Please bear with this letter as it may be fragmented since there are so many things to address.
The last 6 weeks of the new regime in Washington has “flooded the zone” in exactly the manner that Steve Bannon prescribed. Seemingly bent on the removal of things that our president doesn’t like, finds to be “woke” or in some way is connected to his “persecution” over the last four years.
I was disgusted by the way in which the so-called leader of the free world and his toady, the vice president (I refuse to capitalize these terms as related to these specific individuals) embarrassed this nation before a global audience. If they wanted to end support for Ukraine, they did not need that senseless show of rudeness (I cannot at present think of a stronger word that might be family-friendly). They could have simply said, no rare earth metals, no deal and excused the real leader in that room to return to defending his country from the invasion that is killing his people. Then, our secretary of defense ended cyber operations against Russia. and this morning, it was announced that the US has ceased intelligence support to Ukraine. This signals to me, most Americans and certainly our international allies that the United States is abdicating partnership with those allies in favor of an unwritten alliance with Russia. I ask all who read this…who does that benefit? How does this make America great?
After watching the current occupant of the White House bluster his way through a speech to Congress last night, I pieced together the following:
The MAGA/Project 2025 agenda requires the MAGA adherents to see only the bright, shiny object that is the latest sound bite. Forget any thought about the underlying systems that work together in that thing that the sound bite is attacking. It is only the shiny thing that matters. Overly simplistic solutions to complex systems of problems and the governmental measures that ensure fairness, freedom, and liberty for the most people possible. The shiny thing(s) have been used, with a kernel of truth here and there to sell the lie that all of government is wasteful, inept and/or corrupt….in order to break the systems that shallow thinkers don’t understand and protect THEM from governmental, corporate threats, abuse and risks. Overly simplistic solutions to overly simplified problems that sound like what the Felon in Chief called “common sense”. It is anything but. The last six weeks have been exercises in throwing babies out in the bath water and cutting off noses to spite faces. REAL FIXES REQUIRE THOUGHT. Nobody in their right mind would hire a barista to remove a brain tumor. (no offense intended to baristas or any other skilled person here….but baristas and others are not brain surgeons)…..But that is what America voted for.
I have written in this section of the Spy a few times. I have and will continue to call for civility in our discourse. But the conversation just keeps getting harder.
James Siegman
Talbot County
Talbot County
Darrell Parsons says
Thank you for continuing to write!
James Siegman says
Thanks for the encouragement! Time is my issue. I wish there was more of it to devote to this pursuit…I wish I could reach a broader audience. I feel like many here are like minded and so my efforts to win some hearts and minds were won before they started. But, I will keep after it. If nothing else…this is an outlet to reflect and observe the state of our nation that helps ME stay somewhat sane.