Friday, March 3, 2017

Why would anyone WANT Trump to visit Chicago?

 


     What's wrong with people?
     I'm reading all this speculation about Oprah Winfrey being maybe interested in running for president. Conversation seems to revolve around her views. Is she sincere? Is it a joke? And the logic seems to be, heck, experience doesn't count for anything, obviously, since Donald Trump was elected president. So why not Oprah? She's a big rich star too!
     Those people are missing the point, entirely. Yes, Trump won. But based on the chaos of his first six weeks of his administration, and the unqualified clown/zealots he's stuffing his cabinet with, his election isn't a template for more of the same. It's a grim cautionary tale, a reminder that while the popular mania might turn on expertise in general and politicians in particular, that electing a president based on lack of government experience is like choosing a surgeon based on scant medical knowledge. Oh, he can put on green scrubs and a paper mask and look the part. And maybe fool some people who judge by appearances. But stick him in front of an open chest cavity and he just stands there, gawping.
     Which is sorta what Trump is doing now.
     The only actual accomplishment Trump can point to is giving himself an "A." The rest is bluster. Which is not the bad part. The bad part is that some people believe him. They assume, he's so smug, so certain, so rich, he must be succeeding, since he says he is. Except he's not. We just aren't used to somebody lying so consistently, so thoroughly. It throws us.
     Yes, there are similarities. Like Trump, Oprah is a giant airship of inflamed ego. The materialism run amok? The close-your-eyes-follow-me-and-your-dreams-will-come-true magical thinking?

To continue reading, click here.

15 comments:

  1. What's interesting is that Chicago is not in the top 25 most dangerous cities (violent crime per capita) or the top 25 cities in murder rate (again, per capita). Another thing Trump knows nothing about.

    I don't in anyway mean to minimize the horror of the death of so many in Chicago. Why doesn't he talk about #1 East St. Louis or #15 Portsmouth, VA or #30 Washington, DC? Aside from, as usual, knowing nothing of which he speaks, I think he keeps harping on Chicago because it's Obama's city.

    And, certainly agree with you about Rush inviting him to Chicago, although I assume he may have shown up when his building opened.

    ReplyDelete
  2. mr trump, has such a hard on for chicago because we came out in force and shut down his rally at UIC during the campaign . he had to miss a day of adulation and thats hard for a narcissist. optimism ,respect for authority and reason are a must, not a luxury. and the day we abandon these tenants is the end of civil society.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. FME: I know your phone did it to you, but the word is "tenets," not "tenants."

      Though, come to think of it, I believe Trump has abandoned both tenets and tenants many times.

      john

      Delete
  3. What is wrong with people indeed?!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think what's wrong with people is that very few of us have an inkling how government works and those of us who do are unduly influenced by the fairy tales we imbibed as youths, "the government of the people and by the people..." etc. I don't think Rush was entirely wrong in inviting Trump to Chicago, but I do think that his scheme of winning over his heart won't work -- Trump's heart is dedicated to number 1 only.

      john

      Delete
  4. I believe ours has become a shallow and meaningless society where traditions no longer mean anything and anyone can become president on a whim. I hope it's only temporary and our culture will again achieve some normalcy.

    ReplyDelete
  5. We mustn't forget that Trump's election was an utter fluke. Call me a cockeyed optimist, but I don't think it will be repeated, especially after people get four years of what we've seen in the first four weeks.

    As for Oprah, I have no doubt that she could see herself as president. But if the media etc. could give so much crap to a qualified black person...

    ReplyDelete
  6. I don't know if any one else had this problem, but when I clicked on the link to keep reading the right side of the suntimes page had a bunch of ads that was blocking part of your column. I had to stop reading.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sorry about that. I've given up trying to understand what they're doing with the web page. It seems to be an organic thing that exists without benefit of human agency, like a bog.

      Delete
  7. It shows just how horrific Trump is, to even ponder having Oprah run for president. I guess it's like being happy to see broccoli on a catering menu when all you've eaten for three months is brussel sprouts.

    SandyK

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We did have an actor for president. Why not a talk show host. Just kidding

      Delete
    2. The most compelling reason that I would not vote for Oprah is that she wears glasses, at least for photos, without lenses. For someone such as myself, for whom glasses were always an impediment to full boyishness, to wear glasses when you don't need them is unfathomable. And I would certainly prefer a fathomable President to the one we've got now and to various others equally handicapped in that regard.

      john

      Delete
  8. Dancing with the Presidents will be the next reality show? Is that where we're headed?

    ReplyDelete
  9. I am way past finding anything humorous in our circumstances. For those commenters who do, I admire your ability to push back the constant feeling of dread I have when I see his face in a newspaper. Heres hoping Barack really intends to be a deus ex machina- and succeeds.

    ReplyDelete

Comments are moderated, and posted at the discretion of the proprietor.