For some time I’ve been suggesting every time you see republicans referring to “woke …..” simply substitute the word “Black” for woke and you’ll get the meaning. Well, since the beginning of Trump 2.0 the focus has been removing the acronym “DEI” from, I guess, EVERYWHERE. Each time you hear someone in Trump’s administration mentioning “DEI” just vision they’re talking about “white nationalism.” Trump doesn’t want anyone talking about anything but “white is right.” As a 77 year old white person who’s lived through the Civil Rights movement of the 60’s and all the advances for people who are “different” since then – this is right up there for the MOST offensive part of Trump’s recent reign on our nation. (Lots of OFFENSIVE stuff to choose from)
I will never forget when I called my teaching partner (African American – we were Middle School teachers) the night Barack Obama won the presidency and I said “I never thought I’d live long enough to witness this” and he said, “just wait for the backlash.” The “backlash” has come in the form of a 34 times FELON who was given a “get out of jail free” card first by the SCOTUS and then by the voters – because the democrats had the audacity to elect an (old) president who did more for “DEI” than probably any other president and then to nominate a Black/Indian WOMAN as their candidate against the man who attempted a COUP only four years earlier – the same man who bungled the COVID pandemic allegedly causing a few hundred THOUSAND needless American deaths. But, this adjudicated sexual predator, fraudster, and FELON is expunging “DEI” – so republicans are all “good.”
These crazy people are even removing ANY history of Black or Hispanic members of our military who ended up in Arlington National Cemetery from the site’s web-page. Yep, you read that correctly. Now do you understand why CQ Brown was removed from being the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff – his offense is being Black. I tend to believe he would have been removed simply because of his last name otherwise. And, why was the Admiral Lisa Franchetti removed as the chief of Naval operations and the first WOMAN to serve on the Joint Chiefs of Staff? Yep, because she’s a WOMAN! Remember, Trump is removing “DEI” because he’s all about “merit.”
Of course, if our leaders were really chosen based on “merit” would Trump be anywhere near the Oval Office? Kamala Harris has so much MORE “merit” than Trump I’m led to believe “merit” really isn’t the driving force for our leaders. And, why was (f)Elon Musk “chosen” to be “co-president?” Was it because of merit? Does he have a detailed understanding of our government? Plllleeease! And, I could go down the line. Well, for a bit, I think I will.
Pete Hegseth, what is the “merit” which decided he was the best fit to be Secretary of Defense – one of the most important parts of our government? Was it his time as a weekend host at Fox “news?” Or, was it his time leading two veterans groups – both times being fired for incompetence? (Groups with budgets around $10 MILLION – now overseeing a budget of $900 BILLION) Or was it Trump’s “sweet spot” – the fact he’s been credibly accused of sexual assault/abuse (even by his mother)? Maybe it was his alleged CHEATING on each of his wives – including the one he’s presently married to? Apparently, that’s merit. And, Hegseth is purging “DEI” from our military!
How about the leaders of our “Justice” department. Attorney General Pam Bondi has the great attribute of standing next to Trump as he claims HE’S the chief legal officer of the land – maybe her “merit” is courage? I watched as she walked to the podium with Trump as he was preparing to denigrate the idea of America as a nation of laws pointing out she had placed a portrait of him above one of the walkways. Maybe that’s what Trump calls “merit.” Trump’s other appointees to lead the department were two of his lawyers arguing the case where the jury UNANIMOUSLY convicted him of his 34 FELONIES. Is that merit? Fact: they’re all WHITE. (Did Stephen Miller participate in the decision to appoint them?)
Health and Human Services (HHS) – Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (This one grieves me the most because of my first campaign I was connected to back in 1968 of his father – honestly, it just seems impossible) Apparently, being the head of HHS also requires a history of alleged sexual assault and, in this case a history of drug abuse. He IS the head of America’s health system so that would explain why he’s a choice based on “merit.” He believes the best way to get immunity from measles is to get measles. Of course, that’s only if you’re not one of the CHILDREN who will DIE (needlessly – there actually is a safe and effective vaccine) from measles. The FACT there’s measles outbreaks popping up all over America – almost in every case with people who are unvaccinated won’t change his position. When the next pandemic strikes Kennedy’s “merit” will surely assure “we the people” we’re in “good hands.”
Ah yes, the FBI and Kash Patel – the children’s book author of “The Plot Against the King.” Naturally, the “king” is “King Trump.” What a great children’s book, introducing our children to the “deep state.” What better way to demonstrate your “merit?” He’s got other books where he exposes the “Government Gangsters” (“Deep state”) and makes sure he makes an enemies list of “King Trump” which he can then “go after” as the meritorious leader of (what used to be) the world’s premiere law enforcement agency. What could possibly go wrong? (Unless you’re, like me, a liberal)
I’ve written somewhat extensively on the “merit” of America’s community of OLIGARCHS. They must have merit – i mean they’re all “morbidly rich.” (In the words of the great Thom Hartmann) There’s no way any man with as much “merit” as Sieg Heil throwing Holocaust denying (f)Elon Musk could possibly screw up agencies like Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security, is there? Former Social Security administrator Martin O’Malley is giving Musk up to 60 days until he “breaks” the system people like me paid into our entire lives (over 50 years in my case). I personally don’t see the “merit” – but, what do I know? After all, to Musk, Social Security is nothing more than a “ponzi scheme.” (At Medicare and Medicaid we have Dr. Oz to save us. Him allegedly failing to pay his Medicare and Social Security taxes not withstanding)
But, Musk is not the only BILLIONAIRE giving Trump boatloads of money in order to get the privilege of kissing his butt – take for example Jeff Bezos – whose great “merit” is his unwillingness to be forced to pay ANY taxes. Instead, he’s planning reruns of “The Apprentice” on Amazon Prime – providing Trump with residuals which certainly can’t be considered emoluments, right? Here’s a more creative way to give Trump a bunch of money – pay $40 MILLION for a documentary on Melania of which she will receive $28 MILLION. Heck, include a section regarding her nude modeling and you’ll get an even larger portions of MAGA viewers – like, maybe all the “Oathkeepers.” Maybe there’ll be even more MONEY for the Trumps. That’s what we call “creative merit.”
People all across America are protesting (and boycotting) Tesla at Tesla dealerships. I have to wonder if they’re going to do the same with Bezos’ Amazon Prime, Amazon.com, and the WA Post. I for one canceled my subscription to the Post on the day he blocked the opinion section from endorsing Kamala Harris and he’s gotten worse since then. He doesn’t want any “mean stuff” about Trump to find its way to the pages of his newspaper. Sadly, it’s appearing to me the people with actual “merit” are the ones resigning from their positions at the Post based on journalistic integrity and from the government based on people actually honoring their “oath of office” – something Trump doesn’t consider meritorious. I believe the motto of the Post is “Democracy dies in darkness.” Well, it’s getting dark.
Final Thought: I’ve been talking (writing) about the Trump/Project 2025 strategy of “flooding the zone” so that their main sh*t gets unnoticed or forgotten. We’re seeing a classical example of this as our democracy is dying. The Trump administration doesn’t believe they are obligated to follow the laws of this land. (That SHOULD have been obvious prior to the election – the Justice Department was “picking” in Trump – he was INDICTED for alleged serious CRIMES) First a judge ORDERED the administration to IMMEDIATELY disperse the funds (a couple BILLION dollars) intended for contracts which had already been completed via USAID. Trump challenged the judge in the SCOTUS and lost – the district court judge then gave a new “deadline.”
I have seen no evidence the Trump administration has complied with that order. By the way, the SCOTUS decision was 5-4, meaning there were four Justices who don’t believe the president is required to abide by orders of the court! Yikes – these were four of the justices who gave Trump the “absolute immunity” from prosecution he’s now operating under. Now. we have further evidence Trump and his minions don’t respect our court system as Trump, late Friday evening of last week (3/14) invoked a 1798 law and hurriedly put about 300 alleged “gang members” on planes – some of them involved in immigration proceeding (seeking asylum) – and sending them to El Salvador.
The top District Judge for Washington DC issued a TRO (Temporary Restraining Order) to stop the deportation until those on the planes could get “due process” (the foundation of our Justice system) and he ordered the planes to turn around and return to the U.S. Of course, the Trump administration essentially said f*@k you to the judge – and, they haven’t been too subtle about it. Both Trump’s press secretary and his “border czar” have since said the judge had no authority when it comes to immigration. Tom Holman, the “czar” pretty much said “What are you going to do about it?” If it’s not clear to others “out there” it’s clear to me – Trump is succeeding in his fascist takeover of America. Once the “rule of law” is gone it’s “Katy bar the door.” Stay tuned…….