Reflections on Donald J. Trump’s inauguration…
• Given all the bad news, let’s start with two heroes: Michelle Obama, wife of former president Barack Obama, who refused to attend, as did Karen Pence, the spouse of former Vice President Michael Pence. She expressed distain for Trump from the very beginning, i.e. when Trump asked her husband to be his running mate.
With their absence they proclaimed that truth, virtue, decency, basic humanity, kindness, civility, justice, and the rule of law still matter, especially in the highest office in the land.
• What about the Clintons, Bushes and Barak Obama? That is a close call. It’s understandable that they attended to show respect for the office of the president and the country’s hallowed tradition. But, a big but, their presence also implied that swearing in a convicted felon, pathological liar and sexual predator is acceptable. I am confident they wrestled mightily with their decision to attend.
When Trump ran for president in 2015, I wrote a column hoping that the five former presidents — Carter, the two Bushes, Clinton and Obama — would issue a joint statement condemning his candidacy. Such unity from both sides of the aisle, at the time, might have saved us from Trump.
• Then there was Pence paying tribute with his presence to the man who agreed that his vice president should have been hung for refusing to invalidate the 2020 election. Never did we feel more justified in creating the Pence Outstanding Hypocrite Award (POHA) several years ago.
• Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar, chairwoman of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, opened the swearing-in, stating: “Today President-elect Trump and Vice President-elect Vance will take their oath of office and we will witness the peaceful transfer of power at the heart of our democracy.”
The audience, Trump supporters, applauded the line, forgetting that it was “their man” who was criminally charged for threatening the peaceful transfer of power by trying to overturn the 2020 election and inciting an insurrection to do so. All of them qualify for a POHA.
• During his first term, 2017-21, fact-checkers reported that Trump told 30,573 lies, averaging about 20 a day. He told about a dozen in his inauguration speech and post-speech remarks. These ranged from alleging that China operates the Panama Canal (it doesn’t) to the “fact” that inflation was at a record high during the Biden administration. It was not even close. At its peak, inflation stood at 9.1 percent in the early Biden years; it was almost double — 17.5 percent — in 1917. It stands at 2.9 percent presently. Trump claimed 38,000 American lost their lives working on the Panama Canal; the number is just under 6,000. His one truthful statement: “As of today, our government confronts a crisis of trust.”
So, Trump is off to a good start. Only some 30,000 lies or so to go. He might very well break his record.
• Members of Congress honored Trump after the swearing in, many of whom had to run for their lives during the insurrection.
• In his speech, Trump said, “My proudest legacy will be that of a peacemaker and unifier.” How can we doubt that coming from a man who, through the years, has consistently alienated Allies, called his “enemies” — Republicans and Democrats — the most vulgar names and already has angered Greenland, Canada, and Panama, all three which he said he wants to acquire.
Repeating the major theme of his campaigns, Trump promised to “begin the process of returning millions and millions of criminal aliens back to the places from which they came.” All studies show that immigrants commit fewer crimes than U.S. born citizens. The National Institute of Justice, for example, reported that undocumented immigrants are arrested at less than half the rate of native-born U.S. citizens for violent and drug crimes and a quarter of the rate of native- born citizens for property crimes.
In line with his law-and-order agenda, after being sworn in, Trump pardoned/ commuted the prison sentences and dismissed the cases of 1,600 “patriots” and “hostages” charged with crimes in the January 6 insurrection. The pardons/commutations even cover rioters convicted of assaulting police officers.
• Trump promised to “sign an executive order to immediately stop all government censorship and bring back free speech to America.” This from a president who called the press “the enemy of the people” and filed several lawsuits in attempts to muzzle the press.
One final, more lighthearted observation: Melania Trump, the president’s wife, wore a stylish hat with a large brim which made it difficult to see her face. I am guessing she chose it to cover her tears.
• Given all the bad news, let’s start with two heroes: Michelle Obama, wife of former president Barack Obama, who refused to attend, as did Karen Pence, the spouse of former Vice President Michael Pence. She expressed distain for Trump from the very beginning, i.e. when Trump asked her husband to be his running mate.
With their absence they proclaimed that truth, virtue, decency, basic humanity, kindness, civility, justice, and the rule of law still matter, especially in the highest office in the land.
• What about the Clintons, Bushes and Barak Obama? That is a close call. It’s understandable that they attended to show respect for the office of the president and the country’s hallowed tradition. But, a big but, their presence also implied that swearing in a convicted felon, pathological liar and sexual predator is acceptable. I am confident they wrestled mightily with their decision to attend.
When Trump ran for president in 2015, I wrote a column hoping that the five former presidents — Carter, the two Bushes, Clinton and Obama — would issue a joint statement condemning his candidacy. Such unity from both sides of the aisle, at the time, might have saved us from Trump.
• Then there was Pence paying tribute with his presence to the man who agreed that his vice president should have been hung for refusing to invalidate the 2020 election. Never did we feel more justified in creating the Pence Outstanding Hypocrite Award (POHA) several years ago.
• Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar, chairwoman of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, opened the swearing-in, stating: “Today President-elect Trump and Vice President-elect Vance will take their oath of office and we will witness the peaceful transfer of power at the heart of our democracy.”
The audience, Trump supporters, applauded the line, forgetting that it was “their man” who was criminally charged for threatening the peaceful transfer of power by trying to overturn the 2020 election and inciting an insurrection to do so. All of them qualify for a POHA.
• During his first term, 2017-21, fact-checkers reported that Trump told 30,573 lies, averaging about 20 a day. He told about a dozen in his inauguration speech and post-speech remarks. These ranged from alleging that China operates the Panama Canal (it doesn’t) to the “fact” that inflation was at a record high during the Biden administration. It was not even close. At its peak, inflation stood at 9.1 percent in the early Biden years; it was almost double — 17.5 percent — in 1917. It stands at 2.9 percent presently. Trump claimed 38,000 American lost their lives working on the Panama Canal; the number is just under 6,000. His one truthful statement: “As of today, our government confronts a crisis of trust.”
So, Trump is off to a good start. Only some 30,000 lies or so to go. He might very well break his record.
• Members of Congress honored Trump after the swearing in, many of whom had to run for their lives during the insurrection.
• In his speech, Trump said, “My proudest legacy will be that of a peacemaker and unifier.” How can we doubt that coming from a man who, through the years, has consistently alienated Allies, called his “enemies” — Republicans and Democrats — the most vulgar names and already has angered Greenland, Canada, and Panama, all three which he said he wants to acquire.
Repeating the major theme of his campaigns, Trump promised to “begin the process of returning millions and millions of criminal aliens back to the places from which they came.” All studies show that immigrants commit fewer crimes than U.S. born citizens. The National Institute of Justice, for example, reported that undocumented immigrants are arrested at less than half the rate of native-born U.S. citizens for violent and drug crimes and a quarter of the rate of native- born citizens for property crimes.
In line with his law-and-order agenda, after being sworn in, Trump pardoned/ commuted the prison sentences and dismissed the cases of 1,600 “patriots” and “hostages” charged with crimes in the January 6 insurrection. The pardons/commutations even cover rioters convicted of assaulting police officers.
• Trump promised to “sign an executive order to immediately stop all government censorship and bring back free speech to America.” This from a president who called the press “the enemy of the people” and filed several lawsuits in attempts to muzzle the press.
One final, more lighthearted observation: Melania Trump, the president’s wife, wore a stylish hat with a large brim which made it difficult to see her face. I am guessing she chose it to cover her tears.
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