So this is how liberty dies...with thunderous applause.
Star Wars, Part III
Or, going another way, to paraphrase Ronald Reagan, "Here we go again."
A little earlier today Donald J. Trump was sworn in as the nation's 47th President. During his inaugural speech he told us that after a would be assassin's bullet, "ripped through my ear," he became convinced God saved him for one reason and one reason only. So he could become President once more and, "Make America Great Again." Mr. Trump failed to mention that the same bullet which nicked his ear killed a supporter seated in the crowd. He also didn't speculate on why the Lord felt that saving him meant some Pennsylvania firefighter had to die.
Well, sometimes it is best not to question the motives of the Almighty. Some of us who had to knock back a Canadian whiskey, or two this morning (Hey, who knows how long it will remain Canadian) just to survive this nightmare of self-serving lies and bullshit learned that lesson in November.
Donald Trump's speech today was sort of like listening to the pronouncements of the Oracle of Delphi. It could be taken in many different ways by different people. He promised to become a peacemaker and a unifier and to make the nation known for the wars we refused to engage in. Then he pretty much promised he would start one when he told the crowd in the Capitol rotunda, we are going to take back the Panama Canal. He also claimed he would declare a national emergency on the southern border and deploy the military in order to secure it once and for all. In addition, he boasted he was going to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. Apparently just because he can and Mexico doesn't appreciate us, or how powerful we are.
Perhaps he was speaking as Max Hailstone once did when he told other world leaders Moronica wanted peace...a piece of this country and a piece of that country. At least one can take solace, of sorts, that he failed to bring up his designs on Canada ad Greenland, although he did state the nation would resume expanding, like we did in the 1800's when Americans conquered deserts and mountains to reach the west coast. Presumably the Americans he was talking about weren't the native ones who already lived there.
The new President promised not to, "weaponize," the justice system to go after political enemies. That came after he found out that at the last minute, Joe Biden had pardoned Anthony Fauci, the entire January 6th investigation committee, including Liz Cheney, General Mark Milley, and his family from prosecution. It was an act Trump immediately described as disgraceful.
He didn't say anything about those bird killing windmill farms, but he did promise to make the United States the worlds largest producer of oil and gas. (Since we already are, that seems like a pretty easy one to keep.) The moment did move MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell to say afterward, "In our lifetimes we have gone from "Ask not what your country can do for you," to, "we're going o drill baby drill."
In order to get God directly involved in the occasion there were a couple of invocational prayers. The one by Franklin Graham was pretty much a campaign speech. One of the benediction's was a from a MAGA type evangelical who basically thanked God for making Donald Trump President again.
The Bidens, Clintons, Bushes, and Barack Obama sat through all of it. Including the trips deep into xenophobia--you know, countries are sending us their murders, rapists, and insane asylum patients and the numerous overt inferences they had all made the nation a worldwide laughingstock. By doing so the former Presidents afforded Trump the honor he refused Joe Biden four years ago. The incongruity fascinated the working press who pointed it out time and time again.
There was a second speech. It was made to a low rent crowd who couldn't get into the main event. Unlike the first it was an unscripted, rambling miasma of acknowledgements, first term anecdotes, and grievances--most far more unhinged than those made in the first. So much so at one point Trump told the hall that it if it hadn't been for mass voter fraud, he would have won California in last year's election. The whole thing was so disjointed it caused Rachel Maddow to wonder what the newly minted oligarchs thought of it.
The answer to her question is, if they did hear it, they probably didn't give a shit. Those movers and shakers are on board now. They have, as Hunter Thompson used to say, "bought their tickets." How else can you describe it after Trump promised them their businesses would no longer be subject to, "government censorship," (A moment in the first speech which brought them to their feet, applauding.)
All of which led us to the moment after the first address ended when a military choir sung, "The Battle Hymn of the Republic." It was a stirring musical ending to Donald Trump's return to power for many witnessing the event. For others though, despite his promises of becoming a peacemaker and unifier one line in particular took on an ominous new meaning. That would be the one which says, "He hath loosed the fearful lightning of His terrible swift sword."
Indeed, his truth might be marching on, but for a lot of us, Donald Trump's truth has nothing whatsoever to do with the actual truth. Not to mention we recognize him for what he really is--a feral madman who could well be the Antichrist.
1-20-25
Its going to be an interesting ride.
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