Opinion Editorials, February 2017

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Emperor Trump and Republicans: America's Dangerous Descent into Symbiotic Dictatorship By Ben Tanosborn Al-Jazeerah, CCUN, February 27, 2017

US Media gave us Trump… but it seems unlikely that same media will take him away. It’s beginning to look as too formidable a task, unless there is a quick transformation of the mutualism that exists between the Republican congressional majority and the Emperor in the White House wearing no clothes while narcissistically touting sartorial acumen.
 
And that transformation just isn’t likely to happen.  Not when Trump provides a perfect conduit for conservatives to bring to fruition an agenda that will try to dismantle any and all economic and social progress arduously achieved during the last nine decades; laying waste to an imperfect-but-workable safety net, and redefining civil and economic rights; all changes accentuating a haves and have-nots society, readily casting aside the most vulnerable among us.
 
The GOP did not choose Donald Trump to be its candidate for the presidency of the US.  It was Donald Trump who chose the Republican Party as his easily accessible ladder to reach the zenith of his ultimate reality show: the throne of the US Empire.  Considering himself as Zeus’ heir, Trump entered and took over Mount Olympus with an entourage of political demigods.
 
And those demigods, represented by the legislative troops commanded by Paul Ryan (House) and Mitch McConnell (Senate) provide the Republican majorities in the 115th US Congress that will help legislate the dismantling.  A  non-political Trump, with a past proclaimed disdain for both political parties, is using the GOP as his symbiotic host in a relationship likely to discharge narcissistic orgasms for “the Donald,” and excremental byproducts for much of American society: perhaps 80 percent of the population.
 
Solely as a populist, Trump would not have obtained more that 20 percent of the total vote… composed largely by economically-disaffected voters, legion of entrenched bigots, and a notable number of voters with membership in both groups.  It was a large conservative contingent of Republicans with specific agendas, however, that saw an opportunity in following Trump’s yellow brick road to reach their conservative Oz, that determined Trump’s election.  The purists in the GOP ranks were too few to make a significant difference, some of them surrendering post-election to the siren’s call to power accepting, and often seeking, roles in Trump’s cast of bootlickers in search of prestige and/or power.
 
Both Trump and the Republican Party saw in their symbiotic relationship access to long term political power, converting the US form of government defined by separation of powers to one which will de facto bring about unification of powers, after opportunities are realized during Trump’s quadrennial to change the current 4-4 Supreme Court to one with a probable 6-3 judicial mandate (conservative), which would put the US on the road to become an authoritarian-republic with a novel definition of democracy coined by a power elite intent in taking the nation into eventual acceptance of a circumventive dictatorship.
 
In just one month since Trump took the reins of government, the United State has become the land of Trump fairy tales, not just for Americans, but for the entire world.  And all these tales seem to have the same “Once upon a Lie” beginning; the same unrealistic, campaign-concocted narrative; and a denouement that can only be viewed as continual abortive judgment by a delusional charlatan; or, even worse to some, by a pathetic despot who continuously addresses people and situations in either flattering or demeaning superlatives more appropriate in teenage conversations or a comedy club.
 
Even if the mainstream media now recognizes its felonious negligence aiding an unscripted egomaniac conquer the White House, its credibility has now been tarnished; perhaps mortally tarnished.  That lack of credibility for the press now undermines any results from current legitimate efforts in investigative reporting, or any intense facts-checking to expose Trump’s serial-lying.  As a result, this present chaotic disarray in the White House is often erroneously portrayed with commonality to others in past transfers of power between US’ two parties.
 
Trump’s long trail of undiplomatic babbling denouncing or demeaning America’s allies and friends has caused both consternation and fear globally.  And top ranked emissaries such as Vice President Pence, or Secretary of Defense Mattis – or anyone else in Trump’s Team for that matter – are not likely to ameliorate the existing uneasiness about the US. And the concerns mount not solely overseas but domestically.  The reality we’ve experienced this past month is still being seen with rose colored glasses.    
 
Michael Flynn, Trump’s first National Security Advisor, credentialed or not by Trump, was simply delivering the then president-elect’s wishful message to the ruling echelon in the Russian Federation, whether the message’s content was appropriate or imprudent. The message was Trump’s not Flynn’s, even if force majeure, or simply embarrassment, demanded Flynn to be designated as sacrificial lamb.
 
As for the 12 executive orders signed by the president so far, they are simply reenacted statements of mission outlined during the presidential campaign, some yet to be tested as was the travel ban, quickly challenged and found to be unconstitutional.
 
Causal effects for the present disarray in the White House likely reside not just in Trump’s gargantuan ego but also in his phobic disrespect for people who disagree with him; or even many in his team who try (or dare try) offer him advice.      
 
Fifteen weeks ago votes tallied to make Donald Trump US’ 45th president; that same day I received an email from an Indian peer with a prophetic declaration that read in part, “Americans finally received their just deserts in their election of Donald Trump”. I am still praying for my friend not to emerge as a junior Nostradamus.

Opinions expressed in various sections are the sole responsibility of their authors and they may not represent Al-Jazeerah & ccun.org.

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