DEvery day I find myself looking at the news reports in almost an obsessive while simultaneously exhausted manner. I tell myself that the constant plot twists in our political world are like those of a soap opera that grabs you and you just can’t let it go.
Sometimes I am amazed at how wrong headed the positions articulated by our wannabe king are. But then the sense of sadness comes along as I realize the disastrous consequences of such wrong headedness.
Currently, the war (?“excursion”?) with Iran takes a prize for recklessness and stupidity. Lives are being upended and lost needlessly. However, the fact that we have seen this before really stings.
Possibly some of you reading this, experienced the stupidity of the Vietnam war and stood up against it. For those that missed that craziness, potentially the Iraq war was your prime example of governmental bad judgement and decisions. Then there was Afghanistan where the US misjudged its capabilities and found that military might does little to offset local politics, culture, and religious passions. To me, what we are seeing now is worse and the consequences more dire.
Let’s start with one example by recalling the Trump “fire and fury” approach to North Korea. After significantly threatening language back and forth between Trump and North Korean leader Kin Jong Un, we saw the development of a diplomatic detente wherein Trump ended up bragging about the love letters he was receiving from Kim and stated that they were “getting along.”
Although nuclear arms development in North Korea was not stopped, the tension between the countries originally egged on by Trump’s belligerent rhetoric dissipated with essentially no loss of lives. There was minimal effect on the US domestic economy at the consumer level and financial markets were able to play the increase and decrease in tension with generally positive market effects. We all breathed a sigh of relief.
The situation with Iran has not been played the same way. “Fire and fury” as expressed against North Korea was replaced by “Operation Epic Fury” with Iran - but there was no charm offensive attempted by Trump and the diplomatic effort by the US was at best unserious. It signals that we have a leader that has lost any strategic sense.
Many lives have been lost in this shooting war of choice specifically initiated by the US President. As a result, we see the US domestic economy, along with the world economy, definitely going in the wrong direction for everyday people. The on again/off again ceasefire may or may not be in place when you read this but we can be certain that the effects of this war will resonate in our economy and sadly for the many innocent people that had their lives turned upside down or ended.
What I find exhausting and frightening about this (yet again) Middle East boondoggle is that it falls in with an endless series of mind warping actions by our “Jesus doctor/President.” We have to seriously question the fitness of this man to hold such immense power and allow him to act so irresponsibly and, to be honest, crazy. Many that have supported Trump and the Republicans are seeing this - not just Democrats.
I certainly understand that Republican Party members and adherents are loathe to turn against their leader and seemingly give up their power. But, would giving up power really happen if the Republicans showed the same resolve and courage like when they convinced Nixon to stand down? The country turned to the Democrats in the short term following Nixon’s resignation with the election of Jimmy Carter - but Republicans under Reagan were back in the drivers seat after a single presidential term.
It is impossible to list all of the craziness we are seeing and hearing with Donald J. Trump outside of this Iran “war.” In my listing, it would fill the paper that holds this column. But I ask us to look at Trump as critically as was done with Joe Biden when he showed physical decline. Our President of the United States is not well! His seeming physical vigor and gift of gab (albeit befuddling and often incoherent) belies a mania that is increasingly out of control.
We have an election coming this November where a change in direction is possible. But we also know that there will be many efforts to undo results unfavorable to Trump or to even thwart the holding of an election.
We need to appeal to our Republican congressional office holders to take back their party (one that has noble roots) and follow the Constitutional prerogatives they hold to rein in an out of control Executive Branch and its leader.
If we can do that maybe a “now what “ cry of exasperation can be turned around to one of hope and start the healing of the damages that have been done.
Chip Roy: 830-896-0154 (Kerrvile office) John Cornyn: 210-224-7485 (San Antonio Office) Ted Cruz: 210-340-2885 (San Antonio Office) W Laurence Doxsey, Retired, Former Director of Office of Sustainability for City of San Antonio, former Environmental Officer for US Department of Housing and Urban Development, former Sustainability Officer for City of Austin, resides outside Medina.
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