By Jameson
Parker ·
Trump’s decision to pull America out
of the Paris climate accord is being described by policy experts and scientists
as nothing short of catastrophic.
In a single day, Trump managed to
blunder America into a mistake that will be as disastrously consequential as
the Iraq War.
And making matters worse, Trump’s
speech in the Rose Garden was bursting with lies.
When it came down to it, Trump
couldn’t even find truthful justifications for why he was doing it – he had to
fabricate them.
So why did he really do it?
A disturbing picture is emerging, but one that is so “on
brand” for Trump that it seems not only plausible but probably true.
For starters, when Trump kept teasing America with his
decision it wasn’t just because he treats his job like a reality TV show, it’s
because he is also incompetent and indecisive.
This tweet wasn’t just for drama – Trump seriously didn’t
know what his decision would be on an agreement that would have an impact on
all life on planet earth until a few hours before he announced it to the world.
Just
ask Fox News host, and noted non-scientist, Kimberly Guilfoyle, who said Trump
called her this morning seeking advice on whether to stick with the Paris
agreement or not. (Guilfoyle, a climate denier, told him to pull out of the
agreement.)
But
things only get sadder from here. Buried at the bottom of a lengthy dive into
Trump’s latest screw up, the Washington Post had this surreal tidbit:
If he needed a nudge, though, one came from France over the weekend. Macron was quoted in a French journal talking about his white-knuckled handshake with Trump at their first meeting in Brussels, where the newly elected French president gripped Trump’s hand tightly and would not let go for six long seconds in a show of alpha-male fortitude….Hearing smack-talk from the Frenchman 31 years his junior irritated and bewildered Trump, aides said.A few days later, Trump got his revenge.
Trump
has long pegged his identity on something as stupid as a handshake. He yanks,
twists, and grips the hands of his victims in an attempt to dominate them.
It’s
juvenile and pathetic, but unavoidable. Macron confirmed that he had prepared
for Trump’s handshake and went into it with the idea that he would not allow
Trump to get away with it. With the tables turned, the awkward handshake went viral.
Trump
was described as seeking his “revenge” on Macron for the handshake incident by
torching the climate deal.
Trump’s
own comments seem to back this up. In his Rose Garden speech, Trump said he was
doing this for “the citizens of Pittsburgh, not Paris” – a not-so-subtle dig at
France.
The
idea that Trump would reduce a crucial decision about the planet’s future to an
opportunity to take a dig at a person who had a stronger handshake than him is
reprehensible – but largely in line with what observers of Trump’s pettiness
have long noted.
When
ego consumes every inch of your self-worth, you’ll go to great lengths to
protect it.
Unfortunately for Americans, and that includes “citizens of
Pittsburgh,” we are now heading down a path to ruin because of Trump’s need to
fuel his narcissism.
Author Jameson Parker covers US politics, social justice issues, and
other current events which aren't getting the attention they deserve. Feel free
to follow or drop him a line on twitter.