Over the last month I have watched various talking heads discuss the travesty that is the Trump presidency. They feign shock and horror at his false tweets. They are shocked by his lack of respect for the separation of powers. They are amazed that the GOP sits by while he fires a man investigating him and admits to obstruction of justice on a TV interview.
Hello.
What did you expect? What is new?
President Obama said: “I have to tell you, this office, it’s about who you are and what you are and it doesn’t change after you occupy the office – it just magnifies it.”
We all knew who and what Donald Trump is before he was elected. Did anyone expect that a 70 year old man, who has spent his entire life surrounded by sycophants, was going to become “presidential”? Really?
This is a man who has the following history:
Refuses to rent to black folks and is sued for discrimination (and loses) by the federal government. Had to pay a multi-million dollar settlement.
Inherited a multi-million dollar real estate empire and inside political connections with mob bosses in NYC, without lifting a finger.
Somehow managed to mismanage a casino and actually go bankrupt.
Multiple times failed to pay contractors for work done, driving some of them to the brink of bankruptcy.
Bragged about sexually abusing women.
Forced to pay over $20,000,000 damages to students he fleeced at “Trump University”.
Refused to divulge any Russia dealings in his tax returns.
Had a number of campaign advisers with strong ties to Putin. Flynn, Tillerson, Manafort, Stone, Page, Sessions, etc.
Then, of course, there are his multiple, regular false statements. A serial liar:
Obama was born in Kenya.
Clinton broke the law.
Insisted that Ted Cruz’s father was involved in the JFK assassination.
He knew Putin. Then he did not know Putin. Then he met Putin. Then he did not meet Putin.
Obama illegally wiretapped his phones.
Supported a health bill that did the opposite of what he promised in the campaign.
Fired Comey because Comey was mean to Clinton. Because he was asked to do so by the assistant to Sessions. Because he was tired of the “fake” Russia investigation. Take your pick.
So, what’s the big deal. The talking heads KNEW this. Why are they surprised? The GOP rank and file KNEW this when they went into those voting booths and voted for this person. He did not get 60,000,000 votes without overwhelming support from the GOP. We all knew what he was and is. The GOP voters did not care.
And , as President Obama opined in North Carolina as the election was drawing to a close:
“This guy is temperamentally unfair to be commander in chief, and he is not equipped to be president.”
“It’s strange how over time what is crazy gets normalised, and we just kinda assume, ‘Well, he’s said a hundred crazy things, so the hundred-and-first thing we don’t even notice.”
So, let’s stop pretending that this is somehow a surprise. The question is: What does the GOP do about it? You brought us to this point. Surprise us.
The Old Liberal 