WTF just happened?

I've been around a long time.  I've seen some really crazy things.  I've done some really crazy things.  But I've never seen anything like what is going on in the world right now.  We've seen things spin out of control before....a couple of world wars and some crazy-assed terrorists blowing things up come to mind....but we've always had some sane leaders, usually led by the President of the United States, who stepped forward and righted things. 

Today, instead of putting out the fires, President Donald Trump is throwing gasoline on them.  Around the world he's giving mixed signals to our friends and foes alike.  Our NATO allies don't know whether they can count on us or not.  Everybody from our VEEP on down tells them we're rock-solid, but the POTUS finds it hard to even grudgingly say it out loud.  (Commitment issues?)  Meanwhile Russia keeps sucker punching us, and everyone but President Trump sees it.  I'm sure Vladimir Putin is laughing his ass off!  WTH?

Inside our Executive Branch President Trump, who should be thoughtfully leading us, is tweeting all night, leaving his subordinates to try and figure out what he wants them to do the next day.  And about the time they begin to get a handle on it, he tweets something that completely countermands his earlier tweet.  DOH!

Yesterday he tweeted that transgender people cannot serve in our military, completely blindsiding his Secretary of Defense and Joint Chiefs of Staff, THE VERY PEOPLE HE SHOULD BE CONSULTING WITH ON SUCH MATTERS.  They say they had zero input.  Agree or disagree with President Trump's position, this is just ass backward.

Trump is pissed upset that his Attorney General recused himself from an investigation as he was legally required to, and is now threatening to fire him.  Congress, Democrats and Republicans alike, are saying "there will be hell to pay if he does." 

Ditto his desire to fire Special Counselor Mueller, who is looking into collusion between Trump's campaign staff and Russian election interference.  The bipartisan word is that if he does, it will be "the beginning of the end of the Trump Presidency" (per Republican Senator Lindsey Graham). 

Trump's Chief of Staff and Communications Director are openly feuding, and his Ethics Chief and Press Secretary have both quit.

The Mideast oil sheiks are fighting among themselves, and while the capable Sec State Rex Tillerson is trying to calm tensions, Trump comes riding through popping caps.  Now rumors are flying Tillerson has had enough and is considering moving on to something less stressful, too, like maybe defusing IED's in Afghanistan.

Nice team building President Trump!

Trump even went before 40,000 Boy Scouts at their annual National Jamboree and, instead of giving them the customary inspirational talk about doing good and helping little old ladies across the street, launched into a mildly profane rant on Hillary and her emails, or some such.  Why would he think a bunch of 12-year-old boys would give a shit about Hillary's emails?  It was so embarrassing the Boy Scouts of America had to issue an apology for Trump's improper address.

Let's just be honest for once and say it out loud:  President Donald Trump is having an epic mental meltdown.  His insecurity and paranoia are eating him alive.  Trump is the personification of the Peter Principle....he has risen to his "level of incompetence".  It's actually painful to watch, and with him still in control of our nuclear codes, more than a little....uncomfortable. 

That said, let's all go have a "beverage" or two.  Cheers!

S

Should bats be offended?

"My party has gone bat-shit crazy!"

At least SC Senator Lindsey Graham is being honest.   He went on to say that if Tea Party spark plug Ted Cruz was murdered on the floor of the Senate, and the trial was in the Senate, no one would be convicted. *and he should know!*

Thanks Tea Party.  Because of you, the Republican Party has ceased to be a respected body of conservative thought, and has instead become a body of radical obstructionists.  They are no more capable of governing than Joe McCarthy was back in the 1950's.  Even those reasonable Republicans left in Congress are afraid to speak up against these extremists....except apparently Lindsey Graham.

It's ironic to me to watch Tea Party stalwarts pledge such strong allegiance to the Constitution, then eschew compromise.  It's "my way or the highway" they proudly proclaim.  They have no compunction about shutting down the government, even willing (so they say) to suspend retirees and disabled veterans Social Security and disability checks in order to leverage their coercion.  How shameful!

Do they not realize that the Constitution is itself a compromise?   When the populous states wanted representation based on population, and the less populous states wanted equal representation, they compromised....our Founding Fathers agreed to two houses of congress.  The House of Representatives is weighted in favor of more populous states, and the Senate allows for two Senators per state.  

Such pragmatism has worked for us for 227 years, but the Tea Party seems to think they know better.  Call me skeptical.  HIGHLY skeptical!

Those of you who live in Super Tuesday states, don't forget to vote tomorrow.

S