Undermining Democracy…with Lies!

It’s sad to see the opportunities President Donald J. Trump has let slip through his fingers. President of the United of America as of January 20, 2017, he had the chance to prove himself to both his base and his opposition. He just could not do that. Trump has demons within him, a personality disorder that does not allow him to do what people thought he was capable of doing once elected. They thought he was a genius of sorts because he told them so, through bullying and strong words exemplifying the most unacceptable behavior. I for one was waiting for that pivot everyone spoke about. That Presidential moment when “a man” becomes “the man,” but it never happened. The downward spiral is only the beginning for this President. When a man thinks everyone else is wrong other than him and tries to prove it with lies and more lies, implicating people who have exemplary past history, the sham becomes evident and talk of impeachment becomes real.

I still have hope in our democracy to overcome the cancer that is chipping away at its existence. Time is of the essence, and as it goes, he is digging fast and furious soon to reach China, as I used to think when I dug a hole at the beach as a child. My mother used to say, “You are digging so deep, soon you'll reach China.” Maybe he will!!

The Race to Disgrace!

How did we get to where we are? We can say all sorts of things to give reason for our state of affairs, but there is really only one answer. Donald J. Trump won the 2016 Presidential Election because enough people voted for him to win the Electoral vote he needed. Even though he clearly did not win the popular vote, in our democracy, the rules are the rules, and we follow them. Until proven otherwise, Trump is here to stay.

Think about why and who you voted for. Every signal was given to shun you away from voting for Trump. His past business history revealed many self-orchestrated bankruptcies which left working people in the lurch, as well as his unsavory views on women, immigration, and healthcare. His negative rhetoric during a contentious campaign filled with lies and ignorance leaning on the edge of racism. The blame, in my opinion, is on you, the voter. Did you really believe that everyone was wrong? Tony Schwartz, author of the Art of the Deal, warned you that he was a narcissist having the temperament of an eight-year-old. Credible people from all over came out with factual information showing his inadequacies. Many women from his past came forward and claimed his behavior towards them was in the category of sexual harassment. His very words told it all. The negative ads against him, during the campaign, were actually starring Trump. What more did you need? The last, almost, 100 days have proven that voting someone into any office, much less the President of the United States might have repercussions unlike we have ever seen before. So far, he has managed to insult our allies, lie about almost anything, probably because of his lack of knowledge and understanding or just disinterest in learning. Just the other day I heard what I thought was Alec Baldwin making fun of Donald Trump, but when I entered the room, it was actually Trump being interviewed. I cringed, thinking this is my President! His instability and buffoon behavior is clearly the sign of someone you don’t want making important decisions, especially those pertaining to world affairs and the safety of our nation and those allies around us.

I don’t quite understand when someone says to me, “Don’t you wish the President success?” I find it hard to answer, especially when I know the “Cow is not going to jump over the Moon” because that would be a fairytale. I hope and pray that those who voted for Trump can look in the mirror and say, “I made a mistake.” That is all I can ask for. Everyone is entitled to make a mistake as long as they don’t perpetuate this disaster. Know how much damage has been done because this is only going to be 100 days. It is not about Republican or Democrat; it is about our lives, all of our lives, for a long road ahead. Our Democracy goes beyond Politics. Our President has to be held accountable for everything he does, as is everyone else. His Taxes should be released and the Nepotism stopped in its tracks. We are living in dangerous times, not just from outside, but from within. I can wish and hope for the best, but it is not good enough. Trump people have to understand that they are playing with a fire they may not be able to put out. This race to disgrace must be recognized and dealt with in our best democratic ways. Recognizing failure and accountability is a good start!

Sometimes “Less is better” is not!

When designing a room, I always tend to use the statement, “Less is better.”  However, in our government, we need the checks and balances that are required so that many different opinions are heard in order to come to conclusions or decisions that affect our entire country. Filling cabinet positions are needed for our government to perform correctly, especially in these tenuous times. Why are they not filled as of yet? Believe it or not, the number is about 2,000. For some people, keeping a tight rein on decision making can only come from having fewer people to contend with. Control instead of delegating is definitely the road that the Trump Administration seems to be taking. It is disconcerting to me, especially being that his closest advisors in the loop are his family depicting nepotism as well as being unqualified for these positions.  

America’s future ….Education!

I am not one who usually believes in going back to the future, but sometimes it is good to just regroup. While reading an article I came across a passage that struck a chord within me and thought, we as Americans, should all read it. It will, I am sure, make you think about where we are making all of our mistakes. We have become a society that has put Public Education on the back burner because it is not “sexy” to talk about it and admit that we have forgotten the need to focus on the masses instead of the privileged few. We watch TV shows and immerse ourselves into worlds so far away from reality even though many are called reality shows. Shows like Billions, which I love watching, are really dedicated to less than 1% of the population. Can you imagine watching a show showing children getting up in the morning, maybe a very cold morning, and not having breakfast or a heavy overcoat and heading out a door by themselves because their parent has already left to go to work? Then, they arrive at a school that is ill equipped. How exciting is that? That show is more real today and yet nobody would want to watch it because it would leave you in despair with nothing to dream about.

We, as a nation, can fix this, not with idle words, but actions if we choose to go in the right direction. The article below will bring you back to where we have to revisit and re-evaluate our commitment to education for the greater good of America in the 21st Century. We may never be able to bring those jobs back because they are really obsolete, but new horizons through education can open the doors to our needs of today. This Education must be Public Education available to everyone. Free, for the most part, for anyone who qualifies or wants to participate on the world stage. Every day more technology is available with change just around the corner. Let’s be ready for those innovations by putting our monies where it will be reaping the rewards for our future. With Education first Jobs become reality!

{In 1837, a Massachusetts lawyer named Horace Mann became secretary of the first school board and began to imagine how his local schools could be a model for the nation. If only all American children could have access to a common school education, Mann and his fellow education reformers argued, schools could foster equal opportunity, moral clarity, and stability in a young republic coming of age in a rapidly changing, industrialized world. These educational leaders saw a need, proposed a big (albeit sometimes conflicting) vision for change, and set out upon a multi-decade crusade, traveling from city to city to convince as many people as possible of the promise of “common schools."  This crusade would eventually successfully entrench the idea of schooling for all in the imagination of the American public and bring about the public school system as we know it.}                                                Passage written by Dr. Miriam Heller Stone

Thank you, Horace Mann! The reason, I believe, our country is going through the trials and tribulations of today, is because we set ourselves up for it. The fact that our sitting President and his administration are now under investigation for possible association with adversaries during our most valued Presidential Election is not a surprise, at least not for me. All the clues were out there, long before yesterday morning. The news is correct. We have allowed the real problems in our society be used as a ploy for those to gain power in the disguise of a Democratic Election. There really are problems today that Democrats and Republicans have avoided much for the same reason we enjoy that TV Reality show. I was proud to watch our government at work yesterday and I am sure we will get to the truth sooner or later. But, an easy way to heal is to move forward with goals that will really work. Education should be the first on the agenda, and with all politics aside, an achievable goal. Private Schools and Charter Schools should be available for those who choose or can afford to attend, but Public Education is a must for everyone, from Elementary to Higher Education! Part of that education should include a more in-depth program teaching how our Democracy works because I think there are many who have forgotten.