Trump Leadership

By Martin MirskyGovernance

Multiple administrations, over decades (going back to the Vietnam War), have given Americans good reason to distrust government. Trump has clearly tapped into that distrust. The central question is - does his policies and actions solve this distrust and rebuild our confidence in the government?

Nothing can be more obvious about Donald Trump than his willingness to put his interests first before that of the country or anybody else. As of this writing 215,000 have died from Covid-19 but if that is not enough to convince you then pick your favorite area of concern below. Think about this. He and the Republicans want to eliminate the Affordable Care Act. This will eliminate the protection provided by it for preexisting conditions. Over 130 million Americans have preexisting conditions and an additional 8 MM been infected with the virus. This is a preexisting condition. Not once has Trump even worked with Senate Republicans to offer an alternative. DUMP TRUMP AS PRESIDENT. Vote him out if you love America! Our lives depend on it.

I. Drain the Swamp

    a. Attacks and criticizes anybody who disagrees with him. MSN.com
    b. Justice Department being corrupted by Barr and other appointed judges. APNews.com
    c. Top Trump Officials must sign an NDA. Trump NDAs can’t silence ex-White House officials: legal experts Reuters.com
    d. Ignores background checks of key people and gives security authorization to his son-in-law against advice. NewsWeek.com
    e. Still (3+ years later) no release of taxes even after promising to do so during campaign. Transparency and Accountability is necessary. None of the U.S. banks would lend Trump money. There are also a number of very large bankruptcies under Donald’s tutelage. Under those circumstances it is reasonable to assume that he turned to Russia and Saudi Arabia to stay afloat and that this has significantly influences his actions while as president. There is also evidence of the Trump family using the loses to avoid estate taxes from Fred Trump’s estate. Additionally, there is evidence that he used under valuing properties for real estate taxes while inflating the same property values to secure larger loans in the past. His taxes are key to answering all these questions. It is no wonder that this is his “redline”.
    Some information has been leaked out. CNN.com

II. Picking the Best People

    a. General Mattis - (CNN) Former Secretary of Defense James Mattis on Wednesday castigated President Donald Trump as "the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people" in a forceful rebuke of his former boss as nationwide protests have intensified over the death of George Floyd.
    "Donald Trump is the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people—does not even pretend to try. Instead he tries to divide us," Mattis said in a statement obtained by CNN.
    "We are witnessing the consequences of three years of this deliberate effort. We are witnessing the consequences of three years without mature leadership. We can unite without him, drawing on the strengths inherent in our civil society. This will not be easy, as the past few days have shown, but we owe it to our fellow citizens; to past generations that bled to defend our promise; and to our children."
    CNN.com
    b. General John Kelly - says he agrees with Mattis: 'We need to look harder at who we elect.' FoxNews.com
    c. Rex Tillerson – “Undisciplined, doesn’t like to read’ and tries to do illegal things”. WashingtonPost.com
    d. Former campaign chair Paul Manafort and his deputy, Rick Gates – both snared on financial misdeeds in special counsel Robert Mueller investigation. Trump’s first national security adviser – Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn – pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI warned by previous administration of being a security risk.
    e. Michael Cohen - Convicted of payoff of prostitute. Of course, this was at the behest of Trump.
    f. Roger Stone - Prosecutors convicted Stone for obstructing the House Intelligence Committee’s investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election by lying to the committee about his efforts to contact WikiLeaks, and by encouraging another witness to lie for him.
    g. Rudy Giuliani - Acted as a foreign agent while working for Ukrainian businesses. “indictment of two Giuliani associates, Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman, as directing a plot to oust Yovanovitch”. MotherJones.com
    h. John Bolton – recent book calling him dangerous and unfit for office. ABCNews.com
    i. Bill Barr – mischaracterizes Mueller investigation results and refuses to release report to Congress.
    j. Jeff Sessions – Big supporter and tried to be honorable but fired for doing the right thing. BBC.com

III. Economic Policy

    b. Subsidies to farmers after tariffs on China. THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION WILL PAY FARMERS $16 BILLION FOR ITS TRADE WAR
    PSMag.com
    National Farmers Union has seen more farmer suicides
    A Newsweek article in May detailed a Fox News interview with Patty Edelburg, vice president of the Washington-based National Farmers Union, which represents about 200,000 U.S. farms. In the interview she said, "It has been insane. We've had a lot of farmers—a lot more bankruptcies going on, a lot more farmer suicides. These things are highlighting many of the news stories in our local news."
    She added, "We have more commodities, more grain sitting on the ground now because we lost huge export markets. We've lost export markets that we've had for 30 years that we'll never get a chance to get back again. Farmers are hopeful to get their crops in the ground this year but really hopeful we have a place to sell it come fall." Forbes.com
    c. Unemployment at 13.3% 5 months into the Covid-19 virus and still not under control. BLS.gov
    d. Increases in wealth gap caused by tax cuts for the wealthy.

IV. Foreign Policy

    a. Will not release taxes because of foreign obligations / loans. CNN.com
    b. No deal with North Korea Gave N.Korea a photo op but no substantial change in N. Korean policy, continues missile tests and they blew up Liaison building.
    c. No effective deal with China
    d. China building islands in South China Sea
    e. Rejected TPP (best way to build a coalition against South China Sea against China’s aggression in the area).
    f. Isolation from NATO. Undermining NATO another win for Russia.
    g. Saudi Arabia’s killing of Saudi reporter, Jamal Khashoggi on Oct. 2, 2018 at Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey. NPR’s Peter Kenyon reports efforts to investigate murder were hindered by Trump administration’s response.
    h. Turkey buying Russian armaments
    i. Russian Interference in our election and he does nothing, does not even admit it.
    j. Withdrawal of Troops from Europe hands Russia another opening to invade former USSR countries.
    k. Russia paying Taliban to kill US soldiers, no reaction by Trump
    l. Tries to remove sanctions from Russia over annexation of Crimea but blocked by Congress.

V. Handling Pandemic

    a. Drink bleach – During press conference on April 24th, suggested drinking bleach “I see that disinfectant knocks it out in a minute” and using UV light to treat virus ”We hit body with a tremendous – whether it’s ultraviolet or very powerful light,”.
    b. Government stockpiles 63 million doses of hydroxychloroquine and distributes 31 million doses, by June 17th. Trump says, “what do you have to lose.” FDA afterwards revokes the EUA claiming does more harm than good. Journal of American Medical Ass. showed Covid patients twice as likely to suffer cardiac arrest. This is the harm!
    c. No masks - Still not requiring or promoting the use of masks and social distancing. Only promotes opening up the country regardless of the risk or control of the virus.
    d. Criticize testing and wants it to slow down, June 21 at campaign rally and June 22 when I asked by reporters. Not a joke!
    e. 120,000 deaths in the U.S. as of June 22. Number of cases are still rising.
    f. Continues to minimize the severity of virus. More concerned about his re-election.
    g. No coordinated effort for PPE
    h. Sends 17.8 tons of PPE (donated by US organizations and businesses) to China, Mike Pompeo facilitated the transportation, on Feb 4th. No appreciation for the potential impact on U.S.
    i. Disbands agency that was to monitor and recommend pandemic response. WASHINGTON—In May 2018, President Donald Trump’s biodefense preparedness adviser warned that a flu pandemic was the country’s No. 1 health security threat, and the U.S. was not prepared. USAToday.com
    “We know that it cannot be stopped at the border,” Luciana Borio, director of medical and biodefense preparedness at the National Security Council, said at a symposium that day. Borio left the Trump administration in 2019. Other high-level global health experts headed for the exits even earlier, after the White House dismantled the National Security Council’s global health security office.
    j. Trashes Obama pandemic plan without a replacement.
    k. Delayed response and still no coordinated response at federal level. Plays favoritism with states that support his crazy ideas like Florida.
    l. Pushing to open schools while cases are virus is surging. 7/8/2020.
    m. Chooses to berate Anthony Fauci instead of finding ways to mitigate the infection rate.
    n. Pushes to open schools without support or plan to keep children, teachers, and staff safe.

VI. Healthcare

    b. No Republican Plan just reduce insurance coverage on millions of people. NBCNews.com
    c. Insurance unaffordable without ACA.

VII. Dividing Country

    a. Refers to the state department, FBI and CIA and news organizations as part of the deep state.
    b. Spreading of lies and misinformation and conspiracies on Facebook, Twitter, Fox News.
    c. Demonizing Gold Star Families. Attack of Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman (later retaliated against), National Security Council Director of Foreign Affairs and John McCain, decorated veterans.
    d. Using veterans to test experimental drugs for Covid-19

VIII. Immigration

    a. Create fear about immigration from all countries of color
    b. Promotes a ban on all Muslims. His rhetoric was more comprehensive than the actual action. FactCheck.com
    The Supreme Court eventually upheld the presidential authority to institute the ban. However, his rhetoric served to stigmatize and alienate 1.8 billion people around the world.
    c. Demonizing Mexicans and all Latins. Labels them as rapists and murders.
    Separation of children from their parents. Time.com
    Judge orders release from detention centers due to virus.
    d. Refers to Africa countries as “Shithole Countries”. Trump asked, "Why do we want all these people from 'shithole countries' coming here?"

IX. Abuse of Power

    a. Emoluments – He refuses to put assets into a blind trust while in office. Constantly uses his resorts and overcharges the government for their use.
    b. More apt to support and complement dictators and enemies of our countries while always criticizing our institutions.
    c. Ivanka Trump gets 17 Trademarks from China, Donald Trump reverses course on ZTE.
    CNN.com
    Forbes.com
    d. Trump uses government as personal piggy banks. Trump’s Golf Trips Could Cost Taxpayers Over $340 Million.
    Forbes.com

X. Impeachment by House of Representatives

    a. Colluded with Ukraine to hurt political opponent, Joe Biden.
    b. Would not allow key witnesses to testify - obstruction of justice. FoxNews.com
    c. Bolton corroborated the testimony of others and even included China as another country approach to help in Trump’s reelection.
    d. Even though he was impeached by the House the Senate chose to not even have witnesses.

XI. Cronyism

    a. Trump Goes Beyond Cronyism—To Something Far Worse. By naming people such as Herman Cain and Stephen Moore to top jobs, Trump converts the machinery of government to his personal use. TheAtlantic.com
    b. Mike Pompeo, Mike Pence, Mark Esper, Mick Mulvaney, Rudy Giuliani refused to provide documents during impeachment. wikipedia.com
    c. Gordon Sondland, US Ambassador to EU, donor to election and enabled foreign government to get involved in US election.
    d. Trump commutes sentence of Roger Stone. Here is a man that had no remorse. Found guilty by a jury and lied to protect the president. Then Trump commutes his sentence without spending any jail time.

XII. Voting Rights

    a. Promotes voter suppression: Closing of polling places; Republicans against mail-in ballots, massive elimination of people from voting rolls, increasing requirements to vote, refuse to make voting day a holiday; Result dramatic increases in lines during election days particularly in urban poorer neighborhoods.
    b. Creates unfounded Fear about voter fraud when there is no evidence.

XIII. Racism

    a. Refers to all demonstrators has bad people – Clears streets with tear gas for his photo-op with bible (upside down and without permission of the church).
    b. Charlottesville - n the week after white supremacist protests in Charlottesville, Virginia, in August 2017, Trump repeatedly said that “many sides” and “both sides” were to blame for the violence and chaos that ensued — suggesting that the white supremacist protesters were morally equivalent to counter-protesters that stood against racism. He also said that there were “some very fine people” among the white supremacists. All of this seemed like a dog whistle to white supremacists — and many of them took it as one, with white nationalist Richard Spencer praising Trump for “defending the truth.” Vox.com
    d. George Floyd - Mattis also suggested that Trump disrespected the Constitution in the way he responded to ongoing protests surrounding George Floyd's death.
    FoxNews.com
    c. Demonizing Mexicans and all Latins. Labels them as rapists and murders.
    Separation of children from their parents. Time.com
    Judge orders release from detention centers due to virus.

Multiple administrations, over decades (going back to the Vietnam War), have given Americans good reason to distrust government. Trump has clearly tapped into that distrust. The central question is - does his policies and actions solve this distrust and rebuild our confidence in the government?

Nothing can be more obvious about Donald Trump than his willingness to put his interests first before that of the country or anybody else. As of this writing 215,000 have died from Covid-19 but if that is not enough to convince you then pick your favorite area of concern below. Think about this. He and the Republicans want to eliminate the Affordable Care Act. This will eliminate the protection provided by it for preexisting conditions. Over 130 million Americans have preexisting conditions and an additional 8 MM been infected with the virus. This is a preexisting condition. Not once has Trump even worked with Senate Republicans to offer an alternative. DUMP TRUMP AS PRESIDENT. Vote him out if you love America! Our lives depend on it.

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