How is Donald Trump spending his last 50 odd days in office? It’s getting more bizarre each day. Presidential temper tantrums. Reality-defying delusions. Daily rounds of golf in the middle of a rapidly escalating pandemic. A pardon for Michael Flynn. And lots of lies.
Did you read about Trump letting his hair turn grey? About Ivanka tweeting that she’s going to the moon and Mars? Did you see Rudy Giuliani sweat a stream of hair dye at a news conference at the Four Seasons Total Landscaping Company? Or have you been focusing on election fraud? Will Trump’s attack on Georgia Governor Brian Kemp reverse the state’s certification of Biden’s win? Will Trump run in 2024, perhaps launching his campaign on January 20, 2021?
You can’t make this stuff up. It won’t take much for Oliver Stone to produce a movie about him.
Unfortunately, there are 49 more days of this circus remaining. We want to take a large sleeping pill and wake up only after it’s over but worry too much about what might come next to do that. Our friends warn us, “the worst might be yet to come.”
We are not yet done with the Orange Menace. Will Trump blow his top and start a war?
I’m irritated. Logically, relief will come when Trump leaves DC and heads for Mar-a-Lago. Unfortunately, that won’t be the end of the Trump story. Only now are we starting to get a full appreciation for the depth of the damage done not only by his final clown acts, but by Trump’s full four-year record. Trump demonstrated to the world that American democracy can produce a president like, well, Trump.
Billions of dollars have been spent over the last 50 years by the U.S. and others in the belief that all countries benefit from constitutional democracy. We were an example of a stable, free, and successful nation. Many countries sought to follow our example, often with our encouragement. Some nations even went to war against forces that rejected democracy.
Today, faith in democracy is on the decline. Trump has contributed to this trend. Trump, to many, makes the Chinese authoritarian system look attractive. Could a Donald Trump rise to power in their system? Probably not. This, of course, doesn’t mean an authoritarian system of government is preferable to democracy, even a challenged one. One only need look to the recent history of Hong Kong and the Chinese government’s treatment of minorities to see that. Or to Putin’s Russia. But there is no denying Trump has undermined confidence in democracy as the best means of producing a government with the best interests of the people as its goal. Awareness of Trump’s racism, his denial of climate change, and his personal greed is well known across the world. He’s made the U.S. a laughingstock. Far worse, he has shattered the belief that the U.S. is the last best hope for mankind.
The long-term damage to America’s relations with its allies is also part of the Trump legacy. NATO allies logically will question the commitment of the U.S. to the organization. Asian countries, including Japan, Vietnam, and even Australia, now question whether trade agreements with the U.S. can be relied on. Even if Biden totally reverses Trump policies, allies are likely to ask what prevents another Trump-like president from reversing Biden.
One other Trump legacy is the reminder he provided the world about the state of U.S. race relations. Any perception that the U.S. was moving beyond its shameful history of racism was destroyed by Trump praising white nationalists, opposing efforts to dismantle confederate monuments, and treating immigrants as criminals.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. The picture of children being separated from their parents and tossed into for-profit jails is hard to forget. How can America exercise moral leadership in the world with this image still fresh in the world’s collective mind?
Much more of the Trump legacy is yet to be recognized. It is likely that Trump, his family, and his cronies will be prosecuted for crimes in State and Federal courts. The world will be educated on the quality of the people who ran the country for four years. They will also get a lesson in American capitalism that, even if partially true, undermines our credibility.
Joe Biden’s work is cut out for him. With each passing day, we are learning that the mess Biden has been elected to clean up is much worse than imagined.
J.E. Dean of Oxford is a retired attorney and public affairs consultant. For more than 30 years, he advised clients on federal education and social service policy.
John Fischer says
Our combo-nightmare is Mr, Trump will never go away and, consequently, week after week, long-suffering readers of The Spy will be faced with the diatribes of the obsessed Trump biographer, Mr. J. E. Dean.
John Dean says
Thank you for your comment. You will be happy to know that I am not writing a biography of Mr. Trump. I also anticipate not writing about Trump once he is safely out of office. On January 21, 2020, our long national nightmare will be over. I will have to find something else to obsess about.
Stephen Schaare says
Hi there, No, not what you might expect.one thing. J.E., How, in the name of God,have you endured living in this terrible country, under such awful leadership these past four years? Are you a masochist?
John Dean says
No, I am not a masochist. It has, however, been difficult living here during the Trump presidency. The lies, Trump’s lack of empathy, his incompetence in responding to the pandemic, his treatment of immigrants, and his denial of climate change have been painful. Fortunately, once it was clear that Trump had lost the election, I could stop any consideration of moving abroad.
Charles Barranco says
Mr Schaare, like many of us, Mr Dean, like myself have endured the carnage of the Orange Waste and his entourage of enablers, criminals and liars.
Many of us were hoping the GOP leadership would get a backbone, however that was to much to expect from that spineless bunch of grifters. Unfortunately, none of them would do the right thing.
Stephen Schaare says
Hi Mr. Barranco, Strong word, carnage. Would you please share with readers, in detail, How Trump destroyed your family? Do you still have a bank account? Has your vehicle been towed away. Do you still have a place to live? Please, do share. We are all very curious.
Bruce Jones says
“They will also get a lesson in American capitalism that, even if partially true, undermines our credibility.“
What does this mean; how does it derive from the theme of Mr Dean’s article? Is American capitalism worse than European or Asian capitalism? How does it undermine our credibility? Maybe readers are not expected to read critically.
John Dean says
Thank you for commenting. I expect Trump and members of his family to be indicted for tax fraud and other crimes in the near future. The details of how the Trumps ran their family business will be viewed by some as examples of American capitalism. I do not believe American capitalism is any worse than any other type. It compares well when compared with capitalism in many countries. Unfortunately, at least for the time being, Trump exemplifies America in the minds of people across the world.
Charles D Zvirman says
Forgive my ignorance but I just don’t follow your post or logic. Capitalism is an economic theory and in its noblest pursuit, perhaps an aspiration. It does not subscribe to a list of ‘whose is better’ so your references to Asian and European capitalism or economies may make for good talking points in a world of faux rage, but hold no tangible leverage.
The Trump administration is an assault on Democracy and the fealty to a ‘ruler’ undermines that aspiration not only to US citizens but to people around the world, again for whom America is also an aspiration. As Ronald Reagan paraphrased, “America is a shining city upon a hill whose beacon light guides freedom-loving people everywhere”.
I just don’t know what are the fundamental principles that guide Donald Trump. I’m not sure I want to know and sadly, I’m not sure he does either.
On a more patriotic note, “Thank you, God bless you, and may God Bless the United States of America.”
Barack Obama 2008
John Dean says
Thank you for your substantive comment. No need to apologize. I agree with you–capitalism is an economic theory and in its noblest pursuit perhaps an aspiration. Perhaps clumsily, I equated public perceptions with reality. Some, in Europe and elsewhere, are likely (at least in my view) to see Trump exemplify American capitalism. I was trying to say that, but, with the benefit of hindsight, should have discussed the difference between perception and reality a bit more.
In any case, thank you for a thoughtful comment. I learned from it.
Steve Slack says
Oh Gee! I totally misread the headline. I thought the second part was “Assessing the damage done by J.E. Dean.”
Linda Baker says
Mr Dean, I don’t understand while the country is in turmoil, and no one knows who won the election, as the electorals don’t meet until Dec 14th, you can write such a nasty column full of unknowns and derogatories. Biden has been told by the news media he won, not the electorals. You for one should know that! You stated Trump would be arrested for tax fraud. My question is what about Biden and his son Hunter, who have been doing back door deals with Ukraine and China, and the fact that all of this information is on Hunter’s laptop the FBI has, as well as child pornography, dealing in sex trafficking, etc. Why has the mainstream media not talked about that and brushed it under the rug? Trump has detached himself from his business, his sons run it, he takes no salary as president, he gives to the vets, hospice, Alzheimer’s, etc. No compassion? He has called more families of fallen soldiers, police officers, and some people that he saw in the news with misfortune. He has done 100 times more for people as president than any of the recent presidents before him. So don’t talk about what you don’t know about! I’ve decided you were a “hippie” of the 60’s and probably handed most things in life. Thus your reason for giving everyone everything, no need to work for it and earn it on your own, as I was taught. Also, 1. Obama and Biden built the “cages” as you call them at the border and set up border patrol holding people crossing the border illegally. 2. Trump is for legal immigration, you come thru legally, not cut in front of everyone else and not follow our country rules. Aren’t you supposed to have studied law??
Stephen Schaare says
Hi Ms. Baker, Thank you for your contribution yesterday. So unusual to find a kindred spirit. I used to offer lengthier comments, but in time realized nothing was to be gained. The same exact lies repeated again and again by Mr. Dean. For some time, I believed it was “an act”, that he was “putting us on”. I never thought it possible that an individual having attained later adulthood, could possibly harbor such hate, loathing and contempt for a fellow human being. No, Ms. Baker, Dean does not know the difference between legal and illegal immigration. He truly does not know that separating children and caging them at the southern border was started by his messiah, Obama, in 2014. And of course the trump card of racism. Donald Trump did more to improve the lives of African Americans than Obama would have in ten terms.Obama never had the decency, or “Empathy”, in eight years to visit the southside of Chicago to perhaps address the butchery of black on black homicide. Such empathy.
Thank you again. Most likely my praise will not reach you, for I have spoken some “inconvenient truths”. Please do not expect a reply from Mr. Dean. He does not like being confused with the facts.
Linda Baker says
Hi Mr Schafer, your reply made it. As I too questioned whether mine would get thru also. It’s nice to see Talbot Spy is letting both sides speak. I agree with everything you said, and have seen previously you also trying to share the positives of this president. I’m guessing some people only watch the main stream media and believe their nonsense. Hopefully, it will all be revealed one day. Thank you for your reply, and the sharing of support.
Stephen Schaare says
Hi Ms. Baker, Yes! A win/win/win 👍
Deirdre LaMotte says
I’m very sorry but this is delusional talk. I know
having a rational talk with a die hard Trump supporter is like trying to ask a pitiful Jim Jones
disciples not to drink from the Dixie cup…
but Really? You are supporting this absolutely
embarrassing human who thinks you’re nothing but a fool? Well, if you have billions he may “respect” you. Hey, you may even get an invitation to his White Trash With Money pent house! That. Is. his. Measure. Of. human. worth.
Of course many of his rube supporters have that battered women syndrome and love being totally dissed
Jesus. WTH is wrong with our fellow
“citizens”? This, not a pathetic Trump, is really scary