I have read several articles and headlines in which various people use words like ‘stunned’, ’shocked’, ‘appalled’ or, the more spineless, ‘no comment’ when asked about some of Trump’s recent picks to staff high level positions in his administration. My question is, “Why the hell is anyone shocked or appalled or surprised by absolutely anything Trump does?” We have all known for more than a decade just who Trump is and the only way you can be surprised or shocked by anything DJT does is if 1) you have been living in a remote cabin in the woods, ala Ted Kaczynski, the Unabomber or 2) you are living in a completely delusional state of denial. Frankly, I believe it is mostly the latter which is why we are where we are today. All these people who are ‘shocked’ and ‘appalled’ by Trump’s choices had the chance to stop him during two impeachment trials and they failed. That is the real thing to be shocked about.
Why is anyone shocked that a convicted felon, who had been impeached twice, found responsible for sexual assault in civil court, and continues to have multiple criminal investigations into his various actions pending, chooses someone like Matt Gaetz, who has been the subject of his own criminal probe into having sex with minors, and also echoes Trump’s calls to use the Justice Department to exact revenge upon his enemies, to be Attorney General. It makes complete sense. No one should be shocked. If ‘we the people’ can elect a convicted felon to the presidency we might as well have an alleged pedophile as Attorney General. And for Trump, Gaetz has the most important qualification of all – he will do whatever the hell Trump tells him to do. The ‘rule of law’ will become ‘the rule of Trump’ if Gaetz is confirmed.
Trump has demanded that the Senate allow him to make recess appointments to bypass the normal Senate approval process. The Senate recently elected Senator John Thune from South Dakota as Senate Majority leader to take over from Mitch McConnell. The fact is, Senator Thune, is really the only person standing between Trump and virtually unchecked presidential power. It’s like we are living in the middle of a real life ‘Game of Thrones’ and Trump is making a huge power play to be seated on the royal throne as king of the entire realm.
If Thune caves to Trump’s wishes to allow these recess appointments so he can push through the nominations of his totally unqualified but very loyal picks like Gaetz, Tulsi Gabbard, and Pete Higseth to run what are probably the three most important agencies in the US government, the damage done to the country will be unimaginable. If people are shocked by their selections, they will be even more shocked when they see the chaos that will result if these clowns are allowed to assume these roles. John Thune and his fellow senators have the ability to put some checks in place and force Trump to make better choices. Mitch McConnell and his troops failed miserably the last time they had opportunities to stop Trump. If Senator Thune bends the knee and kisses the ring of Trump, we can all expect to see the dragons flying around and be witnesses to the carnage that will follow.
The people who claim that is hyperbole are the same people who are shocked by Trump’s staff picks. People need to get over being shocked or stunned by anything Trump does. If Trump decides to share the nuclear codes with Vladimir Putin as a ‘gesture of good will’ or if he decides to pull all military support from South Korea and give the money to Kim Jung Un instead, NO ONE SHOULD BE SHOCKED ANYMORE!!! If Trump views something as beneficial to him, he is likely to do it and the hell with personnel qualifications, laws, norms, the U.S. Constitution, democracy, or any of those other trivialities that have been the bedrock of this country’s existence for more than 250 years. I would simply advise, “Don’t be shocked at what might be coming, but definitely put on your seat belt.
