In 1946, Donald John Trump was born. (You could say there’s been trouble ever since.) In 1951, “Donnie Johnny” reportedly threw rocks at a 2-year-old neighbor in his crib in the backyard across from the Trump yard. I’m sure Donnie claimed the toddler “Started it.”
By1958, Donnie Johnny developed a twisted fondness for switchblade knives. He bought enough to fill up a box and that was the last straw for his father, Fred. Disturbed Donnie was shipped to military school in hope they could end his antisocial behavior.
Actually, young Trump thrived because military schools in that era often rewarded aggressive behavior. Never mind he was a draft dodger, Trump thinks he has armed services insight because he attended military school. Good grief.
Yesterday, Trump hijacked the July 4th holiday like no president ever and turned it into a multi-million dollar, taxpayer funded, military display/re-election rally. As Trump tweeted, way back in February, “Major fireworks, entertainment and an address by your favorite President, me!” (So insecure. #Sad.)
There were two M1 Abrams tanks and two Bradley Fighting Vehicles on display at the National Mall. The transportation costs alone were estimated at $870,000 alone. (Evidently they didn’t use Auto Club. ) In addition to jets in formation flying overhead, I’m hoping there were also plenty of Baby Trump balloons filling the skies.
The truth is, ever since seeing the 2017 Bastille Day in Paris, Trump has had his heart set on armored vehicles parading through the streets of Washington. It might have brought back fond boyhood memories for Donnie Johnny of parades with his marching toy soldiers carrying switchblades.
Actually, Trump likely longed for nukes on trucks as part of the parade. That’s something one expects from a dictatorial regime like N. Korea’s Kim Jong-un. Not that long ago, Trump threatened to wipe Kim off the face of the earth in “Fire and fury like the world has never seen.” Of course that was before Trump said, “And then we fell in love.” (Cringe worthy language, even for Trump.)
Days ago, Trump hooked up with Kim at the DMZ and became the first president to set foot in N. Korea. Obsequiously, Trump said it was “such an honor” to be with Chairman Kim, so often that the ruthless dictator looked like, “This is way too easy.” (One wonders if Otto Warmbier’s family appreciated Trump’s praise for the brutal thug who essentially murdered their son.)
In addition to authoritarianism, Trump and Kim have other “weirdness” in common, You’d have to look pretty far to find two heads of state whose heads of hair are so bizarre. And then there’s the suits that both obese men can barely fit into. When the two turned their backs to cross into the DMZ, their humongous backsides suggested neither has ever eaten a vegetable.
Ivanka Trump, the President’s daughter/wife, also shook hands with Kim and said, “It was surreal.” Given that Kim has murdered 340 people, including relatives, maybe Ivanka’s “surreal” meant how often does one shake the hand of a mass murderer?
Ivanka was also at the G-20 Summit and pathetically tried to interject herself into a serious conversation with Theresa May, Justin Trudeau and International Monetary Fund CEO, Christine Lagarde. Keep in mind, Ivanka’s never been elected or Senate ratified or had any diplomatic training. (But she does have extensive experience in handbags.) She made a complete fool of herself as Lagarde’s critical “side look” at Ivanka went viral.
Also infamously at the G-20, was Trump jokingly telling Putin “Not to meddle in the 2020 elections,” as both shared a laugh. (Hilarious, huh?) Later, at a press conference, Trump was asked “Do you agree with Putin that western-style liberalism, as it’s been defined over the post-war period, is now obsolete and no longer relevant to today’s world?”
Clearly, not having a clue what “western-style liberalism” meant, Trump replied, “If you look at what’s happening in Los Angeles and San Francisco, which are run by liberals, I don’t know what they’re thinking.” In light of Trump’s astonishing ignorance, I don’t know how the press corps kept a straight face.
Until Trump, July 4th has never been a partisan holiday. Instead, it’s always been a celebration of our values that have inspired freedom-loving people from all over the world. Ronald Reagan described their hopeful view of America as “A shining city on a hill.”
In 1980, Reagan said immigrants “Bring with them courage and the values of family, work, and freedom.” He certainly couldn’t have imagined America with concentration camps, kids in cages separated from their parents, or migrants denied toothpaste and soap and forced to drink water from toilets.
Sadly, Donald Trump’s two values are enriching himself and feeding his insatiable ego. The clear message he signals to the world’s most corrupt dictators is, he’s always open for business, even on holidays.
Jack is at: facebook.com/jackneworth, twitter.com/jackneworth and jackdailypress@aol.com
