The continuing devolution of America

Trump comes at you fast. He is a good game show host! He knows entertainment suspense. He keeps us off balance… What will the next Tweet say? Will he or won’t he comment? Who will he insult next?

Oh, so entertaining!

Yet, the Presidency is serious stuff. Governance is not entertainment. Politics is not a sport.

People’s lives are at stake here.

(Side note: and here is where anti-abortionist will say, “Exactly the point. The unborn lives are at stake here and that is why we voted for him no matter anything else.” I have no argument against that myopic, zealot position other than to remind my good anti-abortionist friends that facilitating bringing a life into this world without the accompaniment of quality pre-natal care and post birth healthcare and support is a rather narrow – and ultimately counterproductive – view of things. More on this topic in another posting. But I digress.)

Policies like indiscriminately yanking children from parents at the border; leaving thousands of people in limbo by not addressing – or worse yet, negatively addressing – DACA and TPS; slashing environmental programs; and walking away from Puerto Rico demonstrate a devolution of American values that diminishes our nation being viewed aspirationally by Americans as well as others throughout the world.

Rash acts like the on-again off-again North Korea summit, temper tantrums against entertainment and athletes,  and insults of other politicians and federal departments demonstrates a lack of civility that is degrading not only the American Presidency but also the respect for authority that is so needed for a well functioning nation.

This President’s inability to articulate an argument in a coherent, developed manner; his limited vocabulary; and his flippant demeanor degrades the Office of the Presidency to the point that it leaves many with a yearning for true statesmen and stateswomen of the past, great men and women that present themselves as knowledgeable of the subject matter and can converse in a manner that is intelligent and actually makes sense.

This devolution of the Presidency – and of America by association – is so rapid and rampant that it has brought into question the very essence of the country as a nation others look up to, as a country in which one takes pride living in, or a President that we want children and youth to emulate.

Instead we have a country that has devolved to simply being one of many. Sure, an economic powerhouse, but culturally shrinking. Sure, a sports giant, but artistically shallow. Sure, a military might, but responsibly reckless.

We have a leadership that merits no more respect – and oftentimes much less respect – that the leadership of other first world nations (and even less respect than some second and third world nations!) We find ourselves in a downward spiral chase to the gutter that makes many other countries seem just fine, thank you.

The shining city on the hill that was the U.S.A. is fast becoming the chaotic, mean, transactional city of excess where riches may be found but souls are so often lost.

Of course we can still turn this mess around. #RESIST, help friends register to vote, and vote vote vote come November!

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