Grift Or Graft? Take Your Choice

An architect’s rendering of the proposed 250 foot high triumphal arch on a site between the Memorial Bridge and Arlington National Cemetery. The arch will significantly alter the symmetry and symbolism of the monument area of Washington D.C. This past weekend, Trump claimed that the arch will serve as a “military complex.” “At the strong request of the United States Military, and for National Security purposes, I have agreed to convert the magnificent Triumphal Arch… into a top grade Military Complex/Triumphal Arch” according to his social media account. (Harrison Design/US. Commission of Fine Arts.)

For this citizen, it is getting increasingly difficult to keep up with the craziness coming from the Trump administration. Every day there is a new outrage. I am embarrassed for our country, I am angry that we are slowly loosing our Democratic Republic that we love, and I fear for our future. The federal government is being run by scoundrels, grifters and white nationalists that have no regard for the average citizen of our United States. The decision to claim that the unwanted and unneeded arch is a military necessity to “house, store, and have the rapid ability to use large numbers of drones, plus Snipers, on both the roof and plaza areas, and additionally have and hold large quantities of sniper ammunition in storage” is a fever dream occupying the Commander-in-Chiefs rapidly declining acuity. In reality, he is trying to use the same scam he used to justify destroying the East Wing of the White House. It is a national security issue! His failing logic concludes that since the Supreme Court gave him nearly unlimited power to act on national security issues, he will not have to get anyone’s permission, least of all from a court, to build his precious arch. The massive opposition to it be damned.

Perhaps nothing epitomizes Trump’s second term more than his hissy fit over the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. If you missed this last week, this is the essence. Congress appropriated money for repairs to the center. Trump wants his name on it. A judge said no because it is named in a law duly passed by Congress that specifically says no other person or monuments can be attached or otherwise included with the Kennedy Center. To that, Trump declared that no Trump name on the building then no money for repairs. Period. Unless of course, I, Trump, decide to tear it down. It is now closed. I fear we may wake up one morning soon to find a wrecking ball smashing into it. In the name of national security, of course.

These are the same people trying to convince you that the war of choice in Iran is not the cause of the increased oil, gas and diesel prices. It is really Ukraine! According to Trump and his enablers, Ukraine attacking Russian oil refineries is the real cause of the global shortage. Not Russia’s unprovoked attack on Ukraine which is intensifying, not the nearly complete closure of the Strait of Hormuz because of our attack on Iran, not the limitations on shipping through the strait at Bab-al-Mandeb because of the war, nor is it the result of anything the Trump regime has done, it is all Ukraine’s fault.

Apparently, Russia is our friend and Ukraine is not. Trump is considering establishing business and trading deals with Russia despite their continued aggression. In his logic, this will calm things down. The fact that he and his Epstein Class buddies will make a ton of money has nothing to do with it. His top real estate agents diplomats Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff are on top of it. Apparently, Trump still believes that if he had been president, his best pal Vladimir Putin would never have invaded Ukraine. (Actually, Trump puts the blame for the war on Ukraine because they won’t give up a third of their country to the Russians.) This is one of a long list of issues that would be solved on “day one” of the Trump presidency.

I am sure that it is only a coincidence that a Russian oligarch with close personal ties to Putin, and indicted for stealing Ukrainian kids and taking them to Russia, paid for Donald Trump Jr. and his bride’s wedding. Ooops. I’m sorry. They insist he did not pay for the wedding, only for the several day after party on a private island in the Bahamas rented out to the wedding party with customized fireworks and accommodations costing hundreds of thousands of dollars. Just a wedding present from a good friend. Obviously Don Jr has not seen the move The Godfather where Don Corleone helps someone out and as they thank him he always says “Someday, and that day may never come, I will call upon you to do a service for me.” But that day will surely come for the Trumps. Dad insists that Junior paid the Russians back, but of course, as always, offers no proof.

After years of “day one” promises, “very soon” promises, “probably next Tuesday” promises, “in two weeks” promises, and on and on, nothing that Trump promised has come to fruition. The economy is a mess, our food supply is in danger of making us sick, measles and other diseases thought eliminated are coming back in increasing amounts, the air and water pollution we thought was getting better is now increasing in order to ease regulations and help businesses. It just does not stop. Now surrogates for Trump are saying that the war with Iran is under control and that in another six months it should be over. This is the war that was going to be over in four to six weeks, tops. We are now in our seventh month of combat operations and the word is for us not to worry, it will only take another six months. There have been no public briefings on the war since 5 May. Probably because they still have no articulated strategic goals (they seem focused on the Strait of Hormuz now, which was an international waterway open to all shipping before the war) and no articulated end game or exit strategy. The war is expanding horizontally into other areas such as between the Houthis and Saudis. (Saudi Arabia is asking for U.S. help there, Trump said no, yes, no over the weekend. Our allies in the region are watching. They are learning we cannot or will not protect them.) The war in Ukraine is escalating and Russian operatives are testing the resilience and resistance of our NATO allies with increasingly brazen small scale attacks. China is eyeing Taiwan as all of this is happening and Trump considers Xi Jinping his other best friend. Xi has openly stated that his goal is to “reunite” Taiwan with the rest of China. Is that now on the horizon with our depleted Armed Forces bogged down in the Persian Gulf? It is a tense world waiting to explode with a misinterpreted word or action. Is Trump up to the challenge?

Has anyone seen the Secretary of State through all of this? Calling Marco Rubio! I wonder what he is up to while others travel around the world in the name of American diplomacy.

Meanwhile, J.D. Vance implored MAGA supporters on a recent podcast when asked about the state of affairs under the Trump administration to be patient. He begged, “Give us another chance, or give us another couple of years, to continue to work on the amazing things that we’ve been doing for the past two years.” Uh, okay J.D. Of course you deserve another chance to screw things up even more. Quite the campaign slogan — Give us another chance!

And then there is Greenland. Trump is bragging about his super agreement with Denmark and Greenland that is expected to be signed later this week (it still would have to be ratified by their respective parliaments to go into effect.) Despite Trump’s claims that Greenland should be the 51st state and that with this agreement he declares that the U.S. now has “permanent control over security, and all other needs” in Greenland and that it is, according to his social media post, an “Infinite Life” Agreement, there is no end!” Trump got fooled again. The Danes and Greenlanders are snickering behind his back. The agreement — admittedly all details are yet to be public — seems to solidify Denmark’s continued possession of the island and solidifies Greenland’s ability to declare its independence in the future. It also gives the U.S. provisions for a military presence — which we already have with a Space Force base in Pituffik Greenland, previously named Thule Air Force Base. Since 1951 the U.S. maintains a military presence in Greenland, the numbers of forces and where on the island grows and recedes depending on the geo-strategic requirements over the years. Basically, Trump solidified what we already had and the Danes and Greenlanders have Trump’s threats to take over the island removed.

This shows us what all of our friends and allies, as well as our adversaries, now know. Trump can be had. Sometimes all it takes is a little flattery and to let him strut around as in the Greenland treaty. He can be the Big Man on Campus (BMOC) while the other side gets what they really want. Other nations are well aware of his grifting, and willingness to be bribed (call it a business deal if you want but when a president makes policy decisions based on how much money he and/or his Epstein Class buddies can make, it is smells like a bribe by any other name.) This is a security threat from two directions. He can be blackmailed (I still think Putin has the goods on him — not necessarily sexual, although it would not surprise me if the Russian intelligence services know what is in the Epstein Files — but monetarily. Specifically, money laundering in the 1990’s and early 2000s. Supposedly he and Epstein fell out of their friendship over a real estate deal where allegedly, Trump took advantage of Epstein.) The other threat is that they know he can be bribed — they do not have to blackmail him, just pay him to do what they want.

Meanwhile, the attacks on the upcoming elections continue. We know from 2020 that he will try to overturn the election results he does not like. He now has a playbook. Perhaps the most upsetting and disappointing aspects of where we are as a country today is that a former respected political party — the Republican Party — has totally abdicated any shred of decency, standards, responsibility, or allegiance to their oath of office. They used to stand on solid principles and policies, now they do not just let Trump and his cronies get away with their un-American activities, they increasingly aid and abet those activities. The lies that come from all corners of the national Republican Party are endless. Shame is no longer relevant.

They will be working overtime to disrupt the vote. As one voting rights advocate explained, if your vote did not matter they would not be working so hard to take it away.