Chaos
is the new normal
 |
| Cover of Germany's top news magazine |
And the reviews, not only from many here in the United States,
but from other countries around the world, are bad. (Russia excepted).
For many Americans, in the two weeks since the inauguration, we
have whipsawed from tragedy, to farce, to the theater of the absurd.
It may be too much to say that, so far, the Trump Presidency
owes much to the work of the early Marx Brothers--but, if so, not by much.
There have been back
aways, back downs and turn-arounds, mixed with rash decisions, insults,
falsehoods and chaos.
Headlines worthy of Saturday Night Live tell of Mr. Trump
threatening and berating foreign heads of state, such as those of Mexico and
Australia. (Let’s repeat for emphasis,
Mexico and Australia!)
These are two countries that long have been good friends and
strong allies, vital to defense of our country.
When it comes to dangerous adversaries like Iran or complicated
emerging powers like China, Mr. Trump seems to be blowing up American foreign
policy based on the impulse control (or lack thereof) of his Twitter finger.
This is not only chaotic and confusing; it is dangerous.
Ban refugees. Provide propaganda fodder for ISIS. Demonize journalists. Mock members of Congress, including many from your own party.
All the while, the President says that’s what you need to do to
“fix things.”
His base believes in his ability to get the job done because,
after all, wasn’t he a successful business CEO?
Never mind Mr. Trump’s own complicated business history, an
experienced and wise businessman, as with an experienced
and wise political leader, knows that success requires statesmanship and diplomacy
as well as naked strength.
The President and his chief strategist Steve Bannon aren’t just
charting a go-it-alone path. It seems they won’t be satisfied until the
previous world order is up in flames.
They’re hell-bent on destroying trade deals, and Bannon was just
quoted to the effect that he was itching for a fight against China and in the
Middle East.
There was a time where the world felt it could count on American
stability -economic, social, and political.
All that is changing.
A recent Washington Post headline read “Shock. Outrage.
Resistance. Repeat. Is this the new normal in Trump’s America?”
The Trump Administration is staging something much grander than
you average political theater; Trump’s presidency is starting to feel more like
reality television.
That is to say, the episodes are staged and the plot twists are
scripted to shape a narrative that involves plenty of conflict.
We hear this is the “new normal” but this is not a normal
Americans should want to get used to accepting.
