Am I reading this correctly? Did the US President actually ask during an immigration meeting with Senate and House members, “Why do we want all these people from ‘shithole countries’ coming here?…Yes, he said ‘shithole countries’ — apparently in reference to the fact that immigrants from places like El Salvador, Haiti and Africa were being protected in a potential bipartisan deal to preserve the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program and secure funding for border security…What’s even more appalling is that the White House didn’t even try to deny that Trump used that slur, which was first reported in The Washington Post.” (Source: CNN).
Seriously? When I first heard this, the word connoted something else to me: the large gaping hole above Trump’s chin.
Then, upon thinking about it further, it connoted something far more expansive: Congress and the Beltway Behemoths who continue to support Trump. Just replace the word “swamp” with…
This problem won’t be solved if Trump is removed from office or resigns. It won’t be solved with mid-term elections that could sweep Democrats into control of both houses of Congress. The problems are pervasive, and Trump’s outrageous comments help show just how much. Many Republicans continue to kowtow to Trump, and Democrats—for the most part—are just a different flavor of feces. (One exception is Bernie Sanders whose integrity and seeming lack of an uncontrollable potty mouth could actually put him in the thick of the presidential action come 2020.)
But I digress. My best friend, Fran Pool, remarked the other day that Trump is a reflection of this country’s bloated excess. I agree. He’s a reflection of a Congress with not nearly enough cojones. He’s a reflection of a constituency that, in its most extreme form, could constitute its own shithole country. He’s a reflection of a culture far too focused on the inane and insane instead of the values that did indeed make this country great.
In other words, Trump is “We the People” on steroids. He’s the seedy embodiment of a citizenry that seems dedicated to following the path taken by Rome’s decline and fall.
Despite all this, I’m an optimist. I believe we will survive and go on to thrive. Trump’s actions and words ultimately will serve to bring positive direction to this country—because they will force us to reassess what is truly valuable and important. But, he’s just the messenger—the galvanizing spokesperson for all this. We the People will need to seriously reevaluate our priorities and go in a decidedly more positive direction before we can climb out of this swamp. It’s gonna be rough for awhile.
So, strap on your seatbelts and prepare for the shitstorm ahead.
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Mark Lusky, aka The Happy Curmudgeon, has voted for Democrats, Republicans and a Libertarian in presidential elections going back 30 years. As the owner of a 35-year-old, Denver-based marketing communications firm, he is a political malcontent who often quips support for “Thunder the Wonder Puppy” as a presidential candidate. (Too bad George Carlin is no longer among us to make a run—although he likely would have known better.)
happycurmudgeon.com 