Act now to deter Trump

There is not enough time in a day to digest and react to the many diversions President Trump and his administration toss out every news cycle, day in and day out.

Within the past few weeks we have heard about spousal abuse by Rob Porter, presidential staff secretary, with both the president and Chief of Staff John Kelly taking the abuser’s side. We have heard more than we need to know about the president’s alleged payoff to a porn star over an affair conducted soon after his wife, Melania, gave birth to son Barron; his proposal for a military parade to satisfy his fragile ego; and now the idea that arming teachers is the answer to gun violence. These are just a few examples of how these ridiculous — and, for most of us, embarrassing — antics distract from decisions and actions that will change the course of our democracy and our national security. We fiddle while Rome burns! And our world could do just that — burn — if we don’t get ahead of Trump’s new arms race. The administration has introduced a new nuclear arms policy just as a treaty signed by President Barack Obama eight years ago, promising that the United States and Russia would take a small step toward a world free of nuclear weapons, goes into full effect.

In his State of the Union address, President Trump vowed to build a nuclear arsenal “so strong and powerful that it will deter any acts of aggression.”

At the same time, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has released a new nuclear arms policy that calls for two new types of nuclear weapons.

By reversing the role of the United States from leader of an effort to rid the world of nuclear weapons to leading the world in aggressive nuclear tactics, the Trump administration is certain to restart a dangerous arms race. This should terrify us all because it takes only a single attack to unleash human suffering the likes of which the world has never seen.

There is a better, smarter approach to protecting America. One that emphasizes: diplomacy, reconciliation and peaceful conflict resolution; fighting terrorism with better intelligence and multilateral cooperation; a stronger nonproliferation program; humanitarian and economic aid that will give hope to people around the world; less spending on weapons systems and more on homeland security, human rights monitoring and energy independence.

War must be the very last resort. For the sake of the human race we must — and we can — learn to resolve our differences without resorting to violence and warfare.

All of this is up to us. Do we get embroiled in day-to-day activities or do we get involved in our future?