by Barry Hastings

With ten (count ’em) American flags hanging behind the podium proclaiming his patriotism, the tweeting bluebird demonstrated his determination to keep communicating with the public via the lowest common denominator (those who can’t compose a paragraph containing more than 140 characters).

His so-called press conference Wednesday, with the exception of 20 minutes used up by a lawyer laying groundwork for his further refusal to give up his tax returns for public perusal, by claiming the whole Trump Empire has been turned over to his sons, and the blue-suit man will have nothing to say or do with management decisions. (Somehow, that doesn’t seem much like the Donald to me.)

Let’s face it squarely, Trump is a self-absorbed, mono-maniac, and believes no one, in any field of endeavor, is better qualified to make decisions on any subject, than himself; and a man who desires and needs constant slavish attention from everyone, in every direction, every minute he’s awake.)

He also (again) demonstrated his relationship with the press and American Intelligence services will remain adversarial. He as good as blamed the intelligence services for public release of a document claiming direct ties between his campaign and the Russian government, and more salacious content with the words, “Maybe it was them…  and maybe, it was someone else.” And he publicly dressed- down (pointing them out to the crowded room) two CNN reporters, calling them, “dishonest.” I don’t much care for CNN, but isn’t this a bit like, “the pot calling the kettle black?”

As I remember, the Donald started nearly every day of his campaign by tweeting one lie or another about Hillary Clinton (and some, maybe most) of them probably did come from Russian hacks. I’ve already written a pretty long story (printed on this site) listing the lies he told his supporters, and promises he made them he’s already broken. His conduct during the campaign will, most likely, dog his whole administration. Disclaiming the report of the Russian dossier of photos and other (supposed) evidence against him, Trump told reporters he was well aware there are cameras everywhere Westerners go, or stay, in Russia (some cameras, he said, so small “you can’t see ’em”) and he was not dumb enough to get trapped in such a way. The implication, to me, means if he were in a nice, safe, secure Trump Hotel, he’d, “Grab ’em by the c- -1!” He certainly is Mr. Clean.

He told assembled reporters, “I will be the biggest job producer God ever created.” He told them having Putin like him is, “an asset.” He claimed his “deplorables” are, “A movement like the world has never seen before.” (Well, at least not since Hitler, Mussolini, and Stalin.) He’s so out of touch, he described China as building a, ^“Massive Fortress” in the South China Sea. They’re actually building up a number of small coral atolls, widely separated, and militarized with air strips, air defenses, troops, and probably capable of servicing small naval vessels. The great exaggerator. Asked if the Russians were trying to help in his election, he skipped answering. Ditto with possibility of adding more sanctions on Russia. He denied people involved in his campaign had any contact with Russians.

A good (and bright) friend of mine says he expects to see Putin and Trump gang up on China. It’s clear Trump doesn’t like China, and believes they’re the cause of much American economic unrest, job and industry loss, and that they haven’t lived up to either the letter, or spirit, of trade agreements between East and West. As for Putin, the natural resources underlying the Manchurian border between Russia and China have as strong a pull as they did during the ’70s, when numerous border skirmishes occurred.

In other ways the leadership in Moscow, and the coming administration in D.C., are giving voice to the old populist dogma of Nazis and Fascists — nationalism, belief in myths of a greater, more pure past — conservative Christianity here, conservative Russian Orthodoxy there, and total rejection of multi-culturalism, cosmopolitanism, and hatred of liberalism in all forms. The rise of these people has upset applecarts of politicians in America and Europe. (And of course the Russians are ever too drunk to know what’s happening with them; they’ve lived like dogs for centuries.)

For now, though the populist movement exists (and growing slowly, but steadily) in nearly every European country, and in America (big time). Most Europeans remember what happened the last time popular dictators grabbed power — the biggest war in history. Our own American memories lack both longevity and continuity. It’s interesting that Trump (mock-rhetorically) asked reporters gathered to question him Wednesday (though only a small handful were allowed a voice), “Are we living in Nazi Germany?” (You show us, Donald.) I note, that for America, Trump’s appointed a heavily militarized cabinet, and many of them are not among the brightest lights at the Pentagon (USMC General Maddis, particularly, excepted).

There is, sadly, a rising anger among a large, long-suffering element of the populations of Western industrial nations. You see, the rich really do get richer. Every year they rake in more and more of the earth’s wealth. And yes, the poor really do get poorer. (Tell me you can’t see it in your grocery costs.) Think about what it means to the really poor.

As it turns out, a big chunk of our problem started (as I wrote at the time) with the Shrub’s invasion of Iraq. Strange twist of fate it is that his father had a perfect chance to take care or Iraq, and Saddam, with world-wide approval all but guaranteed… and blew it. His son blew it, as well — blew up the whole damned middle East. And it’s eating us alive, still. Just think what could have been done socially (infrastructure) if we’d stayed out of Afghanistan, stayed out of Iraq, and just hunted our attackers down with drones and SpecOps soldiers. Obama could have gotten many more of them but for Republicans messing with the recipe at every opportunity. Bush promised (standing atop wreckage of the Twin Towers, he’d build a force of 50,000 special forces soldiers to wipe them out. Never happened, though the Administration got beaucoup $$$$ for the entire work.

Pissed it away nation-building using lives of U.S. soldiers as foundation for the works. And angered Muslims of every persuasion. Ninety percent (90%) of nation-building projects started by American contractors in Iraq were; never (that’s never) completed. They did business there only sligthtly worse than they do it here at home. I’d bet it’s pretty much the same in Afghanistan

So here we go, hang on to your hats, cowboys and cowgirls, it’s going to be an interesting, scarey, sometimes dangerous road for a while. Poor Columbia, she’s either too old for this kind of stuff, or just, too old.