A New York Times article entitled “Trump Adds to Sanctions on Russia Over Skripals” details a reluctant administration to punish the Putin regime for using a chemical weapon to poison Sergei Skripal and his daughter on British soil. At the end, a letter, from Rep. Eliot L. Engel (D-NY) and Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX), threatening bipartisan action moved Trump to add new sanctions reluctantly. US Congress forces Trump to sanction Russia, otherwise President Trump would have never acted.
The Congressmen letter read:
We are deeply concerned that sanctions have not been imposed on Russia as required by U.S. law stemming from Russia’s use of chemical weapon against persons living in the United Kingdom… Failure by the administration to respond to Russia’s unabashed aggression is unacceptable and would necessitate that Congress take corrective action.
Congress passed a law in 1991 known as the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act. It provides the president with broad powers to sanction countries for use of chemical weapons. Yet, until US Congress forced Trump to sanction Russia, the president had no intention to turn on the spigot against his friend Putin.
LOYALTY OVER COMPETENCE
Trump’s friendly disposition towards Putin of Russia, who helped him win the elections in 2016, shows just how loyal this President is to his friends. Loyalty, in Trump’s inner circles, is the most valuable commodity. In fact, loyalty trumps competence by miles. It even trumps US public perception of a president beholden to our enemy. To this president, no other trait has a higher value.
Proof is in the pudding. Who did the president nominate to replace Dan Coats, our Director of National Intelligence? Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-TX). Someone who is very loyal, but whose background did not qualify him for the job. Loyalty over competency. Ratcliffe eventually withdrew his name from consideration.
TRUMP WILL EMBRACE PUTIN OPENLY IF HE WINS IN 2020
One can only imagine what Trump might do if he wins in 2020. With four years to cause as much damage as he could without any regard to decorum and order. Trump may yet embark on such divisive politics that it may cause Americans to fight one another in the streets. To the delight of Trump who will see the fights as his supporters standing up to his enemies. There is no telling what this egomaniac is capable come another four years of attacks on individuals and institutions. Don’t you forget it, to the utter delight of Putin,
Undermining US democracy has become Trump’s ultimate goal. Putin himself could not have done a better job if he was the US president.
This president has publicly attacked the Supreme Court, the Federal judicial system, Congress, intelligence institutions, the media, the United Nations, the State Department, and the Justice Department to name a few. Undermining US democracy has become Trump’s ultimate goal. Putin himself could not have done a better job if he was the US president.
Yet, Republicans seem to ignore Trump’s actions knowing well it does not bode well for the country to become as disruptive to America’s ways. They will pay dearly for that silence not before long if Trump wins in 2020 to double down on his destructive personality. Millions of Americans are ready to go into the streets objecting to four more years of Trump.
AMERICA’S DOWNHILL TRAJECTORY
When you go down hill slowly, gravity misleads you into thinking you are strolling horizontally. America is going downhill as vitriol replaced common sense, and as overly inflated egos replaced wisdom. Thanks to Donald Trump who defends Putin while attacking American democracy.
This trajectory may never be corrected because the US political system has never seen someone so poisonous gain ground because of his poison. This opens a Pandora’s box for others to emulate. We have descended so far in the dirty gutters of politics that civility may have just expired in American life. One might even say that Trump killed off decency and dignity, two elements that keep our political system glued together.
We may be better off economically but by golly Putin is making sure Trump tears us apart socially and politically. The wounds Trump has caused with regard to race and ideology are deep and unnerving. Their everlasting damage may yet peculate long after Trump is gone.
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