Is Mr. Trump Nuts?
I was glancing through the “Opinion Today” of the New York Times dated January 11, 2018. In the following “full Opinion report”, I was excited to notice the Editorial on "Is Mr. Trump Nuts?". I have a high regard for the style and opinions of the Editorial Board of NYT. So I was looking forward to some logical explanation and possible solution to the “Trump Phenomenon” which is alarmingly disgraceful to our nation. As expected the article is comprehensive, logical and balanced. Among other things it says: “Mr. Trump’s behavior in office — impulsive, erratic, dishonest, childish, crude — is so alarming, and so far from what Americans expect in their chief executive, that it cries out for a deeper explanation…….Rather, we don’t need a medical degree or a psychiatric diagnosis to tell us what is wrong with Mr. Trump. It’s obvious to anyone who listens to him speak, reads his tweets and sees the effects of his behavior…….But even if his behavior were diagnosed as an illness, what would that tell us that we don’t already know?…….Conversely, if Mr. Trump were found to have no diagnosable illness, he would be no more fit for the office he holds than he is today…….In “The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump,” released last October, more than two dozen contributors, most mental-health professionals, concluded that Mr. Trump presents a grave and immediate danger to the safety of America and the world.” The leader then poses a question “So what’s the right way to deal with Mr. Trump’s evident unfitness?” It suggests that the twenty fifth amendment or impeachment are not the answer; even if invoked they are not likely to be productive or fruitful, thanks to the brash and brazen partisan politics.
The remedy proposed is to wait for the elections in November this year or even that of 2020! This is an anti-climax. A blind and emotional loyalty to our cherished values of elections and democracy. Where as the election of Mr. Trump itself is a strong indictment on our system and practice of democracy. Something is wrong in the system if “the most dis-qualified candidate gets elected against the most qualified one” as aptly commented by the Economist at hat time. Instead of coming our with some bold and enterprising clues and suggestions, the Board simply rests on its confidence in our present system; an anti climax; really disappointing.
The election of a “lunatic liar” and/or “an idiot’ and/or “nuts” to the top job in the most powerful country with a vast nuclear arsenal in the twenty first century should have jolted us vigorously enough to convince us of a near fatal fault line in our body politics. As if we have been invaded by Russian/Chinese armed forces, the whole nation should have gathered on one platform, above party politics, ethnic, racial and religious concerns to fight and dislodge this ugly and toxic intruder. In fact, what has happened? The initial brief shock and disbelief was followed by a chorus of comments, opinions, criticism, eulogy etc. This still continues in trickles BUT we seem to be back to business as usual.
As a recent senior citizen of this great country, I have to believe the unbelievable because I am actually seeing this unbelievable unfolding right in front of me. A man who has no character, no talent, no principles, no morality, foul mouthed, no shame, devoid of good manners and a pathogenic egoist is chosen as the President of our Country. Let us take for granted it was a mistake and mishap in the heat and muddy mechanics of the intense presidential campaign. However, now that the facts are clear and open to every body, why is Trump still comfortably seated on he throne. Not only he is believed to complete his term but he is touted for the next term as well. This reflects gross debasement in the quality of our leadership and a a stark political immaturity and depravity in large sections of our population. The nation seems to have lost the will to challenge an open and clear toxicity in our political system. It depicts a very divided nation on basic human and moral values. It reflect a propensity to accept and tolerate clear decadence for very personal and political gains. We seem to have lost all sense of shame and guilt. The universal jest and ridicule world wide at us does not seem to bother us. The International community is fast loosing confidence in us and our words. We are seceding our leadership role to our rapidly upcoming friend and foe, China. “The president of the world’s largest authoritarian state, by contrast, walks with swagger abroad………On his numerous foreign tours, Mr Xi (Jinping) presents himself as an apostle of peace and friendship, a voice of reason in a confused and troubled world. Mr. Trump’s failing have made this much easier.”(New York Times). The president of America was traditionally and universally considered as “the world’s most powerful man”. No more so! It seems Mr. Xi Jinping has been awarded this status.
I do hope and pray that the intelligentsia of our country — the professors and writers, the journalists, the silicon valley wizards, the social media giants and big wig businessmen — will induce, encourage and rally the honest working class of Americans to rise against and force out Trump and his menace. Yes, with a sense of emergency.
