Slowik: We may already be about halfway through Trump's presidency
Ted Slowik Daily Southtown
It's been more than a year since the Electoral College picked popular-vote loser Donald John Trump to lead the nation. It's been 10 months since he began his presidency with an easily disprovable lie.
"That was the largest audience to witness an inauguration, period," then-White House spokesman Sean Spicer declared, ushering in a new era of alternate reality.
Now, with polls showing Trump's popularity on a par with head lice, it's more fair than ever to wonder, "How's it going to end?"
Will he serve four years, or eight? Will he resign? Will he be impeached by the House and convicted by the Senate?
I think a lot depends on how the investigation of special counsel Robert Mueller progresses.
They don't spend a lot of time talking about the Mueller investigation in the alternate reality. They prefer to talk about the Clinton Foundation and uranium. I think eventually reality will catch up with them.
I noticed an uptick in reader comments and sensed an air of desperation earlier this month when the Mueller investigation produced its first charges.
"Not everyone buys into those left wing views you try to pass off as journalism," a reader said via email last week. "I am sure if you had your way the statue of Robert E. Lee in Charlottesville would be replaced by a bronze one of Jane Fonda sitting on an anti-aircraft gun during her traitorous visit to Hanoi."
I'll give the reader points for creativity. But the charges against former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort and others seem to have vaulted some supporters to a new level of extreme nationalism.
Maybe the resounding Democratic victories in Virginia and elsewhere this month triggered a new sense of panic. Some are worried that a blue wave of Democratic victors will sweep Republicans from their House and Senate majorities when voters decide the midterm elections next year.
Perhaps, the indefensible creepiness of Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore prompted the latest surge in the ferocious tenor of political rhetoric. It used to be people of both parties could unite in condemning child molestation.
It's now normal to publicly say an alleged sexual predator is preferable to a liberal.
Ah, but lechery appears to inflict damage upon both parties. It remains to be seen whether harassment claims involving Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., and Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., will equal the alleged depravity of Moore in terms of political harm.
All I can say with certainty is that Trump's presidency will end at some point. The question is how.
I asked people to vote in a Twitter poll on the question. I could offer up to four options. My poll received 10 votes. One person voted that Trump would serve eight years.
I agree that's the least likely scenario. Trump's bullying and vindictive personality are tiresome. In the great American experiment of democracy, people yearn to try new approaches. They gave a whirl to a TV celebrity with far more experience in bankruptcy court than the political arena. A re-election in 2020 is possible, but I think it's a long shot.
Two respondents believed Trump would serve four years. A bunch of variables could affect this outcome. He could keep the base energized with "the wall" and stoke nationalist sentiments with talk of "America First." He could earn the support of conservatives with judicial appointments and tax cuts for the rich. Anything's possible.
Three people voted that Trump would be impeached. If Democrats flip the House in 2018, impeachment proceedings seem more likely. A conviction by the Senate would be far less certain, since it would require a two-thirds majority.
Four people said Trump would resign. It's an unscientific poll with a tiny sampling, but it says something. When asked for opinions about how Trump's presidency would end, this was the most popular response.
I think it's valid to compare Trump to Richard Nixon, the only man who resigned from the U.S. presidency. In 1972, Republicans orchestrated the Watergate burglary to steal campaign information from Democrats.
In 2016, representatives of the Trump campaign corresponded with Wikileaks regarding emails stolen from the Democratic campaign by Russians.
After 44 years the more things change, the more they seem to stay the same.
I believe Mueller is methodically conducting a thorough investigation into Trump's global business empire. Numerous press accounts have traced connections between riches pilfered from Russian enterprises by oligarchs and allegedly laundered through real estate around the world.
There are nagging questions about why Trump refuses to make public his tax returns, along with a host of concerns about potential conflicts between his business dealings and his public service as president.
Trump associates have a suspicious track record of denying contacts with Russians, then having to clarify when evidence contradicts their earlier denials. Then there's Trump's odd practice of praising Russian President Vladimir Putin when he's quick to pick fights with Gold Star families, members of Congress and professional athletes.
We've learned a lot in the year since the election about how Russians bought ads on Facebook and pushed fake news on social media to damage Hillary Clinton's candidacy.
Republicans in Congress seem to fear that acknowledging the truth about Russian interference in our election would delegitimize the presidency of their party's leader.
Their strategy is to keep the base outraged about the opposition and distracted with talk of anything but Russia. The peddlers of the alternate reality try to muddy the waters and confuse people who try to make sense of complicated issues.
Ah, but as Mueller continues his work it will become increasingly difficult to keep up the charade.
Veteran journalist Bill Moyers provided some clarity in a piece published on his website Tuesday. He asked attorney Steven Harper what's the most important thing for people to know today about the Trump/Russia investigation.
"That was the largest audience to witness an inauguration, period," then-White House spokesman Sean Spicer declared, ushering in a new era of alternate reality.
Now, with polls showing Trump's popularity on a par with head lice, it's more fair than ever to wonder, "How's it going to end?"
Will he serve four years, or eight? Will he resign? Will he be impeached by the House and convicted by the Senate?
I think a lot depends on how the investigation of special counsel Robert Mueller progresses.
They don't spend a lot of time talking about the Mueller investigation in the alternate reality. They prefer to talk about the Clinton Foundation and uranium. I think eventually reality will catch up with them.
I noticed an uptick in reader comments and sensed an air of desperation earlier this month when the Mueller investigation produced its first charges.
"Not everyone buys into those left wing views you try to pass off as journalism," a reader said via email last week. "I am sure if you had your way the statue of Robert E. Lee in Charlottesville would be replaced by a bronze one of Jane Fonda sitting on an anti-aircraft gun during her traitorous visit to Hanoi."
I'll give the reader points for creativity. But the charges against former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort and others seem to have vaulted some supporters to a new level of extreme nationalism.
Maybe the resounding Democratic victories in Virginia and elsewhere this month triggered a new sense of panic. Some are worried that a blue wave of Democratic victors will sweep Republicans from their House and Senate majorities when voters decide the midterm elections next year.
Perhaps, the indefensible creepiness of Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore prompted the latest surge in the ferocious tenor of political rhetoric. It used to be people of both parties could unite in condemning child molestation.
It's now normal to publicly say an alleged sexual predator is preferable to a liberal.
Ah, but lechery appears to inflict damage upon both parties. It remains to be seen whether harassment claims involving Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., and Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., will equal the alleged depravity of Moore in terms of political harm.
All I can say with certainty is that Trump's presidency will end at some point. The question is how.
I asked people to vote in a Twitter poll on the question. I could offer up to four options. My poll received 10 votes. One person voted that Trump would serve eight years.
I agree that's the least likely scenario. Trump's bullying and vindictive personality are tiresome. In the great American experiment of democracy, people yearn to try new approaches. They gave a whirl to a TV celebrity with far more experience in bankruptcy court than the political arena. A re-election in 2020 is possible, but I think it's a long shot.
Two respondents believed Trump would serve four years. A bunch of variables could affect this outcome. He could keep the base energized with "the wall" and stoke nationalist sentiments with talk of "America First." He could earn the support of conservatives with judicial appointments and tax cuts for the rich. Anything's possible.
Three people voted that Trump would be impeached. If Democrats flip the House in 2018, impeachment proceedings seem more likely. A conviction by the Senate would be far less certain, since it would require a two-thirds majority.
Four people said Trump would resign. It's an unscientific poll with a tiny sampling, but it says something. When asked for opinions about how Trump's presidency would end, this was the most popular response.
I think it's valid to compare Trump to Richard Nixon, the only man who resigned from the U.S. presidency. In 1972, Republicans orchestrated the Watergate burglary to steal campaign information from Democrats.
In 2016, representatives of the Trump campaign corresponded with Wikileaks regarding emails stolen from the Democratic campaign by Russians.
After 44 years the more things change, the more they seem to stay the same.
I believe Mueller is methodically conducting a thorough investigation into Trump's global business empire. Numerous press accounts have traced connections between riches pilfered from Russian enterprises by oligarchs and allegedly laundered through real estate around the world.
There are nagging questions about why Trump refuses to make public his tax returns, along with a host of concerns about potential conflicts between his business dealings and his public service as president.
Trump associates have a suspicious track record of denying contacts with Russians, then having to clarify when evidence contradicts their earlier denials. Then there's Trump's odd practice of praising Russian President Vladimir Putin when he's quick to pick fights with Gold Star families, members of Congress and professional athletes.
We've learned a lot in the year since the election about how Russians bought ads on Facebook and pushed fake news on social media to damage Hillary Clinton's candidacy.
Republicans in Congress seem to fear that acknowledging the truth about Russian interference in our election would delegitimize the presidency of their party's leader.
Their strategy is to keep the base outraged about the opposition and distracted with talk of anything but Russia. The peddlers of the alternate reality try to muddy the waters and confuse people who try to make sense of complicated issues.
Ah, but as Mueller continues his work it will become increasingly difficult to keep up the charade.
Veteran journalist Bill Moyers provided some clarity in a piece published on his website Tuesday. He asked attorney Steven Harper what's the most important thing for people to know today about the Trump/Russia investigation.
"Everything the Trump campaign told you about the connections between Trump and Russia was a lie," Harper replied.
Mueller's investigation will reveal whether Trump obstructed justice by firing James Comey as FBI director, he added. He talked about the "insidious" willingness of the congressional GOP to "be complicit in all of this."
It's that simple. How long Trump serves depends in large part on the findings of Mueller's investigation. Congress can influence the outcome, but it depends which party is in charge after next year's midterm elections.
Who knows? We may already be about halfway through Trump's presidency.
Many ESC fans from all over the world are so very sad because we lost Joy Fleming - one of the best singers ever.
Betty MacDonald fan club founder Wolfgang Hampel sings 'Try to remember' especially for Betty MacDonald fan club organizer Linde Lund at Vita Magica September
Vita Magica Betty MacDonald event with Wolfgang Hampel, Thomas Bödigheimer and Friedrich von Hoheneichen
Betty MacDonald
Betty MacDonald forum
Wolfgang Hampel - Wikipedia ( Polski)
Wolfgang Hampel - LinkFang ( German )
Wolfgang Hampel - Academic ( German )
Wolfgang Hampel - cyclopaedia.net ( German )
Wolfgang Hampel - DBpedia ( English / German )
Wolfgang Hampel - people check ( English )
Wolfgang Hampel - Memim ( English )
Vashon Island - Wikipedia ( German )
Wolfgang Hampel - Monica Sone - Wikipedia ( English )
Wolfgang Hampel - Ma and Pa Kettle - Wikipedia ( English )
Wolfgang Hampel - Ma and Pa Kettle - Wikipedia ( French )
Wolfgang Hampel - Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle - Wikipedia ( English)
Wolfgang Hampel in Florida State University
Betty MacDonald fan club founder Wolfgang Hampel
Betty MacDonald fan club interviews on CD/DVD
Betty MacDonald fan club items
Betty MacDonald fan club items - comments
Betty MacDonald fan club - The Stove and I
Betty MacDonald fan club groups
Betty MacDonald fan club organizer Linde Lund
Mueller's investigation will reveal whether Trump obstructed justice by firing James Comey as FBI director, he added. He talked about the "insidious" willingness of the congressional GOP to "be complicit in all of this."
It's that simple. How long Trump serves depends in large part on the findings of Mueller's investigation. Congress can influence the outcome, but it depends which party is in charge after next year's midterm elections.
Who knows? We may already be about halfway through Trump's presidency.
Many ESC fans from all over the world are so very sad because we lost Joy Fleming - one of the best singers ever.
Betty MacDonald fan club founder Wolfgang Hampel sings 'Try to remember' especially for Betty MacDonald fan club organizer Linde Lund at Vita Magica September
you can join
Betty MacDonald fan club
Betty MacDonald Society
Vita Magica
Eurovision Song Contest Fan Club
on Facebook
Vita Magica Betty MacDonald event with Wolfgang Hampel, Thomas Bödigheimer and Friedrich von Hoheneichen
Vita Magica
Betty MacDonald
Betty MacDonald fan club
Betty MacDonald fan club on Facebook
Betty MacDonald forum
Wolfgang Hampel - Wikipedia ( English )
Wolfgang Hampel - Wikipedia ( English ) - The Egg and I
Wolfgang Hampel - Wikipedia ( Polski)
Wolfgang Hampel - Wikipedia ( German )
Wolfgang Hampel - LinkFang ( German )
Wolfgang Hampel - Academic ( German )
Wolfgang Hampel - cyclopaedia.net ( German )
Wolfgang Hampel - DBpedia ( English / German )
Wolfgang Hampel - people check ( English )
Wolfgang Hampel - Memim ( English )
Vashon Island - Wikipedia ( German )
Wolfgang Hampel - Monica Sone - Wikipedia ( English )
Wolfgang Hampel - Ma and Pa Kettle - Wikipedia ( English )
Wolfgang Hampel - Ma and Pa Kettle - Wikipedia ( French )
Wolfgang Hampel - Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle - Wikipedia ( English)
Wolfgang Hampel in Florida State University
Betty MacDonald fan club founder Wolfgang Hampel
Betty MacDonald fan club interviews on CD/DVD
Betty MacDonald fan club items
Betty MacDonald fan club items - comments
Betty MacDonald fan club - The Stove and I
Betty MacDonald fan club groups
Betty MacDonald fan club organizer Linde Lund
