After the American Century
In one of the worst inaugural addresses in American history, the new Felon in Chief spouted falsities and insults, made vague promises, and proclaimed that the United States had entered a new golden age. There was not a single new idea in the speech, nor a single line that will be recalled with respect generations from now. The Republicans who repeated rose to their feet and clapped at his inanities demonstrated a level of servility and stupidity that I never thought possible in the United States.
Trump has pardoned the treasonous and in some cases murderous acts of thousands of men and women who attacked the Congress of the United States on January 6, 2021. That day will live in infamy, along with his false characterization of these convicted criminals as "political prisoners." They physically attacked the Congress. They maimed and murdered police officers, and they will always be remembered as a rabble of traitors inspired into action by Trump himself, who watched the attack on Congress in the White House and did nothing for hours. That he could be nominated and elected president is a now a permanent stain on the national character.
Trump denies the reality of global warming, and he has become a tool of the oil corporations, amping up CO2 emissions instead of leading the adoption of the wind and solar power, which are cheaper, which create more jobs, and which produce less pollution, than drilling for petroleum. Far from creating a golden age, he is hastening a global warming apocalypse. It will be measured in forest fires, frequent hurricanes, tornados, and irregular rainfall. And to make certain that these disasters cause long-term damage, he is now threatening to get rid of FEMA, the federal agency that deals with disasters. He says the problems can be dealt with at the state level. This is nonsense, as disasters do not respect borders. When the Mississippi rises over its banks, state borders do not halt the flood.
Trump has withdrawn from the World Health Organization, offering the idiotic reason that the US pays too much. If that were the problem, then he could negotiate rather that withdraw. He also attacked the WHO's handling on the COVID crisis, when it is he, Donald Trump, who is personally responsible for spreading disinformation about the disease, politicizing the response to the crisis, and undercutting the medical profession. Any doubts about Trump's stupidity on this issue are laid aside by his appointment of Mr. Kennedy to oversee the nation's health. He rejects the very idea of vaccination, including well-tested shots that have saved millions of lives.
Trump has resurrected the jingoistic language of Manifest Destiny and made factually inaccurate statements to justify his demands that the United States take over the Panama Canal, take control of Greenland, and annex Canada. This is naked imperialism and colonialism, and it has nothing to do with national security. The United States already has bases in Greenland, for example, which falls under the protection of NATO, since Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark, a NATO member. Trump's language and actions have aroused anger in Latin America, Canada, and the Nordic countries and poison relations with the European Union. A nation that attacks its friends on all sides is not entering a golden age.
Further lowering American prestige, Trump has threatened to raise a high tariff wall against imports from the EU, China, Canada, and Mexico. Such threats and blustering do not bring in a golden age. They bring in protectionism, bankrupt companies, higher prices, and weaker economies.
And to end a short list of Trump's recklessness and nasty behavior, he has launched an attack on undocumented immigrants to the United States and sent the army to close the Mexican border. This macho posturing is popular with his base, but it will not solve the problem, as many illegal immigrants come by plane on student or tourist visas and then remain after their expiration date. Moreover, several million "illegals" were brought to the United States as children, and they know no other country, but through no fault of their own are caught in a no-man's land with no citizenship. Nor will the economy improve if Trump drives out millions of people, many of them in housing construction and caring professions, such as nursing homes. The immigration problem is complex, and it will not be solved by sending troops to the border.
There is nothing noble about Mr. Trump. He is a bully, a liar, and a charlatan, and the above is a short list of only his most recent predations. If he carries out his full program, the United States will enter not a golden age but a dark tunnel of distrust. division, hatred, and chaos. The nation has already lost much of the world's respect. This is a wannabe emperor, not a president, and the "golden age" he conjures up is an illusion. The minister of the gospel and the teacher will long struggle to explain why this vain, corrupt, licentious, litigious, prevaricating felon could ever be elected president. He brings shame on the United States.
