_It's Even Worse than You Think: What the Trump Administration is Doing to
America_
by David Cay Johnston
The Trump administration started with a blatant lie in which he and his
communications director, Sean Spicer, claimed that his inauguration was the
widest attended and watched inauguration EVER, which was easily disproved.
Things have descended from that point. Kellyanne Conway has insisted that this
was merely an "Alternative Fact," and Mr. Trump commonly claims that anyone who
demonstrates that he has lied--again--is promulgating "Fake News" intended to
discredit his win in the 2016 election. Like a child sticking his fingers in
his ears and singing "La la la" when someone tries to get across an undesired
truth to him, Trump consistently insists that this is a trick by the Democrats,
who ought to have won the election, trying to explain away their ignominious
loss.
He has surrounded himself with a cabinet of people who for the most part are
totally unqualified to lead the departments they were assigned to, and he has
given them all directions to dismantle every rule and law intended to safeguard
the environment and to promote equality amongst our citizens. Johnston
describes these as "termites" eating away at the infrastructure of our country,
and we are already seeing the negative effects of this destructive activity.
Late in the book, Johnston points out that Trump's policies encourage law
enforcement to be rough on those being arrested ("Just toss them in the paddy
wagons--don't worry about them getting hurt." "You know when you put them in
the back seat of the squad car, don't put your hand on their head to protect
them.") He's encouraged the crowds in his rallies to punch those he thinks are
there to criticize him. He thinks that if teachers are armed, they will
magically prevail with a handgun against killers armed with automatic weapons.
He's described neo-Nazis and white supremacists as being "fine people" whom he
apparently sees as being morally equivalent with those who counter-demomstrate
against them. And he is seeking to build up the armed forces while cutting
financing for health, education, social security, medicare and medicaid, and
just about any other program intended to support those who are unable to provide
for themselves. He continuously vilifies the mainstream media at the same time
he courts them, desperate for any praise he could possibly pry from them while
refusing to do anything constructive to actually build up our nation.
His role models are Vladimir Putin and other dictators, and it's pretty plain he
wants to join their ranks. And he apparently believes that if he can militarize
the police and get the Pentagon behind him, he will possibly be able to become
"President for Life" here in our nation.
This is well researched, with facts taken from the public record. It is not a
book we should ignore, and I encourage everyone to read it. It is available in
all possible media. I both downloaded it from Audible and to my Nook in e-book
format.
Bonnie L. Sherrell
Teacher at Large
"Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement. For even the very
wise cannot see all ends." LOTR
"Don't go where I can't follow."
We gave the Goblin King control of our nation!