Trump and Bannon Want to “Make America Grate Again”

No, “grate” isn’t a typo. A tip of the hat to a dear friend who called to my attention the aptness of this play on words.


The intentional shredding of America was in evidence during Trump’s campaign, and has intensified via executive orders and proposed legislation. And Trump’s tweets, whether he means them to be or not, are annoying, and distracting to Americans who want our country to be a democracy that works for everyone.

One aspect of the shredding is the perennial “let’s you and them fight” tactic that keeps the power brokers in the 1% in charge. Consider this quote from a recent post by D.R. Tucker at Political Animal. (http://washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/)

Even if they (the hardest core supporters of Trump) feel pain, so long as their Adversaries, their Enemies (as defined by the Trump administration), feel more pain, they will be happier than the proverbial pig in you-know-what. …
Remember what Lyndon Johnson told us decades ago:
I’ll tell you what’s at the bottom of it,” he said. “If you can convince the lowest white man he’s better than the best colored man, he won’t notice you’re picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on, and he’ll empty his pockets for you.”

Text in ( ) added by me.

Substitute anyone from a group considered “other” for “colored man” and you’ll get the picture.

About Steve Bannon and his philosophical stand that America is in a “fourth turning”, crisis period: (http://www.businessinsider.com/book-steve-bannon-is-obsessed-with-the-fourth-turning-2017-2)

I wonder, along with the author of the Business Insider article at the link above, whether Bannon is trying to bring about a fourth turning by using Trump to produce chaos, and at the same time not understanding that each “fourth turning” (if one buys that analysis of history) is unique - that there is such a thing as progress in human moral development, a tendency to be more inclusive of others and concerned for their well-being.

In my opinion, Bannon’s promoting war with Islam, anti-immigrant executive orders, destroying safety-net programs, and gutting environmental protections, etc. assumes that these are necessary catalysts for a new order to emerge. But I believe he’s got it wrong.

From the Business Insider article:

If Bannon believes that he is working for this Gray Warrior (the supposed hero of the fourth turning), then he's missing a very important point: Millennials are the ones who lead the way forward out of crisis in this story, but considering the needs of the young has never had any place under Trumpism. Trump's words appealed most to older generations who felt like something had been taken away from them, not to younger generations who felt like they were never given a chance at the American Dream in the first place. Text in ( ) added by me.

What I hope is happening under Trump and Bannon is that the foolhardiness of executive orders that try to turn the clock back to the 1950’s, or worse, is becoming evident to more and more people. And, that the blowback resulting from this realization will kick us into a new period designed to address the needs and aspirations of the 99%.

The Abominable Trump Budget - Take Aways That Kill

I'll start with a quote, courtesy of Public Citizen:

“Budgets are moral documents. Federal funding should reflect the priorities and the values of the majority of the American people.”
Mike Pence said that in 2009 — long before he became Donald Trump’s vice president.

There is no way Trump's budget reflects the priorities and values of the majority.  Despite what Trump claims, the majority of American's who voted in 2016 voted for Hillary Clinton and the values she represents.

The Trump budget is a loser, a plan to shift money from domestic spending to building a border wall, amping up the military, and providing big tax breaks and other special treatment for millionaires and corporations.

The Boston Globe published a list of all the agencies and programs the Trump budget would cut: https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2017/03/16/here-list-agencies-and-programs-trump-budget-would-defund-entirely/FU6eHGUMCBIketz8uPWDJJ/story.html

What could Trump (or whoever put this budget together) be thinking?  If enacted, this budget would throw America back to the bad old days.

• Did anyone total up the potential job losses?  
• The cost in lives of the elderly, sick, and disabled? 
• The number of malnourished children? 
• The number who will be without legal representation because they are poor? 
• The lost opportunities for education - formal and informal, such as visits to museums and libraries? 
• The financial losses from storms and other natural disasters? 
• The health costs of polluted air and water, and tainted meat and produce. 
• The increased potential for war when the capacity for diplomacy and aid to developing nations is damaged beyond repair?

I could go on, but will leave it to you to read the list at the link above, and study analyses of the impact. Nothing in Trump's budget will serve to "make America great again."  To the contrary, it will damage America's standing as a leader in the free world.

Add this budget to Trump's draconian immigration policies, failure to honor the Constitutional rights of all US citizens, and failure to condemn violence directed towards people because of their religion, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, gender presentation, etc, and you have a picture of a dis-United States of America headed for a steep decline.

We, the majority of Americans, cannot let this happen.  Let your Senators and Representatives know that you want them to call out this budget as the disaster it is, and tell them what your priorities - real American values - are.