Dear Elliot, thank you for your commitment to speak truth to power again and again. You have a gift, a gift that enables folks like me to inhabit your words with my feelings; finding a welcome mat in the home you create. It’s your contribution that paves the way for all of us to proceed, to a better place.
I, too, am one of those who are distressed and angry and bewildered that such a patently unfit man was elected to, and is wrecking, the high Office of President and the lives of Americans. My view is that he is a dangerous psychopath, whose only tools in Office are bullying, threatening and revenge. He absolutely cannot cope with disagreement. What I am afraid of with the midterms coming up, is that he will declare Democrat wins fraudulent and no one will stop him.
I love reading your articles and am a paid subscriber. Warm regards, Miriam Prider - a concerned Australian with American friends
Miriam, I am cautiously optimistic that Elliot is right. I think Trump will be stopped if he tries to overturn the election; and I think it will be such a blue wave that it will swallow him and his sycophants.
As I wrote yesterday, Elliot, I'll read as many posts in each day as you choose to write, I marvel at your ability to craft such clear statements of whatever it is you write about, and this edition of TTF is a perfect example. You list so well all the horrors that Felon47 has been responsible for, and you point out how often he's gotten away with each new misdemeanor / felony / crime against humanity / complete and total lack of compassion for others. Then, you start to list the many cracks in his support and that they're are accumulating at an increasing rate of speed. Given how he is demonstrating his delusional condition more frequently, it does seem possible that his time in office is limited. Thanks!
Your brilliantly descriptive writing and analysis are always so succinct and spot-on. Which is why, when you write with such clear-eyed bluntness about this fathomless horror-show that never should have happened (never mind twice, and so bloody interminably), the fact that you always end on a sincerely hopeful or inspiring note really means an awful lot.
Yet another excellent essay, Mr. Kirschner! Your summation is both accurate and erudite. I particularly enjoyed your "maddeningly impenetrable sphere of imperviousness" expression. What a perfect way of describing the Trump phenomenon.
The saddest aspect of Trump's two Terms as President is not only the horrific harms he has inflicted upon the rest of the world, but as important, is the considerable damage he has caused to the United States. It will take years, if not decades, to repair the harms he has created.
His legacy will ultimately prove how he did not "make America great again", but instead, made almost everything much worse for the American People.
Thank you for repeatedly speaking truth to power. I have the feeling that trump is finally being weakened. No one can forever deny reality. Eventually reality wins. I pray that trump’s and Vance’s conflicts with the pope bring MAGA Catholics to their senses.
Great line, Elliot: "I mean, when you are taking on the pope, it seems like it may be time to send in the clowns. Unfortunately, they are already in the cabinet."
If there were such a thing as the anti-Christ...he would be all that you describe. He stands up to and wants to imitate Christ. He has those around him touching him and praying for him. He has done evil things for a long time and broken all the commandments...as he portrays himself to be a genius and caring for America. If there is such a thing as an anti-Christ he fits the mold and just continues on his rampage of chaos, death and destruction. Am I the only one who wonders if this is what he is? Because...this is what he acts like.
Either that or the Devil Incarnate. Think of the countless people, including some of the wealthiest and most powerful men on earth, who have sold their souls to this lying, disloyal, convicted-felon con man. And…‘For what? A little bit of money?’ (Frances McDormand in ‘Fargo’)
I am thinking the Devil Incarnate IS the anti-Christ. I don't believe the world has seen anything like this. Because we have made our world smaller with technology, those with some type of hook-up can watch what's happening. Not like the days of Genghis Khan or Napoleon etc. This lunatic performs on the world stage in a circus of bloviating cruelty (threatening the death of civilizations) and chest beating self-aggrandizement while asking for awards and charging fees for his buffoonery. He needs to be imprisoned!
I feel it also-- a shift in the wind, the sunshine is brighter, the days are longer, critics appearing where none were before. And the man has become more frantic, less coherent, more likely to weave into chaos. Spring might be here.
But keep on hacking to knock him and his regime down, not only within the USA but also outside. I admire the governments of the southern European countries that gave no permission tomorrow launch attacks on Iran from American military bases in their country. We need more standing up, not directly against the president as such but against dangerous and unfair abnormal actions. Also by mass demonstrations of the people in Europe against him and his regime and against russia’s criminal genocidal war and in favor of Ukraine.
I agree. There will be light at the end of the tunnel. Whenever I hear Trump or see him on television, words to describe him and his actions fail me. Whom do we hold accountable for elevating this man to the presidency? He's going to be a blot, a dark stain, in American history for generations to come.
Yes, thank you for a plainspoken and thoughtful assessment. However, we desperately need our version of Mark Carney, someone similarly smart, rational, calm and courageous, show up to lead the next chapter. I worry our circus of electoral politics may not give us one. But we can hope.
I have a similar feeling - we truly have the opportunity to not merely throw this pile of garbage we refer to as trump into the dung heap, but the entire pile of sycophantic garbage along with him out with the trash. Then we can create the vision and strategy to go beyond a "fix". We can dream big and go far and fast. Reality is the Dems ae our only hope now and I am willing to give them a new chace and work my tail off with them for children and granddaughter's future.
They have always been our only hope. They are always held to a much higher standard and, when Republicans get back in power, they undo or undermine achievements such as the JCPOA, Obamacare and Biden’s green energy agenda to our great detriment.
Thank you Elliot and Jeff. How encouraging a ray of light can be when such deep darkness has enveloped us. Please keep calling out the causes of such darkness and replace it with the light of truth that heals us and overcomes that deep and troubling untruth!
Dear Elliot, thank you for your commitment to speak truth to power again and again. You have a gift, a gift that enables folks like me to inhabit your words with my feelings; finding a welcome mat in the home you create. It’s your contribution that paves the way for all of us to proceed, to a better place.
You are right on the mark, Elliot!
I, too, am one of those who are distressed and angry and bewildered that such a patently unfit man was elected to, and is wrecking, the high Office of President and the lives of Americans. My view is that he is a dangerous psychopath, whose only tools in Office are bullying, threatening and revenge. He absolutely cannot cope with disagreement. What I am afraid of with the midterms coming up, is that he will declare Democrat wins fraudulent and no one will stop him.
I love reading your articles and am a paid subscriber. Warm regards, Miriam Prider - a concerned Australian with American friends
Miriam, I am cautiously optimistic that Elliot is right. I think Trump will be stopped if he tries to overturn the election; and I think it will be such a blue wave that it will swallow him and his sycophants.
As I wrote yesterday, Elliot, I'll read as many posts in each day as you choose to write, I marvel at your ability to craft such clear statements of whatever it is you write about, and this edition of TTF is a perfect example. You list so well all the horrors that Felon47 has been responsible for, and you point out how often he's gotten away with each new misdemeanor / felony / crime against humanity / complete and total lack of compassion for others. Then, you start to list the many cracks in his support and that they're are accumulating at an increasing rate of speed. Given how he is demonstrating his delusional condition more frequently, it does seem possible that his time in office is limited. Thanks!
"it does seem possible that his time in office is limited."
Let's keep hoping for this outcome, Irna!
You said it perfectly, we can only hope that
It’s almost over
Your brilliantly descriptive writing and analysis are always so succinct and spot-on. Which is why, when you write with such clear-eyed bluntness about this fathomless horror-show that never should have happened (never mind twice, and so bloody interminably), the fact that you always end on a sincerely hopeful or inspiring note really means an awful lot.
Yet another excellent essay, Mr. Kirschner! Your summation is both accurate and erudite. I particularly enjoyed your "maddeningly impenetrable sphere of imperviousness" expression. What a perfect way of describing the Trump phenomenon.
The saddest aspect of Trump's two Terms as President is not only the horrific harms he has inflicted upon the rest of the world, but as important, is the considerable damage he has caused to the United States. It will take years, if not decades, to repair the harms he has created.
His legacy will ultimately prove how he did not "make America great again", but instead, made almost everything much worse for the American People.
As he has often said or written, "SAD!"
Thank you for repeatedly speaking truth to power. I have the feeling that trump is finally being weakened. No one can forever deny reality. Eventually reality wins. I pray that trump’s and Vance’s conflicts with the pope bring MAGA Catholics to their senses.
Great line, Elliot: "I mean, when you are taking on the pope, it seems like it may be time to send in the clowns. Unfortunately, they are already in the cabinet."
If there were such a thing as the anti-Christ...he would be all that you describe. He stands up to and wants to imitate Christ. He has those around him touching him and praying for him. He has done evil things for a long time and broken all the commandments...as he portrays himself to be a genius and caring for America. If there is such a thing as an anti-Christ he fits the mold and just continues on his rampage of chaos, death and destruction. Am I the only one who wonders if this is what he is? Because...this is what he acts like.
Either that or the Devil Incarnate. Think of the countless people, including some of the wealthiest and most powerful men on earth, who have sold their souls to this lying, disloyal, convicted-felon con man. And…‘For what? A little bit of money?’ (Frances McDormand in ‘Fargo’)
I am thinking the Devil Incarnate IS the anti-Christ. I don't believe the world has seen anything like this. Because we have made our world smaller with technology, those with some type of hook-up can watch what's happening. Not like the days of Genghis Khan or Napoleon etc. This lunatic performs on the world stage in a circus of bloviating cruelty (threatening the death of civilizations) and chest beating self-aggrandizement while asking for awards and charging fees for his buffoonery. He needs to be imprisoned!
You make some good points here, Dee. Thanks.
I feel it also-- a shift in the wind, the sunshine is brighter, the days are longer, critics appearing where none were before. And the man has become more frantic, less coherent, more likely to weave into chaos. Spring might be here.
But keep on hacking to knock him and his regime down, not only within the USA but also outside. I admire the governments of the southern European countries that gave no permission tomorrow launch attacks on Iran from American military bases in their country. We need more standing up, not directly against the president as such but against dangerous and unfair abnormal actions. Also by mass demonstrations of the people in Europe against him and his regime and against russia’s criminal genocidal war and in favor of Ukraine.
I agree. There will be light at the end of the tunnel. Whenever I hear Trump or see him on television, words to describe him and his actions fail me. Whom do we hold accountable for elevating this man to the presidency? He's going to be a blot, a dark stain, in American history for generations to come.
Yes, thank you for a plainspoken and thoughtful assessment. However, we desperately need our version of Mark Carney, someone similarly smart, rational, calm and courageous, show up to lead the next chapter. I worry our circus of electoral politics may not give us one. But we can hope.
I have a similar feeling - we truly have the opportunity to not merely throw this pile of garbage we refer to as trump into the dung heap, but the entire pile of sycophantic garbage along with him out with the trash. Then we can create the vision and strategy to go beyond a "fix". We can dream big and go far and fast. Reality is the Dems ae our only hope now and I am willing to give them a new chace and work my tail off with them for children and granddaughter's future.
Yes, all the garbage at once.
They have always been our only hope. They are always held to a much higher standard and, when Republicans get back in power, they undo or undermine achievements such as the JCPOA, Obamacare and Biden’s green energy agenda to our great detriment.
And then we will shave his head and parade him through the streets.
Thank you Elliot and Jeff. How encouraging a ray of light can be when such deep darkness has enveloped us. Please keep calling out the causes of such darkness and replace it with the light of truth that heals us and overcomes that deep and troubling untruth!