Does anyone really believe America is safer or ‘greater’ than it was when Trump took office? Is Trump really putting ‘America first’? I would argue that the only people who are truly benefitting from the hell Trump has unleashed upon America and the world are Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, oil and mining companies, companies who run private prisons, and some of America’s wealthiest people.
Trump’s extrajudicial killing of suspected drug runners in Venezuela might have bothered some people but it was still far away and not really ‘real’ for a lot of Americans. However, the tragic shooting of an unarmed, white, mother of three kids in Minneapolis by ICE agents should send a very clear message to every single American that no one in this country is safe from Trump’s tyranny. And that shooting was followed closely by the shooting of two more people in Portland by ICE agents. Prior to the shooting in Minneapolis, a woman in Chicago was shot multiple times by an ICE agent but survived. In all these cases, the administration has been caught in provably false lies to justify these senseless attacks. These are Gestapo-like tactics and they sure as hell aren’t making America any safer. Then again, they are not designed to make America safer, they are designed to intimidate Americans.
America and almost the entire world condemned Putin’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and then the subsequent, unprovoked attack on Ukraine. However, it is difficult for America to hold much sway on this issue any longer because of Trump’s attack on Venezuela and the seizing of its oil infrastructure. His belligerent rhetoric about Greenland and possibly taking it by military action not only further undermines the United States’ credibility on the world stage, but it also serves to further embolden Putin to continue attacking Ukraine, possibly the former Soviet states and perhaps even Europe itself. It must certainly embolden President Xi to continue with his plan to retake Taiwan as witnessed by the recent live fire military exercises conducted by the Chinese military around Taiwan. Is the world safer? Hell no!
If Trump were to carry through on his threat to take Greenland by force, it would fracture the NATO alliance that has been in place since World War II, and nothing would please Putin more. Putin has been trying for years to destroy NATO, and his best hope currently lies with Donald Trump. The fact is, I don’t believe it is too much of a stretch to believe that if the NATO alliance were to disintegrate, Putin and Trump would try to form some sort of Russo-American alliance. Great for Putin. Great for Trump. Great for the oligarchs. Tragic for most Americans and the rest of the world.
The oil companies are huge beneficiaries of Trump’s efforts to kill alternative energy projects, open vast tracts of Federal and offshore areas for drilling and now the seizing of Venezuela’s oil infrastructure. Americans may at some point way in the future see slightly lower gas prices (or not) but at what cost? An environment raped and pillaged for greed? Worsening climate change? Ultimately, oil companies and the executives of those companies will make billions, and the American people will pay the price.
The United States already incarcerates more people than any other country on the planet. The recent immigration raids have promised to increase that number even further. Who benefits? Companies who get lucrative contracts to run and build prisons. Does this benefit average Americans who are struggling with housing and health care costs? Clearly not? Does this administration care? Clearly not?
Lastly, the oligarchs will surely benefit from Trump’s tyranny. This is exactly the same system that is in place in Russia under Putin. Putin allows a selected few to make billions of dollars and, in turn, they tow the party line and support the Putin regime. The same exact thing is taking place in America.
Trump is not making America safer. He is not making America greater. He is destroying the very foundation upon which this country was built and every single American citizen should understand that. And if you think you are safe from Trump’s despotic, authoritarian actions, think about Renee Nicole Good who was murdered by ICE agents in Minneapolis, and just ask yourself, “Who’s next – me?”
