A MALIGNANT NARCISSIST IN ACTION: TRUMP REVEALS HIS TRUE COLORS

Trump's actions of the last few days leaves no doubt, Donald Trump is the ultimate malignant narcissist, bar none.  No need for a professional psychiatric diagnosis, just a simple observation of his public activities and statements, plainly seen by all who care to pay attention.  Taking credit for a monthly drop in the unemployment rate to 14%, when he accepted absolutely no responsibility when it rose from 4% to 24% when COVID-19 cases skyrocketed after he delayed taking the virus as a serious threat, with any meaningful federal action, for nearly two months. Also taking no responsibility when our deaths from the pandemic virus reached claiming over 100,000 American lives, more than double that of any other nation. He is, of course, always quick to blame others for his failures.  China for their response to the virus's spread, when numerous other nations took much more immediate and effective action to limit their nation's casualties. State Governors for their responses to the virus's occurrence and spread in their states, although he delayed necessary federal steps and was holding in federal stockpiles much of the equipment they needed to fight it effectively, being delayed or resistant in releasing it to them.

Trump's taking credit for a partial drop in the high unemployment rate is doubly galling since it has been state governors who have taken the responsibility to relax some of the necessary stay-at-home orders, corporations and businesses that have taken the risks of re-hiring and re-opening their services, and employees who are potentially risking their health by returning to work. All while Trump remains safely enclosed in a now barricaded, fenced in White House, receiving daily COVID-19 tests to ensure that his health is never endangered by others, and all those who come into Trump's presence are tested to ensure that they aren't carriers who could expose it to him. Nothing as important to Trump as others taking the risks to open up the nation's economy so he can brag about how well it may be doing, but for Trump to be exposed to any risk, or accept any responsibility for the nation's difficulties occurring under his watch, not so much!

A clear example of the malignant nature of Trump's personality, his lack of regard for others' well-being and the harm he is willing to bring to others for his own purposes is shown in his responses to the protests that have spread from Minneapolis to throughout the nation in reaction to yet  another police killing of a non-violent black American suspected of a possible crime.  No words from the White House to calm the nation, to reassure those with intense feelings, that justice will be served,  that Trump has any empathy whatsoever for those who have experienced a grievous, irreplaceable loss, or for those who fear such horrendous events, under the auspices of the law, will be continuing forever in our country.  Only a call for more law and order from Trump, that states should be handling the protests with more force, or that he will call in the military to do it for them.  He is very willing to hurt others who stand in the way of his single-minded, self-serving purposes, whether they are former allies who could no longer accept his behaviors, or anyone in the opposition who dares stand in his way.

The nation that Trump envisions for us, and that he has tried to impose on us, has little in common with the nation our Founding Fathers had in mind when they wrote of a nation that would embody Liberty and Justice for all, and be ruled by a Constitution that guaranteed an equal balance of power between the executive, legislative, and judicial branches.  When differences came up, opposing sides were to work together to negotiate, compromise, reach some agreement democratically. But that's not the way it is in Trump's world, in his America.  Its all about his winning, his having his way, those opposing him suffering the consequences. But his dictatorial leanings are encumbered with the additional weight of his malignant narcissistic tendencies. Everything he does has to be considered the greatest, every ally must brag about him, no matter how much lying that necessitates. Any of those with differing viewpoints deserve to be attacked, ridiculed, lied about, fired, even sent to jail. His personality and presidency are a malignancy spreading from him and affecting the entire nation. After over three and a half years, the evidence is clear. The only question is whether the nation will allow it to continue beyond one disastrous term.

A FAILING TRUMP AND THE BATTLE TO END SYSTEMIC RACISM COLLIDE

One week after the apparent killing of George Floyd by four policemen in Minneapolis, and five days after mass gatherings of citizens protesting yet another gross, tragic occurrence of police brutality of an AfroAmerican being arrested for a non-violent offense, President Trump has finally spoken. Remaining silent when the stark video of the man being killed was made public, silent when peaceful demonstrators began protesting in Minneapolis, and silent when state and local officials began speaking out, expressing dismay, calling for justice to be reached, and asking for calm among those protesting. Still remaining silent when the mass protests spread to cities across the nation, and became  increasingly violent and destructive. Silent when protests began outside the White House, other than calling State Governors weak in their response to the protests, at the same time as he was seeking shelter in the safety of the White House's bunker! Then, finally, he emerges from the White House, crosses the street after it had been fully cleared of peaceful protesters by riot-prepared police, and, Bible in hand in front of a church, spoke a few words. No mention of the need for justice for George Floyd, no call for calm among citizens choosing to protest, no mention of their rights being protected, or the need to deal with the long-standing, still unresolved issue of  institutional racism that has plagued the United States since its founding centuries ago. Only an emphasis that if States don't get tougher in dealing with the protests themselves,  he will activate US military forces to respond, labeling the protests as domestic terrorism, by invoking an old Insurrection Act, and send troops  in to restore full order. Of questionable constitutional legality, such action would not at all deal with the basic underlying issue raised by those protesting, further ignite their anger over repeated incidences of the racial bias and injustice that all add to the grave disparity and inequality that remains in our society, and increase the widening polarization that already divides our nation.

The lines seem drawn. While Biden phones to talk personally with Floyd's family, sharing
compassionate, empathetic, reassuring words, and calling for calm and for justice, Trump's call to
them drew a response from the family that "he didn't let us talk". While Obama presents an outline of some steps needed to promote viable, real change in some crucially neglected issues, and political and religious leaders of all races join with black leaders in calling for relevant social and institutional change, Trump, with his authority as president, only calls for an increasingly militant response by governors, and a return to law and order. And if they don't, he will call in the US military to take over the communities to provide it. No real mention of compassion, understanding, or justice regarding the Floyd killing.

Some have called Trump a "would-be dictator". He does have a peculiar affinity for autocrats, dictators, those with imperial rule. He loved being in total control of his Trump corporate enterprises, of hiring and firing people arbitrarily and unilaterally on his TV program, he has no regard for racial and economic equality, or basic fairness for those investing in his private enterprises, as his frequent bankruptcies reveal. Running a democratic government is clearly not his thing, few of those originally in high positions in his Administration are still there, having either chosen to resign or having been fired. He is obsessed with winning, whatever the cost. Truth, integrity, empathy, legality, mean little or nothing to him, as long as he saves face and looks good, in his own eyes and to those who remain loyal to him.

 How will this battle end, this mounting confrontation between Trump, his presidential authority, and those supporting him on one side, and those diametrically opposed to his single-minded rule and his ignoring basic issues of justice, democracy, and the well-being of all citizens on the other.  Trump is falling behind in polls concerning the upcoming elections. Will he try to somehow delay the election? Will he try to prevent voting by mail for states or for individuals that may require it? Will most GOP leaders continue to support him, at risk of losing support from their own constituents or further endangering their own integrity?  Will foreign governments again try to influence the outcome of the election through devious means, or will Attorney General Barr intentionally announce an investigation that could impact voter support, as Comey unintentionally did prior to the 2016 election? If Trump wins the election in the Electoral College only, will the losing majority accept the outcome peacefully? If Trump rules another four years, will our democratic form of government survive? Will a major Constitutional crises arise that will go to the Supreme Court, and how will the potential swing voter, Chief Justice Roberts, decide? A major collision of political forces is occurring right now in our nation, a virtual "perfect storm", and the future nature and direction of our government rest with the outcome. Stay tuned, what we are witnessing, and participating in, couldn't be of more importance!

Trump Tweets and Fiddles While Cities Burn and Citizens Die

What a week this has been in the history of the United States! Deaths from COVID-19 under Trump's watch, enhanced by his delaying any meaningful action to contain spread of the virus for a month and a half, surpass 100,000. At the same time, protests in cities around the nation erupt in fires, looting, and mass violence as one fuse too many ignites the longstanding, never-resolved issue of institutional racism, with the pent-up anger exploding into the open like a contagion. All the while, presidential leadership in virtually non-existent. Trump chooses to tweet that HIS free speech rights are being violated when his statements are being fact-checked and labeled as being non-factual. He further attempts to divert attention from the destructive rage of the civil violence and the tragic loss of life through the continued spread of the deadly virus by holding a terse news conference in which he announces two totally nonproductive actions, cancelling US involvement in the World Health Organization, and abandoning US support for Hong Kong's separate system rights with China, leaving Hong Kong at the full mercy of China with our de facto acceptance. If this is what Trump considers "Making America Great Again", he probably considers Nero one of Rome's great leaders, having been found fiddling while Rome burned. And this is undoubtedly Trump at his best, at least the best we can expect of him! The United States must do better, and will have the chance to regain some degree of integrity, dignity, competence, and respect in November. To not succeed in this endeavor is not an option!