Trump, Prestidigitation And The Republican Agenda

Mr. Trump, the Republican party and the Republican-led congress are at it again.  Or perhaps I should say they are still at it because they have never stopped trying to fool the American people since Mr. Trump took office.  The sad part about this is that what they are doing is working.  Since Mr. Trump is championing and carrying forward the Republican agenda, with the obvious help of the Republican-led congress, by way of prestidigitation and his base is loving every minute of it as they boisterously  cheer him on, Republicans are content to put up with his antics.  Especially since these antics provide cover for the fact that their party’s agenda is heartless and just as vile as those eccentric behaviors which Mr. Trump proudly flaunts as the leader of their party and leader of the free world.

In the event that some readers might not be familiar with the word ‘prestidigitation’, please allow me to save you a trip to the online dictionary; it simply means sleight of hand, magic tricks, smoke-and mirrors or deception.  I suppose, since it is a seldom used non-household variety word, I used it as a ploy in an effort to assure that I would get your attention and somehow hold it.  The use of a ploy seems appropriate in light of the subject matter of this article.  And if the trick did grab your attention – even if you do not normally closely follow politics because it is too often too down in the gutter, involves too much mudslinging and is therefore frustrating for you, I hope that you will read this entire article.  Because if there was ever a time when Americans should (and must) overcome their frustrations and political battle fatigue and stand up and fight for what they believe in, that time is now!  It is important for all of us to realize that we have never had – and I believe that most Americans hope that we will never have again, no matter how much and how strongly we might disagree with one another – a leader of the free world like Mr. Trump!

Anyway, the things that the Department of Justice, Department of Education, Department of Commerce, Department of Treasury, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Homeland Security and etc. are doing are not just things that are occurring because they are out-of-control rogue Departments; they are carrying out the Republican agenda!  And Mr. Trump provides the perfect cover to allow this to happen!  While the entire nation is focused on trying to decide whether he is a racist, misogynistic, Islamophobic, white supremacist – among many other vile things – president, the Republican-led congress is quietly implementing the Republican agenda.  An agenda which serves and caters to the rich and powerful and has no regards for the poor and those without power.  And they are doing this even though they know that many of the other things that Mr. Trump is doing at the same time is a bona fide  threat to American democracy as we know it!  Hello, Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell!  Where are you?!

All of the scandals involving cabinet members in the Trump administration and the overall scandalous behavior that is taking place since Mr. Trump was elected should not come as a surprise.  Americans knew who Mr. Trump was before he was elected.  And yet, his supporters put him in office to lead America and represent our country in leading the free world.  Look what that got us; a man who is a consummate liar and who acts like an elementary school schoolyard bully!  In the words of Maya Angelou, “When someone shows you who they are, believe them.”  Too many Americans did not believe Mr. Trump.

Even so, due to the magnitude of these scandals and scandalous behavior along with the nonchalant response by our congress, especially under the existing circumstances, Americans should be in total shock.  It is easy to see that Mr. Trump’s campaign pledge to ‘drain the swamp’ in Washington has instead resulted in the creation of a larger swamp with more and larger alligators.  In fact, the swamp that he pledged to drain looks more like an aboveground septic tank.  The way that the White House is being run and the way that it is functioning smacks more like that of a reality TV show than that of the functioning of the residence of the most powerful man in the world.  It certainly does not function like the smooth running well-oiled machine that Mr. Trump has claimed that it is.  Surely only he could conjure that up and then actually believe it!

As a result of this bizarre situation that we find ourselves in, come November 2018, we should be prepared to show those sitting (pun intended because that is about all that they are doing) congressmen that we are holding them to account for the path that America is traveling as a result of the unchecked, unorthodox leadership of Mr. Trump.  We must stand at the ready to perform, not only our civic duty as Americans to vote but to do all that we can to assure that our country will be defended and protected against all enemies both foreign and domestic… despite any differences that we might have with one another as fellow Americans.  First and foremost we must protect our democracy!  We must not stand by and simply watch as politicians – for purposes of personal gain or loyalty to a party or president, stand by and watch our country be sold down the river by anyone; and especially if that someone is our president!

Mr. Trump was not a politician when he was elected and was not at the time hardwired to play politics; and perhaps he is not even a skilled politician now, but he certainly is, and has long been, a master charlatan.  He knows how to manipulate all of the people around him – which one can easily ascertain by the actions of our worm-like Republican-led congress, and he also knows his way around the television ratings world and that helps him in his ability to manipulate the news media in its coverage of him while he is at the same using the news media’s coverage of him to smear them and attack and ruin their own credibility.  Mr. Trump is obviously ignorant and shallow when it comes to the many complex issues that America is faced with and he is ill-equipped to deal with those issues in the way that a qualified and effective leader would deal with them.  Ergo, endless deflection and smoke-and-mirrors.  This is the full extent of what he has in his intellectual, altruistic, leadership and governmental experience toolbox.  And minus a congress with a spine, Mr. Trump’s gain is America’s loss.

All Americans regardless of party and partisan politics must step up now and say enough is enough!  We will not tolerate this kind of politics any longer!  And we will hold you to account come November 2018 and beyond no matter your party affiliation!  The best way for us to do this is by way of our vote.  So always remember, whether you are a Democrat, Republican or Independent, your vote is the most important one of all…unless you don’t use it!

Eulus Dennis – author, Operation Rubik’s Cube and Living Between The Line