On Jan. 5, CNN’s Jake Tapper interviewed White House political advisor Stephen Miller on the nature of the President’s political agenda and his manner of pursuing it. Miller was quite frank in asserting the following: “The U.S., this is sort of foundational, the U.S. is using its military to secure our interests unapologetically in our hemisphere. We’re a superpower, and under President Trump, we’re going to conduct ourselves as a superpower.” While I felt Trump’s removal of Maduro was justifiable, given the corrupt, authoritarian degeneracy of the latter’s regime, Miller said Trump’s main motive was not to secure a functioning Democracy for the people of Venezuela, but rather to rid the Western Hemisphere of a force in alliance with America’s enemies. It was an act born of pure self-interest!
The Free Press is a news source of a conservative bent which at the same time prides itself on its honesty in reporting the truth. On Jan. 12 it published a piece highly critical of the President, accusing him of abusing the Justice Department in the same way Biden abused it in his attempt to destroy him [i.e., the Russian collusion hoax]. On Jan. 9, the Justice Department launched an investigation of Federal Reserve Chief Jerome Powell. Powell, saying Trump is simply not happy with his policy on interest rates, nevertheless insists the Independence of the Central Bank has long been deemed an essential aspect of the U.S. government. While Trump has said he is not responsible for the investigation, the Free Press article suggests this is most likely a lie, citing charges levied against James Comey, Letitia James and Adam Schiff as other examples of Trump’s abuse of the justice system for his own personal reasons.
The Free Press takes it for granted that respect for the established protocols of a Democracy is essential to its integrity as such. Yes, one may seek to have them changed, but one cannot simply ignore them! It is in this context that it cites Trump’s response to a reporter who recently asked him what might restrain him in his various foreign exploits [i.e., in Venezuela, Greenland, etc.]. Trump answered as follows: “There is one thing. My own morality. My own mind. It’s the only thing that can stop me.” Apparently the checks and balances which the rational designers of the American Constitution saw as an antidote to the abuse of power by any one individual, is of no interest to Trump.
Do I think he is the monster constantly reviled by the Left? I do not! His attempt to re-establish the integrity of America’s borders makes perfect sense. His dispatch of the National Guard to D.C. and elsewhere has saved lives. His removal of Maduro, whatever his motive, is clearly a gift to the people of Venezuela. But his disregard for Due Process in pursuing his goals, his seeming belief that America’s power entitles it to achieve it ends by Force, is truly disturbing. In a recent debate with Dinesh D’Souza, a conservative with whom I generally agree, libertarian Dave Smith argues that the U.S. in fact betrays the Ideals upon which it was founded when it simply resorts to bullying. The dilemma of the contemporary American voter is that he/she must choose between the utterly inane policies of the contemporary Left, and the seeming rational policies of a President who clearly needs to be taken in hand!
Apologists for Trump have characterized his threats of punitive tariffs, military invasions, etc., as bluffs which he hopes will ultimately lead to mutually satisfying resolutions. But Stephen Miller’s comments suggest Trump is in fact perfectly willing to use force in dealing even with nations generally compatible with America. Of his desire to annex Greenland, for example, he recently said he will achieve that end either the easy way, by negotiating with Denmark, or the hard way, implying military invasion. But this is an utterly uncivilized way of dealing with the international community that could ultimately yield devastating results. Appalled that he would threaten an innocent European nation, a bipartisan congressional committee recently went to Denmark to assuage its fears. That it included Republicans as well as Democrats is encouraging.
Were an individual such as Karoline Leavitt to publicly question Trump’s tactics, she would immediately be fired. But should Republicans in general put pressure on their leader to moderate his ways, to treat others with respect, he very well might feel compelled to do so. While his ire with those assaulting ICE agents in various American cities seems perfectly justified, his approach to Denmark and indeed his trade war with his neighbors to the North and South are ignorant, arrogant and utterly unwarranted. So also was his recent statement that any country not in agreement with his desire to annex Greenland would suffer an immediate increase in their American tariffs.
Conservatism entails an Ethos rooted in respect for Reason and Human Freedom, while Trump’s bullying tactics are amenable to neither. As Mark Carney is considering sending Canadian troops to Greenland to take part in NATO military exercises designed to thwart Trump’s initiative there, it is absurdly possible that we might end up at War with America. While I of course do not think this will ever happen, I suspect that those millions who voted Republican in the last Federal Election while holding their noses, will most definitely go Democrat in 2028 due to Trump’s often obnoxious behavior. Ronald Reagan was so easy to love, while Trump is so easy to hate. That his aggressive manner of pursuing his often legitimate goals may result in 4 more years of Woke Insanity, is both sad and ironic.