Ryan Walters Learns the Nature of Trump's Game

 As the month and year draw to a close it looks as if the United States of America is marching down the twisted road straight into the reality envisioned by Margaret Atwood in her novel, "A Handmaid's Tale." Sort of anyway. Trump, himself, is too much of a libertine to personally participate in the immanent evangelical Christian lock down. His interest in infusing public education with militant Christian values and restricting women's health care is based not in any theological belief system--it's highly doubtful he even has one--but rather his own aggressive, all consuming, greed and ambition.    

All of which might explain why Oklahoma's own Christian Nationalist Superintendent of Public Instruction, Ryan Walters didn't land the job he really wanted, U.S. Secretary of Education. Walters did everything he could to get the nomination, up to and including the attempted offer of an outright bribe. How else do you describe his attempt to make sure the 50,000 plus bibles Walters wants to put into Oklahoma public school classrooms would come from a company Trump gets a cut from? The only reason the plan fell apart was that it was so fucking obvious even Oklahoma republicans were too embarrassed to support it. 

The truth is Walters was never going to get the job, even if the sale had been made. That's because while Donald Trump might need the votes and money of evangelical flamers he doesn't want any of them that close to him. Oh, they can come into the Oval Office now and then to pray for him, to lay hands on him--although one has the feeling that truly creeps him out--but once the photo-op is over he wants them out of there. They, in fact, are like wounded and disabled military vets to him. They make a man of his consequence free lifestyle queasy.

So now we have former pro wrestling empresario, Linda McMahon nominated as secretary of a department, that if Trump keeps his promise, won't exist in a year, or two. And Ryan Walters won't have a Trump stamp of approval on his resume when he runs for Oklahoma's governorship in 2026. It isn't exactly what Walters wanted, but it's less than likely Donald Trump cares. Oklahoma is so firmly in his pocket whoever gets the GOP nomination for the seat will be a Trump loyalist. The state is so tight in his grip that while he might not get away with shooting someone in New York--he'd probably get a stiff fine--he could easily do so anywhere west of Oklahoma City and south of Norman. 

Indeed, Donald Trump, rather like his pal, Vladimiir Putin is more interested in power for power's sake. And, let's face it, the Christian Nationalist takeover of public education and women's health care on a national scale, is probably going to take a while. They are both, as they say, long term projects.

 In the meantime, he has large segments of the media to deal with first. Beyond making a lot of noise about immigrants, his first priorities will be cutting off all funding for NPR and facilitating Elon Musk's purchase of MSNBC. That's right, you liberal scum, if there is going to be news, by God it is going to be pro Trump and anti everyone else news. His philosophy no doubt being, he is fine with letting the little people--rubes like Ryan Walters--brainwash kids and Christian fanatics causing a few thousand women to die needlessly on a yearly basis, so long as he is in charge of the world's newest kleptocracy.         

After all, Donald Trump is a bottom-line guy. He really doesn't see the country in terms of religion. He isn't here to convert the heathens, or to make sure everyone is good. He is here to exercise total power for as long as he lives and while he is at it make as much money as possible for himself and his family. 

That, in the end, to paraphrase the lyric, is the nature of his game. 

11-29-24