Friday, November 11, 2016

Success, Failure and Incompetence

No, I do not want Donald Trump to fail.  I suppose it would be easy to conclude that from what I and others have said about our objections, concerns and fears about Trump in the White House.

In a discussion about the election results, I was told that wanting Donald Trump to fail is like being on a plane and hoping that the pilot crashes the plane.

Once again, I do not want Donald Trump to fail.  However, I want you to understand that the pilot has in no uncertain terms told me what he thinks of me, my wife, my daughter, my family, and many of my friends.  He thinks we are not deserving to be on this plane.  He has not acknowledged or admitted the number of plane crashes in which he has been involved.  He has no experience flying the plane.

He has ignored facts, dismissed advice and supervision, failed to prepare before flying the plane and denied the findings of science.  The plane was designed by scientists.  I do not want that kind of pilot flying the plane. He doesn't even have a flight plan that he has shown anyone nor filed with the tower. So, I am predicting that pilot will not be able to fly the plane particularly well or get where we need to go.

His co-pilot has said he really dislikes a few of the other passengers.

Oh, by the way, did you hear that this pilot feels entitled to kiss and grope any of  women on the plane he rates as being very attractive, whether they like it or not.  He will be OK with it if someone else decides to hit me or attack me while I am on the plane.  This pilot will even pay for any legal fees that come out of the lawsuit.  In fact, he has demonstrated that he might decide that, because I am on the plane with a crying child, that I should be thrown off the plane.

I will honestly tell you that I think he will not likely be successful flying this plane.  But, nevertheless, he has seemed to convince many people that he is the best pilot in the land.  Other passengers have told me he is better than the other pilot that was available. She was a nasty pilot, I hear.   She did interview for the job and did well.  Our pilot had 3 very questionable interviews.  He didn't really come across particularly well, I understand.    

So, anyway, he is going to fly the plane, I guess.  This is the only plane available.

OK, but don't ask me not to be afraid of being on this flight.

But no, I do not hope he crashes the plane.  That would be really stupid.  

Wednesday, November 9, 2016

Election 2016: America Speaks Very Loud and Clear


America has spoken.  It is loud and clear.  Unmistakable, even.

You might think that this blogpost will be about the strong message that this 2016 Presidential election sent to women, Blacks, Latinos, the LGBT community, veterans, the physically-challenged, on and on. You might think that this rant would be about Trump supporters were willing to vote for for an impulsive, undisciplined, unpredictable, misinformed, incompetent, unprepared, unqualified, boorish, ignorant, misogynistic, racist, sexist, bigoted, unsuccessful businessman (who insults all comers and admits to sexually assaulting women) for the sake of returning American to greatness. You might also think that this is about Trump supporters who were so angry that they were willing to overlook a man's psychopathic flaws to elect him over an also flawed but well-qualified, experienced woman, Or, you might think that this post is about Trump supporters who were willing to take a chance on a predatory, body-shaming, reality TV star with no government experience who has promised to bring law and order back to the lawless streets of our cities.   Oh, yes, and we all need our guns (big and small) to do that, thank you very much.

No, it isn't about that message, as powerful as it is.  Yes, hate, fear and bullying won last night.  And, yes, white is the new white.   The KKK and David Duke won last night, but this isn't about that either.
This blogpost is about the election message that we sent to the rest of the world. That message is that we are suddenly but truly irrelevant as a nation on the world stage.  

We have elected a self-promoter that has won over a electoral majority domestically, but lost the rest of the world with this "victory."

We just elected a man who has antagonized most of the world and its leaders with his insults, his character and his policies.  Other than Vladimir Putin, who now (and probably for a while) has America just where he wants us, world leaders have no need to deal with the USA and our bullying, insulting President-elect.  They can move on knowing that we have elected a moron who knows nothing about the politics of foreign policy, innovation and trade.   He knows lawsuits, tax loopholes, stiffing contractors, corporate swindles and bankruptcy.

You can't make deals with people with whom you have no relationship.  You can't be credible, wield power, or make deals when you lack ethics, ignore facts, dispute science, or deny climate change.  

Our message is that our middle-class, working-class, uneducated blue-collar Americans want their old jobs back, by any means necessary. What they don't know (and Trump didn't tell them) is that those jobs don't exist anymore and won't come back. Our working class has been passed by.

Globalization and multiculturalism are here to stay.  If you really want jobs, you have to look ahead not behind you.

But we don't want to see that. We don't want to invest in technology and renewable, clean energy.   The rust belt Trumpers want the old jobs back.  You know:  coal, steel, toxic chemicals.  Trump is a winner, he is going to get those jobs back, right?  

However, last night, the USA has turned its back on the rest of the world.  By demonizing and labelling Muslims, denouncing immigrants in general as evil, we have told the world what we think of them. The USA has turned its narcissistic, xenophobic, isolationistic back on its nearest neighbors by warning of the building of a wall.  That will get trade going again, right?  

Trump won.  Congratulations!  But, don't ask for my help right now.  Too soon.  It may take some time to heal a country after you have painfully slapped me, my family, my friends and my business colleagues in the face.  I need a minute.

But, you didn't hurt me as much as you hurt all of America on the world stage.  You may not have thought about that with your vote.  You will soon.   Making American Great Again might be harder than you thought.