Trump Puts the World on His Shoulders

A trio of grave crises face our country

I suspect I’m not the only one worried about the state of our country, and the world. Trump has asserted himself as a dictator of sorts, already. He has made our country, and the world, a more uncertain, less stable, tinder box - the exact opposite of the bill of goods he sold to voters.

There is plenty of blame to go around for how we got here so quickly. I’ll start with the Republican Party, which has completely abdicated its roles, including acting as a check on power.

The Republican Party

House Speaker Mike Johnson basically conducts himself as Trump’s junior assistant. It’s gross! Senate Majority Leader John Thune takes it one step further, disinterested in even reining in the worst behaviors of his caucus, like Mike Lee’s atrocious tweets on the Minnesota shootings, and Ted Cruz making a mockery of the Senate, by holding hearings on Biden’s mental acuity. Really?

I guess Republicans have lots of extra time since they’re not actually doing the work of the legislative branch! But, you know who is busy? Trump. Because he has put himself in charge of everything, while surrounding himself with incompetent fools and sycophants!

I find myself alternating between being embarrassed for country, and afraid for what lies ahead. Especially on Middle East matters, where occupants of two key cabinet positions - defense secretary and director of national intelligence - have been put on ice. And a third position, national security adviser, has yet to be filled after Mike Waltz’s was fired (remember Signalgate?). These are three cabinet positions which in normal times would be closely advising the president. We’ll get to that.

Our country is facing a trio of grave challenges (in additional to the innumerable other smaller crises), two of which Trump himself created, and all of which will be decided by one man. Which is why the situation is so perilous.

Crisis 1: Trump’s Trade War

This is Exhibit A of Trump manufacturing a crisis! The U.S.economy under Biden was the envy of the world. Global capital poured into our markets. The U.S. dollar and treasuries were overwhelmingly viewed as the safe havens of the world.

But that wasn’t good enough. Trump needed to make his mark, and almost out of the gate, started trade wars with pretty much everyone, including the penguins. That is everyone, EXCEPT Russia and North Korea. Go figure. Trump took his advice, as would be typical for him, from his small circle of ‘yes men,’ several of whom, like trade adviser Peter Navarro, are seen as, well, how do I put this delicately…seen as quacks!