!
-CC
That's what his supporters claim, CC. But, as one New York City official said decades ago, "I wouldn't believe a word he says -- even if his tongue were notarized."
Post a Comment