
I admit it. I’ve reached a point of deep frusÂtraÂtion with President Trump’s actions. I defÂiÂniteÂly believe there are likeÂly many Americans who feel similarly.
The litany of transÂgresÂsions is long.
Trump arbiÂtrarÂiÂly added his name to the Kennedy Center (even while some of his folÂlowÂers are makÂing plans to add it back after a court has ordered it removed), and proÂposed to build an overÂsized comÂmemÂoÂraÂtive arch in Washington D. C.
He wants to spend American tax dolÂlars to upgrade the D.C. golf coursÂes (which, ultiÂmateÂly no doubt would evenÂtuÂalÂly be adorned with his name).
He acceptÂed a 400 milÂlion dolÂlar airÂplane from a forÂeign counÂtry and claims it to be his.
He has filled his adminÂisÂtraÂtion with indiÂvidÂuÂals selectÂed more for loyÂalÂty than experÂtise, soleÂly to advance his own narÂrow visions.
He proÂposed to creÂate a $1.6 bilÂlion fund to pay off conÂvictÂed vanÂdals who trashed the seat of government.
He took this counÂtry into an unwarÂrantÂed and unnecÂesÂsary war.
He is in the process of spendÂing $600 milÂlion to make over the White House in his own image.
Some of his closÂest allies have sugÂgestÂed that the newest airÂcraft carÂriÂer soon set to join the fleet be named after Trump instead of the recÂogÂnized war hero, Doris Miller, after whom the carÂriÂer was schedÂuled to be named. Miller was awardÂed the Navy Cross — the secÂond highÂest merÂit award to be givÂen by the U.S. Navy — for his actions durÂing the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
Imagine changÂing the name of a U.S. Navy ship from someÂone who has been deemed a hero to the name of an indiÂvidÂual who dodged the draft, not once but five times, and one who has described vetÂerÂans as “chumps” and “losers.”
This is the ultiÂmate outrage!
It’s difÂfiÂcult to see how many serÂvice memÂbers or vetÂerÂans could supÂport a leader whose comÂments have been wideÂly interÂpretÂed as disÂmisÂsive of milÂiÂtary serÂvice and who conÂtinÂuÂalÂly debasÂes the roles of milÂiÂtary serÂvice members.
One may recall his response to a reporter’s quesÂtion about the length of the deployÂment of the USS Abraham Lincoln folÂlowÂing voluÂmiÂnous reports of low crew morale and failÂing perÂforÂmance stanÂdards when he comÂmentÂed that the deployÂment wasn’t “nearÂly long enough.”
Genius?
Abraham Lincoln, in an 1838 address, said, “Is it unreaÂsonÂable then to expect, that some man posÂsessed of the loftiÂest genius, couÂpled with ambiÂtion sufÂfiÂcient to push it to its utmost stretch, will at some time, spring up among us? And if such a one does, it will require the peoÂple to be unitÂed with each othÂer, attached to the govÂernÂment and laws, and genÂerÂalÂly intelÂliÂgent, to sucÂcessÂfulÂly frusÂtrate his designs. Distinction will be his paraÂmount object . . . ”
Lincoln was obviÂousÂly using the word “genius” in its most quinÂtesÂsenÂtial form — a perÂson who influÂences anothÂer for good or evil — not as most underÂstand the word today as someÂone of great knowlÂedge or intelÂlecÂtuÂal ability.
And so, under the origÂiÂnal usage, President Trump can sureÂly be conÂsidÂered a genius, but my defÂiÂnÂiÂtion of him would simÂply be avaricious.
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Every day, it seems, some new outÂrage is perÂpeÂtratÂed by the Trump adminÂisÂtraÂtion, someÂthing that should so inflame the American peoÂple that they would rise as one and demand of a flatÂuÂlent Congress that it exerÂcise even a modÂicum of its rightÂful authorÂiÂty and stop the excessÂes of this president.
As this is being writÂten, President Trump has just re-imposed a 50% tarÂiff on Canadian goods comÂing to the United States, a tarÂiff which will undoubtÂedÂly be recÂiÂpÂroÂcatÂed and which, as in the past, will result in many U.S. and Kentucky busiÂnessÂes sufÂferÂing. Nor should we forÂget that the preÂviÂous tarÂiffs were ruled unconÂstiÂtuÂtionÂal by the courts and huge refunds ordered to busiÂnessÂes. All this in addiÂtion to the ill will creÂatÂed with allies and long-time tradÂing partners.
So, yes, I’m fed up with this curÂrent adminÂisÂtraÂtion and the non comÂpos menÂtis indiÂvidÂual runÂning the whole thing.
The best one could hope for is that, after the upcomÂing mid-term elecÂtions, Trump will no longer have the overÂwhelmÂing conÂtrol over Congress that he now has and that, perÂhaps, his rapaÂcious appetite for self-aggranÂdizeÂment will be sumÂmarÂiÂly reined in.

