“Patriotism is the last refuge, to which a scoundrel clings … steal a little and they put you in jail, steal a lot and they make you king.” (Samuel Johnson/Bob Dylan)
As I write on July 4, most Americans are celebrating our independence from King George of England in 1776. Now 242 years later, we are faced with the same situation — ridding ourselves of a tyrannical despot who would be king. His transgressions are many: criticism and disdain for the judicial system, FBI and CIA; denigration and sexual abuse of women; racism as seen in refusing entry to Muslims and others; improper detention of illegal immigrants and their children seeking refuge; failure to act on global warming and wanton destruction of the environment; inadequate assistance to farmers, other workers, unions and businesses small and large — through ill-conceived tariffs and aiding economic competitors like China and Russia; failure to address the nation’s antiquated infrastructure; attempts to undo affordable health care; diminishing our public education system by inequitably supporting private schools, and many more.
This has been done to encourage fear and hatred among insecure, desperate citizens, so as to solidify his support, and increase the wealth of the president and his cronies. His new tax laws were designed to give the 99 percent small gains while favoring the 1 percent. Instead of hiring the “best people,” he has instead filled the “swamp” to overflowing with the worst self-serving, short-sighted and often downright criminal appointees. The president is supposed to represent all the people and act for the common good. He has done just the opposite.
As terrible as all this is, his actions and lack of them involving other nations is even more disturbing. Without knowledge or concern, without advice or consent of others more experienced, this pretender makes decisions and changes them willy-nilly, tweeting furiously instead of communicating properly. He lashes out blindly and jealously at our allies and denigrates their leaders, doing whatever necessary to demonstrate that he alone rules. Thorough analysis of his insecure and needy psyche, his pathological lying and the rest, is both easy to do, but beside the point. His behavior is what counts.
So NAFTA, NATO, WTO et al are endangered as he circles the wagons, abandoning decades of hard-fought gains and agreements. Instead Trump curries favor with our ‘enemies’ assisting their corporations and military while outsourcing jobs and weakening our defenses. And in China, Russia and elsewhere, wherever there’s profit to be made for his family and friends, that comes before true American enterprise. The “Art of the Deal” indeed.
But worst and most dangerous is his obvious collusion with the world’s dictators. When elected, he swore to abide by and defend the Constitution and to protect the country from threats from abroad, yet he had already enlisted Russian assistance to win, making that oath meaningless. Instead he consorts with Philippine strongman Rodrigo Duarte, the brutal North Korean leader, and Russia’s Vladimir Putin, who has designs on most of Europe and beyond. Recognizing his need to be viewed as powerful like them, they are easily able to manipulate him for their own ends.
When Putin swears he didn’t interfere with our democratic process nor is doing it again, Trump believes him, hoping he’ll be accepted as an equal. The same is true for the lock-step GOP in Congress and beyond who have almost completely forgone their traditional conservative suspicions of Russia, support for our allies, and defense of our freedom.
There are now reports that the U.S. will turn a blind eye to Putin’s illegal annexation of Crimea, and will join Russia and Israel in effectively giving dictator Bashar al-Assad all of Syria.
His behavior goes against everything in America’s interests, and empowers our enemies to undermine our security. Even Nixon’s nefarious actions were aimed at political opponents and others within our borders; he stood strong against foreign tyranny.
The Founding Fathers anticipated a populist president, but not one who does not care about his country, only himself.
The Recorder printed The Declaration of Independence, which is the best reminder of why we rebelled against British rule and formed our own sovereign nation.
It includes numerous parallels to the current crisis and lays the foundation for the necessary actions taken.
It states “when a long train of abuses and usurpations evidences a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty to throw off such Government and provide new Guards for their future security… a Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.”
I remain hopeful that when Robert Mueller’s patiently complete and impartial investigation — including information gotten from former aides to Trump — is revealed, justice will prevail. Elden Rosenthal, a member of the Southern Poverty Law Center, which defends our freedoms with dogged determinism and excellent results, writes that “all along the way, trial lawyers (and I would add some judges and a free press) have been in the trenches fighting to assert the rights of the disadvantaged and disfavored … It can happen here (totalitarian rule) but we have the rule of law. It is the one thing that does make us different from nations which have descended into darkness.”
However, we cannot count on this for the needed result. We the people must continue to speak up, act out and maintain pressure on the powers that be in every way possible. Then hopefully, if other measures fail, the voters will recognize the truth and throw the greedy thieves, con artists and turncoats out in November and beyond, paving the way for us to be able to say to our president: “You’re FIRED!”
“When all is said and done, it seems to me, that we need to stand up, for the liberties, of this sweet land, and we need to do it today, it’s the only way we’ll stay free. Oh say can you see … my beautiful America, of thee I sing” (from the song “Hopeful Moments”)
David Fersh lives in Charlemont.