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PRESIDENT TRUMP: THE WORST AND LEAST OPTION

 A TRUMP SUPPORTER AT THE BALL
I will spare you, in this brief editorial post, too much gnashing of teeth, and too many dire predictions. I will even offer the briefest of summaries: Trump is a very bad thing indeed - let's get on with democratically opposing him, in the USA and globally, within legal limits, as strongly and intelligently as possible.  Satire and comedy, tweets and posts will be a part of this, but not enough - Chaplin's The Great Dictator did not save Poland. For its part, as a small publisher, my company Eyewear is open to ideas for books that further such aims of seeking to defend the world against its worst Western threat in 75 years.

So, okay.  That's what I wanted to say. But, to be gloomy, for a moment, yesterday was truly a low, in my lifetime, and historically, for America, and its struggling democracy. A low for the world. Yesterday's neo-fascist inauguration speech, then the dance to 'My Way', and the immediate gutting of Obama-care, and creation of Patriots Day, signal a turn to the ultra-nationalist extreme right - a populism based on race-hate, lies, xenophobia, paranoid threats and sabre-rattling - that is in its America First incarnation at least - terrifying, unacceptable, and loathsome. If you had ever wanted to script a TV series about the rise of an American dictatorship, similar to the German one of the 1930s, it would look like this -  pompous white men wrapped in the flag, a divine mission, and a sense of history at their backs, seeking to make their "land" and "people" the most "powerful" and "great" in the world.

There is nothing comforting in what comes next.  Presumably, America is set to have a trade war with China, more closely align itself with Russia, bomb and otherwise attack places it thinks "Islamic terrorism" thrives; plus antagonise or attack Iran, and North Korea; and meanwhile, support Brexit and the collapse of the EU - while vilifying its Mexican neighbour.  Oddly, Canada has yet to be mentioned, perhaps because Trump admires handsome men, and Justin Trudeau is telegenic.

I predicted, correctly, that Trump will win.

I predict he will mandate the use of at least tactical nuclear weapons within the next 4 years.  Why? Because he loves power for its own sake, and has a personality that uses (and abuses) power for the glorification of his own sense of greatness.  This personality type, part of the "dark triad" of mental disorders, is never a good thing in a person, and in a world leader, usually leads to war, and terrible disruption.

It is possible the American economy will thrive, and the progressive backlash will lead to solidarity, great art and deeply moving images of brave and decent people defending the values that the gentle, decent, and brilliant Mr Obama epitomised. We could have a new 60s style renaissance of protest, poetry, and ultimately see a new progressive leader come to power in 2020. In time, Mr Obama will be seen as one of the ten greatest of Presidents, up there beside Lincoln in terms of moral rectitude, and grace under pressure. The 45th is, for the foreseeable, going to be the very worst. America is at rock bottom today.

The future is not so hopeful, anymore.



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