History repeats itself. That is the one truth that every human being, at some point in their lives, will come to believe with a sobering certainty that belies the ancient tenet’s ultimate depth. In a lot of ways, what’s happening to the United States right now is history on a canvas, the fates laughing, the tarots stacking the deck, the harbinger of folly patiently waiting in the wings, as the same narratives of power, greed, and cruelty play out under the guise of sensibility.
When you think about Donald Trump, it’s easy to forget what he actually represents. Those who hate the man will call him a misogynist, a racist, a fascist, and a totalitarian tyrant who shouldn’t even hold real estate, let alone power of any imaginable magnitude. Those who love the businessman-turned-politician will call him America’s last hope, a savior, a beacon of light for the downtrodden, and a hero of the common folk. The existing narrative ultimately reminds me of a quote by Plato. “The people have always some champion whom they set over them and nurse into greatness. This and no other is the root from which a tyrant springs; when he first appears, he is a protector.”
Or when Machiavelli writes, without preamble or fanfare, in The Prince that “The promise given was a necessity of the past: the word broken is a necessity of the present.” This is textbook for every populist who has ever lived, but when it comes to Trump, that populism is further infested with a sense of overpowering megalomania and self-serving egotism, which, when combined with the office of the president of the most powerful country on the planet, becomes the very stuff of nightmares.
However hard we try to encapsulate the phenomenon, however, it will always elude understanding to some degree, or else we would’ve gotten rid of all these political parasites a long time ago. And yet, a new sketch on social media is really driving the point home with creativity; heartrending, effective, and tragic. This is what Donald Trump has essentially done to America:
Trust Donald Trump to come out one day and say, “You can’t spell America without ME.” You know he probably already believes it, too.
If his first four-year term wasn’t enough to convince you that in the eyes of Donald Trump, the only thing that matters is Donald Trump, just look at his picks for the presidential cabinet, a cabal of sexual predators and shady individuals who may or may not have financially contributed to his campaign. And if that still doesn’t give away the game, perhaps Trump’s blatant hostility towards the press could do the trick. I get it; you’re a little tough to persuade. Maybe when the convicted president-elect finally musters up the courage to attempt to change the constitution, his villainy and self-centered behavior will be laid bare for all to see. That will surely do the trick, right? Right?
With our sense of right and wrong askew, we’ve certainly seen him dodge worse. And perhaps, of all his misdeeds, this is the worst thing Donald Trump has done to America.