A Lot of Maybes

            On any given day it is possible to scan the nation’s major newspapers and find a virtual thesaurus of derogatory terms applied to President Trump. In just one such exercise I found: impetuous, brash, naïve, crude, sniveling, whiny, shrill, weak, self-pitying, and finger-pointing drama queen. And these were from a Republican.

            Of course, his opponents were worse: sadistic, paranoid, demeaning, humiliating, obsessed, mean, cruel, vindictive, cynical, impulsive, inept, immodest, and the all-too-familiar sexist pig. The list goes on, even without quoting Maxine Waters and others who have called for Trump’s impeachment.

            This gross disrespect points to a President Trump who has become isolated by his ill-conceived decisions and unrestrained communications. He has enough enemies who thoroughly despise him; he doesn’t need to antagonize his friends and loyal supporters. He began his presidency by surrounding himself with very good people. Now Spicer and Priebus are gone, Sessions is mortally wounded, Tillerson is rumored to be on the verge of quitting, as is Price, and his defense chiefs are wondering what’s next after being undercut by the President on transgender policy?

            We can forgive President Trump for his political inexperience; we can put up with his strutting braggadocio; we can survive his poor judgment on major domestic issues. But we should be extremely concerned about his dangerous lack of self-control in an increasingly dangerous world. Russia, Iran, and North Korea grew in strength and in contempt for America as a result of Obama’s whimpering withdrawal from the world stage. Is a maladroit and impetuous leader what we need to meet the challenges this country now faces?

            All is not lost. Maybe the appointment of General John Kelly as the new Chief-of-Staff will bring order and discipline to the chaotic White House. Maybe congressional Republicans will rise from the ashes of their humiliating defeat on healthcare to pass meaningful legislation on tax reform. Maybe China will finally realize that an unrestrained North Korea is not in their best interest. Maybe Donald Trump will concede that he is not as cool and tough and smart as he thought he was.

            That’s a lot of maybes.