LETTER: Trump will lead us into catastrophe

Since Inauguration Day, the White House has been nothing but tumultuous infighting, a series of high-profile ousters (or resignations) and innumerable scandals, not all of which involve Russia.

کد خبر: ۷۱۹۳۰۱

تاریخ: ۱۶ مرداد ۱۳۹۶ - ۰۹:۴۱

Congress has no significant legislative achievements; Syria remains mired in brutal conflict; North Korea is closer than ever to establishing itself as a serious nuclear power; and Donald Trump has spent more than 20 percent of his days as president playing golf.

During the Republican primaries, we frequently heard derogatory terms such as pathological liar, con man, narcissist and worse. All these descriptions of Trump emanated from his fellow Republican candidates.

At the time, Democrats and almost all of the Republican candidates were in complete accord. Why? Quite simply because they all recognized Trump for what he was and were compelled to express their fear that someone of his caliber could become president. Well, the unimaginable happened and the person they decried in such glowing terms is now our president — and judging by his most recent series of bullying tweets, he has not changed.

The sad truth is that many Republicans still see Trump as the same loose cannon that they knew could do great damage to our democracy. But now they are apparently willing to allow this undisciplined megalomaniac to run roughshod over the institution and ideals that have made our country great.

So, to all who truly recognize Trump for what he is but overlook his dangerous flaws for the sake of cutting taxes on the rich, are you really prepared to face the consequences of continuing to support a man who flagrantly lies and insults? Where do you draw the line?

Where does it end? The endless loop of vulgarity, finger pointing about who started it, the arms race of escalating name calling?

Does it end with the CEO of the Boy Scouts having to apologize for Trump’s recent offensive remarks to the Boy Scouts Jamboree in West Virginia? Apparently not.

Another example of Trump’s depraved indifference to human beings was his callous response to the collapse of the Senate Republicans’ disastrous plans to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act: if he sabotages a system that has flaws but that has helped millions of Americans — for instance, by refusing to subsidize payments to insurance companies — many people will die.

Typically, Trump regards the health care issue as a win-lose game, and he can’t bear the prospect of losing, even if his winning would jeopardize the lives of millions. Propping up his own fragile ego is far more important to him than those people.

On July 27, Sen. Jack Reid (D-Rhode Island) said to Sen. Susan Collins (R- Maine) — in a conversation overheard on an open microphone: "Susan, I really think Trump is crazy,” to which Collins replied: "Jack, I think you’re right. I’m really worried.”

When will Congress wake up to the fact that a majority of Americans (and most of the civilized world) share that opinion, and take steps to rescue our democracy before Trump’s thoughtless and mean-spirited impulses lead us into catastrophe?

James V. Burke