As I've written a couple of times now, I'm a non-fan of the Trumpster. I'm reminded of this every time I read a quote, or hear a clip from a speech, or am subjected to a Royal Tweet. Assuming his words mean anything at all -- and that's assuming a lot -- he worships all things military, and is determined to have the greatest biggest baddest bestest World War II-fightin' Wehrmacht ever. If he has any problem with the ongoing all-seeing surveillance of every single American, he's keeping his disquiet a secret. Maybe he doesn't want wars with North Korea and China and Iran, but if so, he should quit saying he does. His stated fealty to The Precious (Israel) is even more florid and absolute than is customary in US presidents, which is saying a hell of a lot, really.
These things are not the source of my Trump Vexation, though. True, all that stuff is quite annoying to me. But it's hardly Trump-specific. He's basically a much-less-polished version of all postwar presidents in those regards. Style different; substance substantially the same.
No, my vexation is this: for all his numerous and glaring faults, damned if he doesn't have nearly every single one of the right enemies. The courtier press, the collegian nihilists, the tech billionaires, every single Democrat, ninety-nine out of a hundred Republicans, the stalwart advancers of contemporary culture (ha!), the Intelligence Community, the judiciary ... have I left anyone out? If so, it was unintentional, I assure you. The whole rogues' gallery. There's little they can all agree on, except: Let Trump Be Anathema.
Now, I swear that I am immune to the old "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" fallacy. Good thing, too, or I'd have voted for that Twitter Jester Extraordinaire. Or I'd have been tempted to, anyway, even though I know quite well that voting is a destructive and antisocial vice.
The corruptness and antidemocratic character of the American permanent government becomes more and more obvious, as its contempt for the intelligence of the great American football-fan population has convinced it that there is no longer any need for it to make even token attempts to conceal its activities. The next few years should prove interesting indeed.
