YOU ARE NO HERO

Since before his inauguration, many people reported and knew that the current President was not up for the job.  Beyond his personality and lack of clear knowledge of some basics of history, reality, how government works and current world order, he was unwilling to learn and chose advisers  based on person loyalty and not competence.  The massive turn-over due to criminal behavior, gross mismanagement and serious graft in office showed deep lack of concern for what it means to run this great nation.  Coupled with the fact that the President of the United States is a pathological liar who states that objective facts are wrong and has had people use phrases like "alternative facts" when speaking to the press.  It is as bad as we said it would be and is getting no better as time goes on.

Report after report coming out of the White House and sometimes from the West Wing clearly shows a President who has no patience for comprehending the important issues of the day, wants to be praised by a team of sycophants and speaks without thinking.  We can see in real time often how the President says one thing publicly, only to have a cabinet member or staffer say the exact opposite.  Sometimes during the same hour.  It would be comical if the stakes weren't so high.  

So when the excerpts from Bob Woodward's book Fear: Trump in the White House were released to the press, it was unsurprising, however frightening.  As a reporter, Woodward nailed down quotes from current and former staffers that paint a picture of a White House seemingly operating around the President more than under the command of one.   A recent New York Times Op-Ed written anonymously by an apparent  senior official in the Executive Branch of the government paints and even starker picture.  

Writing, in what only be described as a jaw dropping essay, the author writes:  The dilemma — which he does not fully grasp — is that many of the senior officials in his own administration are working diligently from within to frustrate parts of his agenda and his worst inclinations. Think about that, the unelected and unaccountable members of the administration are allegedly standing in the way the President of the United States.  Not by arguing points but by not following through.  The Woodward book seems to add to this stunning set of actions being taken.  They include the Secretary of Defense ignoring a directive from the President of the United States and and economic adviser taking documents off the desk in the Oval.  This is simply not how our government works. 

I truly believe that Donald Trump is a terrible President and frankly dangerous to all of us.  I fear he could start a war over a fit of pique and cares little about the economy if it doesn't help him personally.  However, if you chose to work for the President, even a bad one, you have an obligation to implement the policies of that President as long as they are legal.  If you disagree with him or her.  It is cowardly and frankly unhelpful to write an anonymous Op-Ed and continue to think that you and your compatriots should be the arbiters of what you should let the President do.  What you should do is publicly resign and state exactly what the problems in the administration have been, including anything illegal, even if it you are a partner in the crime.  But what is more likely is that the President is unable to do the job but is doing enough as a puppet of the right wing noise machine that certain conservative ideals are being implemented.  And that is where you fail if you are in the White House and you plan is to use this President and pretend to be the hero for America.  

The Trump administration is a disaster on many levels.  Policies that will have short-term financial gains will have long-term disastrous results both financial and otherwise.  But the idea that someone or many someones, inside the administration, are actively trying to thwart policy making and implementation is frightening, even if  I agree that those policies are against American interest. My advice to the OP-Ed writer:   

Stand up to the President in a way that matters.  Resign, speak out, gather allies and challenge him in the right way.  That is how government is supposed to work.  That is how it can only work.  That is how to save the Republic.  Stop pretending to be a hero and be a leader.  We know Congress doesn't want the job, I really wish you did.