The self-absorption of the President, his staff, and Cabinet has truly reached the official status of absurdity. Donald Trump literally tossed truth in the air yesterday and repeated claims of Mexican rapist, millions of fraudulent voters and displayed generally bizarre behavior. Speaking at what was supposed to be a substantive tax policy discussion held in White Sulphur Springs, W. Va. Trump was apparently unhappy with the prepared remarks. The prewritten statement was probably too dignified and closer to the truth than he wanted. Ever the showman, Trump tossed the printed remarks in the air and began his series of customary lies. His penchant for entertainment over substance is not only disturbingly dishonest, it is dangerous.
What Mr. Trump has succeeded in doing is to lead a chorus of off-key political singers into keeping time with his music. The avarice and one-upmanship of his staff have strained ethics to the breaking point. The current and potential criminal investigations are just the tip of the iceberg. Donald Trump may think he and his swampy Cabinet are floating unencumbered just above the surface, but their orange-tinged Titanic is taking on water.
Scott Pruitt, You’re Fired?
On any normal planet an EPA Director who had repeatedly sued the agency he now heads on behalf of fossil fuel interest; gave salary raises to friends, that equaled the average yearly income of many of his prior constituents in his native Oklahoma, and is renting Capitol Hill accommodations on a night to night basis at Pruitt’s convenience, for 50 bucks a pop, would unquestionably be fired. Pruitt professes to be “dumbfounded” and sees no conflicts although the renter is the wife of an energy lobbyist. In an area that easily rents the same space for 1500 to 4000 dollars a month, why would a renter not lease for a guaranteed monthly payment? Those breaches of protocol do not include the ‘Get Smart’cone of silence he commissioned for his office or a reported 18 to 30-man security team who guarded him and his family on a trip to Disneyland.
Unfortunately for the American public, this sort of malfeasance is not unusual for this White House. Payments from foreign governments to the disgraced former National Security Adviser, Michael Flynn, private planes, private meetings, excluding the American press, per the President’s orders, with Russian officials, in the Oval Office and thirty-thousand dollar dining tables; Whew, it is dizzying. The list of people fired, resigned or rejected is getting longer every day.
As a reminder, the Titanic hit the iceberg at 11:40 pm on April 14th, 1912 it sank approximately 2 hours and 40 minutes later. So, my advice to those in the administration who are ignoring the hazards just below the surface, the ship of fools need to abandon ship, the Captain has no honor or loyalty. The band is playing, the passengers are looking for life-jackets and there is no Carpathia on the way. Paraphrasing Trump follower, Roger Stone, Mr. Pruitt’s time in the barrel seems to have arrived. Scott had better use it as a floatation device because counting on a seat in the Trump lifeboat will only lead to drowning.
Vote in ’18 for Change