Let me tell you about Lana Marks. She is a fashionista who designs some of the most expensive handbags in the world. She is also a club member at Mar-A-Lago, Donald Trump’s exclusive resort. If you’re thinking to yourself “that sounds like basis for a political appointment!” then you and Donald Trump are on the same page, because he’s appointing her to be the next ambassador to South Africa. Among the previously listed qualifications, she also brings with her the keen ability to lie about her Tennis career, and a history of not paying lawyers, employees, accountants and landlords…which actually might be a qualification in Donald Trump’s eyes. She has no political or diplomatic experience at all, and she’s known to be an enthusiastic gossiper…so you know, I’m sure she’ll be fine. The lesson here is that if you want to get into politics, but avoid all the grassroots upstarting, just spend millions of dollars at Mar-A-Lago and just buy your way in!
Last Friday, I watched some clips of the Brett Kavanaugh testimony, and I had trouble getting through just some of the clips. Watching a rich, white judge spout off like an entitled 5 year old who is acting like he’s upset that he might not get the birthday present he demanded for his birthday was a little hard to handle. I have trouble sympathizing with the plight of a man’s ruined reputation when he is blatantly lying about things that I can call him out on based on the evidence HE SUBMITTED! He claims never to have been to a gathering where he allegedly tried to rape Christine Blasey Ford? Really? Because based on the calendar that he submitted, on July 1, 1982, he went to EXACTLY that type of gathering with EXACTLY the people she mentioned. Reading the totality of his testimony over the weekend was ever more gag inducing. As soon as it’s his neck on the chopping block, he’s more than ready to abandon his judicial principles to excuse himself. He’s your classic 80’s bad guy hoping to get a pass because that’s what he’s grown to expect. And at the same time, I’m afraid he’s going to get exactly what he expects. Let’s hope the FBI investigation manages to bring to light exactly what kind of monster he is.
Donald Trump is shifting strategies for the midterm elections. He wants all the people of the country to know that he has, in fact, made America great again. Half way into his first term, it’s mission accomplished. America is great again! As proof, he points to a constantly shifting, but strong economy, a bizarre, less than transparent new relationship with North Korea, trade wars and black unemployment. Other than the trade wars and tariffs which are worrying a great many Americans and our ill defined relationship with North Korea, it’s hard to really point to any of his contentions as being Trump’s doing. And yet, it’s apparently those very things that was keeping America from being great…again…or something. Something I can point to, that Trump is DEFINITELY responsible for, is that people seem more scared and divided than ever. Bigots feel more empowered to voice their destructive opinions and behaviors, and the political divide is wider than ever. The rich are getting massively more rich, and our country’s debt and deficit are crawling toward unprecedented highs. Are all those also apart of America’s newfound greatness? Because all things considered, it doesn’t feel that great…
Mind the Exit 