The Other Definition

No, I didn’t watch Trump’s interview with Kristen Welker on Meet the Press.  It wasn’t just that I didn’t have the stomach fortitude, though that’s at the top of the list, but I couldn’t imagine him saying anything different from what he said on the campaign trail or saying anything “good” that I remotely believed.  Nor did I expect Ms. Welker to do much fact-checking.  And in the end, I knew I could get a recap on the news.  Almost more to the point: whenever I see Trump these days, I just stare in amazement that the American public re-elected someone convicted of 34 felonies, found liable for rape, found guilty of fraud, says he wants to be a dictator, says he wants to rewrite U.S. Constitution, echoes HITLER’s words, says he wants to build internment camps and has early dementia.  And we have to sit through him for another four years, while he does what he can to shred democracy and the U.S. Constitution.

(And no, of course, that’s not hyperbole.  When someone says he wants to get of rid of birthright citizenship which is in the Constitution, no, he can’t just sign an Executive Order to end, but it speaks loudly to his desire to shred the Constitution.  I should add that when Trump said, “We’re the only country who has that, you know” – I dearly wish that Ms. Welker would have replied, “Actually, no, that’s not true, there are 30 countries that have birthright citizenship, including Canada.  The question isn’t if she knew that – it’s if Trump knows it.  Just like if he knows, when he said today, following their coup toppling the Assad dictatorship, that we should stay out of Syria and not be involved…that we actually are involved and have around 900 troops there!  Does the incoming Commander-in-Chief know that??)

Even if I don’t have it in me to watch him talk, I’m stomach-churning galled by all that Trump says, of course -- but there’s a side of me that thinks the ignorant hubris of trying to legislate as if you have a landslide mandate, the greatest landslide in U.S. presidential history, when in fact you barely won by a razor thin 1.4% and actually lost a seat in the House, is going to backfire on him and on the party horribly.  Because there are things in his platform he literally can’t do (change the Constitution with an Executive Order???  Seriously??), and his supporters will be upset with him when they find he hasn’t done what he promised.  And things that he does do (like major tariffs) that will cause higher prices and probably inflation and hurt his supporters as much as anyone.  Furthermore, if he tries to repeal the Affordable Care Act, not only is it extremely popular, but he likely won’t be able to do it (which will again disappoint his supporters), yet if he does manage to…he has no replacement program -- which, again, will actually hurt his supporters.  The same with promising to undermine Social Security and Medicare – these are both wildly popular programs that crosses party lines, and critical to the lives of Americans, Around 80% of the public supports them.  Imagine the reaction of voters if Trump just tries to do this, let alone accomplishes it.  For that matter, imagine MAGOPs in Congress, knowing the mid-term elections are less than two years away, and they have vote on dismantling problems that might have sounded great on the campaign trail, but now would have to face the voters in their districts and states explaining why they just undercut their lives.

As for indicting members of Congress (who are protected by the Constitution, another example of Trump wanting the shred it, for those keeping score) and the press – on what charges does Trump think this will happen?  And what’s the evidence of “crimes”?  Having the government take you to court would be expensive and devastating to those indicted (though if employed by an organization, surely they'd pick up the cost), should it actually happen -- but will empty charges actually be filed?  Will courts immediately dismiss the cases for lack of evidence?  And how aghast will most of the country be when seeing this?

And there’s so much more.  Like pardoning and releasing every person from prison who convicted of their involvement in trying to overthrow the government on his behalf.  An action, it should be noted, that a new polls shows 64% of Americans are against, and only 30% support.  So, yeah, that whole "landslide mandate" thing... Not so much.

I suspect that the ”Ohhhh, yeah, that’s why we didn’t re-elect him the first time.  Now, I remember…” concept might start to kick in at some point in the midst of this "landslide mandate" hubris.

And we haven’t even touched on the cabinet nominees, one of whom has already dropped out, several of whom may well be blocked with MAGOP votes.  Maybe not, this is the MAGOP, after all, but the confirmation hearings should be damning, and some of these nominees are several bridges too far.  Tulsi Gabbard was already on thin ice as Director of National Intelligence, particularly with her support for Russia, but her support of Syria’s dictator Assad took a nosedive with that country’s coup.  And Pete Hegseth doesn’t appear to have much backing from Trump anymore.  (A tweet isn’t support.  Calling senators to fight for him – that is support.  And that is something Trump has not done.)

To be clear, I’m sickened by all of it.  And I hope none of the issues happen that Trump says he wants to occur.  I’m just saying that if it does, as truly horrific as it would be, it risks being worse in the end for Trump and the MAGOP when the mid-terms come around in less than two years.

A landslide?  Trump and the MAGOPs would be well-served to keep in mind the other and primary definition -- a mountain of mud that comes powerfully gushing down on you.