Credit where credit is due
Earlier this year, Donald Trump, speaking before the United Nations General Assembly, stated, “I have accomplished more in two years than any president in American history.” The audience laughed. Why? Trump was certainly accurate and undeniably correct. Allow me to enumerate just some of the lofty goals he has achieved.
After losing the popular vote, and against the will of the majority, he proceeded to pollute the swamp he promised to drain by surrounding himself with bigoted advisers and a staff of individuals, many of whom have connections to the now-proven Russian election tampering. Trump, who frequently called the election “rigged,” was correct, but in his favor.
Next, he cobbled together a Cabinet of millionaires unbelievably unsuited to the department they were selected to lead. Frequent turnovers would result as evidence of self enrichment, conflicts of interest, cronyism, illegal spending and scandal surfaced. Replacements have continued to damage our future — as do intentions to severely limit or eliminate health care; raising rent on public housing for the poor; restricting food assistance; the seizure and sale of public lands and parks; and climate denial. While dire and imminent consequential scientific evidence emerges, the administration withdrew from the Paris Agreement, removed websites and eliminated department experts, all the while promoting coal mining, easing or canceling regulations on fracking, carbon and mercury emissions, and effectively gutting the Clean Air Act.
Trump has consistently saluted and praised the world’s most brutal and ruthless dictators, despots and autocrats. He has defended white supremacists and neo-Nazis, while criticizing and insulting leaders of our friends and allies. He has created an atmosphere of racial intolerance not seen for decades. He has separated thousands of children from their parents seeking asylum in the land of the free and jailed them in government camps. He has defended and pardoned a convicted racist.
Trump engineered and passed a tax bill that was intended solely to benefit the very wealthy, while doing very little or nothing for everyone else. The bill, meanwhile, created a record-setting national debt and deficit. Trump has imposed damaging tariffs on countries resulting in higher consumer costs for Americans, layoffs and companies moving offshore.
He has withdrawn from treaties, agreements, commitments and promises to our international allies and friends, unleashing distrust, dismay, disrespect and contempt for a once-reliable nation.
Trump has lied to Americans well over 4,000 times. He has attacked the press by inventing “fake news ” for anything written about him that damages his fragile ego, clearly proving he doesn’t understand the First Amendment.
He continually insults and demeans gays, transgenders, Muslims, Mexicans, the disabled, military heroes, student gun victims, sexual assault survivors, world leaders and even members of his own administration. He creates and subscribes to bizarre and crazy conspiracy theories. He pays off prostitutes, yet dismisses the multiple sexual assault charges against him.
Meanwhile, his cowardly lackeys in Congress, led by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, blithely pass bills written by lobbyists and special interest groups, ignoring the fact they were elected to represent the views and wishes of their constituents.
Trump continues to lie — about crowd size, convoy threats, climate and unrest despite the bomb mailings, health care and almost everything else. After the tragic synagogue shooting, his comment was, “I had a bad hair day.”
Despite all these “accomplishments,” a majority of his illinformed, information-free base continue to support him, boasting their MAGA caps … Make America Gasp Again.
This is not a laughing matter.
Jay Redack, a multi-Emmy Awardwinning producer and network executive, has lived in Santa Fe with his wife, Teri, for 10 years.