Although my "Trump Stress Syndrome" ("TSS") started awhile ago, its impact on my health has gradually reached a point that required medical intervention. How did I reach this "tipping point?" I think it was Trump's Memorial Day Tweet that pushed me over the edge;
"Happy Memorial Day! Those who died for our great country would be very happy
and proud at how well our country is doing today. Best economy in decades,
lowest unemployment numbers for Blacks and Hispanics EVER (& women in 18years),
rebuilding our Military and so much more. Nice!"
Nothing reads like pure inspirational gold than another self-serving, self-absorbed and full blown narcissistic tweet connecting the ultimate sacrifice our men and women of the armed forces made to protect and preserve our freedoms than a "hey look at me!" Trump Tweet! Then his follow-up tweet after Roseanne Barr was "fuel to the fire;"
"Bob Iger of ABC called Valerie Jarrett to let her know that 'ABC does not tolerate
comments like those' made by Roseanne Barr. Gee, he never called President
Donald J. Trump to apologize for the HORRIBLE statements made and
said about me on ABC. Maybe I just didn't get the call?"
"Narcissism" is defined in Psychology Today as "individuals with narcissistic personality disorder, whose grandiosity soars to such heights that they are manipulative and easily angered, especially when they don't receive the attention they consider their birthright." Perhaps students in school could use a picture of Donald Trump to exemplify the definition of a "narcissist?"
We hear all the time folks voted for Trump because he was going to "shake up Washington." Yet the only thing Trump has shaken up are the norms that provided the political guardrails our nation has needed in order to guarantee everyone's freedom and Constitutional rights. Now Trump and his team have claimed in a recently published, previously "secret" memo that the President has the absolute right to control all functions of the Executive Branch - including guiding, manipulating, altering and weaponizing investigations for personal political use. I mean, some like me cringed every time "Lock her up!" was cheered on at Trump rallies (referring to Clinton) and his claims he would jail her once placed into office. (see: thehill.com/homenews/administration/375261-crowd-chants-lock-her-up-at-trumps-cpac-speech).
Not until the rise of Trump, has America seen an endorsed political candidate threaten their political opponents with imprisonment, let alone demand and encourage it after taking office without affording proper due process. Yet, Trump and his supporters still seem to see a legitimate basis for doing so. Now we see their intent to push a narrative that Trump can as president, freely weaponize the Department of Justice and (including the FBI) sate personal appetites to destroy our independent system of justice. If this is not enough to convince GOP members of Congress that we have a rogue president that views himself above the law, I fear nothing will. As a result, the only way to check this conman is to elect Democrats to Congress this November. I am not the first to say this and I certainly won't be the last, but it must be said over and over again. We are reaching a breaking point in our body-politic. And if we don't do something this year to "clip Trump's wings", I fear our country may eventually face a serious and dangerous condition - one that not only may erode America as we know it, but actually may permanently damage her. The best prescription to help our nation heal from this hypertension of hyper-partisanship? A good dose of elections is the best remedy for this treating our collective Trump Stress Syndrome.
As President Abraham Lincoln once wrote; “Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they will just have to sit on their blisters.” It's time to heal America's blisters! Have a great week!