Trump's presidency = a failure
in the Los Angeles Times;In response to:
Ukraine scandal is a microcosm of what we already know: Trump’s presidency is a failure
The House impeachment inquiry is a window into the way President Trump conducts business as the nation’s chief executive.
By The Times Editorial Board
Nov. 17, 2019
3 AM
It’s easy to get drawn into the drama of the Ukraine story, to be mesmerized by that country’s war against Russia and its brazen corruption, by characters like Hunter Biden and Paul Manafort and Lev and Igor and the ever-shifting cast of presidents, prosecutors, diplomats and criminals. We’re all learning more than we ever thought we’d know about Kyiv and its internal politics as the House of Representatives focuses its impeachment inquiry on a narrow set of allegations about President Trump’s misbehavior there.
But even as members of Congress zoom in tightly on Ukraine, it’s important that the rest of us not lose sight of the bigger picture. The Ukraine scandal is, at the end of the day, really just a microcosm, a single piece of a much broader story about this president. What he is accused of doing there is, to one degree or another, what he does everywhere, and it speaks to who he is — his character, his style, his values and his failure as president.
So let’s not ignore the wider context in which these allegations have emerged.
Trump, as this page has noted repeatedly, is a man for whom everything is transactional, and who is engaged in a constant struggle for short-term advantage. Blustering, bullying, threatening and arm-twisting are his tools. He doesn’t feel bound by the rules and niceties that have guided most of his predecessors, or by the constitutional and institutional limits that have constrained them. Norms, shared values, civil institutions and even the rule of law take a back seat, in his playbook, to the ceaseless struggle for the upper hand. He doesn’t seem to make much distinction between what’s good for America and what’s good for him personally. His disdain for the truth and his attraction to conspiracy theories are well known.
So, really, was anyone surprised at the allegation that Trump sought to extort from the Ukrainian president a “favor” that would help him in his reelection campaign? Was anyone shocked to be told that Trump would withhold hundreds of millions of dollars in foreign aid that Ukraine desperately needed to defend itself against Russia as leverage to ensure an investigation into Joe and Hunter Biden? Of course you weren’t.
The fact is that Trump has shown us who he is over and over and over. Look at the findings of the Mueller report. How many times did Trump try to obstruct that investigation, either by firing FBI director James Comey or seeking to have special counsel Robert S. Mueller III ousted or trying to prevent the public disclosure of evidence or browbeating Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions into protecting him? These are not the actions of a man who plays by the established rules.
Remember his decision — rescinded in the wake of public outcry — to select his own Trump Doral golf resort as the site of the G-7 summit? That’s not the behavior of a man who puts the national interest above his own.
Read the Washington Post’s list of Trump’s falsehoods; last month it had grown to 13,435 false or misleading claims over 993 days in office. This is not a person who is putting the voters first.
Count the times he has come after California, subjecting our state to retaliation for our efforts to protect the environment and promote public safety in immigrant-heavy communities. This is a man who does not forgive his perceived enemies.
Ukraine scandal is a microcosm of what we already know: Trump’s presidency is a failure
The House impeachment inquiry is a window into the way President Trump conducts business as the nation’s chief executive.
By The Times Editorial Board
Nov. 17, 2019
3 AM
It’s easy to get drawn into the drama of the Ukraine story, to be mesmerized by that country’s war against Russia and its brazen corruption, by characters like Hunter Biden and Paul Manafort and Lev and Igor and the ever-shifting cast of presidents, prosecutors, diplomats and criminals. We’re all learning more than we ever thought we’d know about Kyiv and its internal politics as the House of Representatives focuses its impeachment inquiry on a narrow set of allegations about President Trump’s misbehavior there.
But even as members of Congress zoom in tightly on Ukraine, it’s important that the rest of us not lose sight of the bigger picture. The Ukraine scandal is, at the end of the day, really just a microcosm, a single piece of a much broader story about this president. What he is accused of doing there is, to one degree or another, what he does everywhere, and it speaks to who he is — his character, his style, his values and his failure as president.
So let’s not ignore the wider context in which these allegations have emerged.
Trump, as this page has noted repeatedly, is a man for whom everything is transactional, and who is engaged in a constant struggle for short-term advantage. Blustering, bullying, threatening and arm-twisting are his tools. He doesn’t feel bound by the rules and niceties that have guided most of his predecessors, or by the constitutional and institutional limits that have constrained them. Norms, shared values, civil institutions and even the rule of law take a back seat, in his playbook, to the ceaseless struggle for the upper hand. He doesn’t seem to make much distinction between what’s good for America and what’s good for him personally. His disdain for the truth and his attraction to conspiracy theories are well known.
So, really, was anyone surprised at the allegation that Trump sought to extort from the Ukrainian president a “favor” that would help him in his reelection campaign? Was anyone shocked to be told that Trump would withhold hundreds of millions of dollars in foreign aid that Ukraine desperately needed to defend itself against Russia as leverage to ensure an investigation into Joe and Hunter Biden? Of course you weren’t.
The fact is that Trump has shown us who he is over and over and over. Look at the findings of the Mueller report. How many times did Trump try to obstruct that investigation, either by firing FBI director James Comey or seeking to have special counsel Robert S. Mueller III ousted or trying to prevent the public disclosure of evidence or browbeating Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions into protecting him? These are not the actions of a man who plays by the established rules.
Remember his decision — rescinded in the wake of public outcry — to select his own Trump Doral golf resort as the site of the G-7 summit? That’s not the behavior of a man who puts the national interest above his own.
Read the Washington Post’s list of Trump’s falsehoods; last month it had grown to 13,435 false or misleading claims over 993 days in office. This is not a person who is putting the voters first.
Count the times he has come after California, subjecting our state to retaliation for our efforts to protect the environment and promote public safety in immigrant-heavy communities. This is a man who does not forgive his perceived enemies.
(continued in my first comment below)
Comments (44)
Just sayin'.
How's your soybean crop doing... just sayin'
Trump has done more to divide and harm this nation and the globe in just three years than all US politicians have done together in the last 200 years.
Jim, since Trump had no authority to withhold funds, doesn't that in itself constitute treason?
However, since the aid was Congress approved, it is certainly a move against our national interests. I would think the actual conspiring with Russia to get Trump elected would be considered more treasonous, as that affects the USA more directly.
Like gas prices, the more that are grown the cheaper they get. Projections look good.
The tariff wars have been a complete disaster, that tax payers are again paying for.
He promised to decrease the deficit and instead, raised it by over 77%.
His presidency is a big FAILURE for the USA in just about every way.
in a last generation, media controlled masses, In a world elections vere about people influenced by local media, against people influenced by American media (usually, but not limited to CME). Contrary to the medias coverage Many of the people in Europe see Trump as a prove that medias are losing the grip and people see k information elsewhere. Yes there are easy to influence masses, ready to fight because of media telling the word Russia.
Trump is about people looking themselves and seeking the truth, failing to find one and as such moving away from what they already know to be a lie. Obviously media are against the symbol of the loss of their controll.
Ukraine is used by USA as a tool against its enemy so Guess what: Enemy doesn't want USA to have that tool.
As it comes Ukraine although has people influenced by American and Russian media. American media having less control had to push the mass under its control to more radical steps, and refer to them as majority.
And then we have the people who dare to want to decide not to want to be a tool of one side in desperation asking the other side for help...
You and your group,
must be blind and deaf,
and getting worse.
It is so obvious that Trump is the best that had happened to the world...
That includes the USA...
The permanent lure of a life in the USA is far greater than the fear of the maniac we temporarily have as president. That is why they have risked 'coyote' dealings, rattlesnakes, and dying from the heat and lack of water in the desert for decades.
I thought it'd never end.
Tighter borders ?? Despite caging children, more Mexicans crossed the border during Trump's 3 years, than the 3 years previous.
You're right they cut through the wall and came on in, but think about this for a moment. They cut through the wall ... they would have to have some heavy duty power tools to do that. If they can afford power tools, why come over here? Because they have family over here. It used to be that the man in a family would go ahead and set things up then the rest of the family would go to him. I lived in El Paso for a few years and there were lots of Mexicans, no one gave it a thought whether they were legal or not. Most had green cards so they could work and go back and forth.
I don't think they believe their kids will be taken away, because they are thinking they will not be caught.
Once can get a rechargeable battery run saw at various hardware stores for about $30.
Better quality ones less than $80. They were only going to use it once and hand it off to
a relative to give to someone else.
But, Trump wanted it as a very expensive monument, as a symbol of his presidency,
like the cheap gold plated Trump signs on the properties he does not actually own.
He sold that idea, as him trying to make a difference to his base.
They were dumb enough to think it would make a difference.
They bought into his lie, like they did with other lies of his.
All it did was cost the taxpayers wasted money.
He got money that was earmarked towards other more useful programs, funneled to the wall,
by declaring it a (fake) emergency, when his government shutdown (which cost the taxpayers more $$$),
didn't work..
Obama and Clinton are no longer serving the USA but some here like to avoid and use distraction...when it comes to the Orange man...lol...
Know the TRUE Enemy ...
BWA-HA-HA-HA
The things Trump does somehow aren't his fault, nor a fault, or both.
Happy impeachment day.
"Here’s a gentleman who came to the White House and all they had was never to let him have an easy breath..."
That's the funniest thing I've heard all week!
Around here, his alternate title is Liar in Chief.
Ask some of the subcontractors who worked on his developments about his gentleman attitude.