Letter to the Editor / ORWELLIAN, 5 YEAR OLD, OR BOTH?

Roger C. Kostmayer

In just the first two weeks of Donald’s reign, there is already a blizzard of chaos and responsive protests from both sides of the aisle.  After the new President advocated torture and declared war on the free press, the White House mangled the rollout of a dangerously counter-productive Muslim immigration ban (that was repackaged as a “terrorist travel ban”)- and then Trump fired the acting Attorney General for refusing to enforce the Constitutionally questionable ban.  Eleven Republican Senators have already spoken out against this anti refugee, anti religion edict.

Simultaneously, the WH restructured the Principal’s Committee of the NSC (National Security Council).  In an unprecedented action they dropped professional military and intelligence flag officers and made Russia-friendly, bigot and political Rasputin Steve Bannon a permanent member.  Next up is the gutting of financial consumer protections to please the same folks who brought us the Great Recession, and denying healthcare to millions.

Across the political spectrum, and around the globe, citizens are expressing fear and asking startling questions.  Does the US President have the attention span of a gnat?  Is he capable of focusing on America’s priorities in a thoughtful and objective way?  Does Trump have any relationship with truth, facts, the Constitution, democracy and the well being of others?  If so, how do you explain his total lack of interest in or knowledge of other than petty personal events like – the size of crowds, SNL portrayals, offending Mexico over paying for a wall, denying the unequivocal fact that he lost the popular vote by almost 3 million votes (and falsely claimed 3 to 5 million fraudulent votes against him), and Trump’s inexplicable subservience to Putin who once praised him?

What is really going on in the oval office?  Is the President another crude Orwellian figure, a brutal “Big Brother” who uses bullying and the Big Lie?  Some experts, on the other hand, claim he is best understood as an impulsive, egocentric 5 year old narcissist?  Perhaps he’s both, but the ultimate question is: who is pulling the 5 year old puppet’s strings behind the curtain?

Roger C. Kostmayer