EDITOR’S NOTE: The following is the author’s response to a suggestion in the comments section that she must get over her hatred of President Donald Trump:
by Lynn Mandaville
With sincere respect, I would suggest that hatred of President Donald Trump is, in truth, hatred of what Trump and his carefully assembled cadre of yes-men do to undermine the Constitution and bolster his agenda.
I would fall into that category.
Let’s see if I can explain myself adequately.
Having hatred toward someone is an emotionally draining activity. It involves true autonomic responses to one’s own emotions regarding the subject of hatred, in this case Donald Trump.
I have friends on Facebook who express tremendous vitriol about the president every day. Their hatred is palpable.
When I think of Donald, the person, I am able to remain calm, not wasting energy on emoting about a man whom I cannot change.
When I think of the things the president and his administration are doing to our country, I have a marked emotional response, where I express great anger. I wouldn’t be surprised if my blood pressure rose and heart rate increased.
But it is not the man who is the object of my feelings.
This distinction may be lost on some people, but it is important to understand.
I would be as critical of any president who does to our rule of law what Donald Trump continues to do, be he or she Republican or Democrat. It is the blatant disregard of the Constitution, and the unwillingness to learn and live by that document, that outrages me.
Facts are important. And it is important to look at facts without spin.
Both sides of the impeachment fracas use spin to forward their causes. But it is the president’s legal team that continues to ignore the pertinent facts (which have been accepted by both sides as true) that Trump deliberately solicited the help of Ukraine to meddle in the coming election. They rely heavily on the spin and the omission to make their arguments in support of Trump.
The impeachment trial will end as we all know with the acquittal of the president.
Facts will exist without consequence.
Our nation will be subject to the fallout of the false trial that had no witnesses or the addition of newly acquired information.
The president will call this a vindication, as he puts his own spin on the result, and he will continue to abuse his power.
Future presidents will be able to refer to this precedent as we watch the balance of power among the three co-equal branches of government sway perilously for decades to come.
And more facts about our president will emerge over the coming months and years to reveal the corrupt nature of his character.
Nothing I can do about it. Not worth expending my energy in hatred of the man.
My energy will be directed toward supporting the Democratic candidate for president, and toward undoing some of the damage Trump has done to foment bigotry, racism, misogyny and xenophobia.
It’s going to be a long haul, and if history pans out, many who supported the president now will be singing a different tune in decades to come.
Well it’s Super Bowl Sunday! I don’t have to be told that; the mere fact that my comment is the first to appear on your well written opinion.
I really enjoyed this article. I think it helped to lower my blood pressure (along with the fact we have sunshine today).
Keep on writing and I will keep on enjoying.
Thanks Lynn! I needed that!
Quote “Facts are important. And it is important to look at facts without spin.
Both sides of the impeachment fracas use spin to forward their causes “. Has it occurred to you that perhaps Trump did want an investigation about corruption, that included the Bidens? Could Democrats have spun that into Trump wanting help to beat Biden in 2020, when in fact, he has yet to secure the nomination? Can you unequivocally trust Schiff, after being caught, so many times, lying and spinning? I’ve seen 2 attempts to impeach, in my lifetime. Both were travesties. No wonder our government is so divided, fractured and impotent.
Mr. Moras,
In answer to your question, yes, it did occur to me that Trump did want an investigation about corruption. BUT he wanted it not for the pure purpose of rooting out that corruption. He wanted it so he could use it against Joe Biden in the coming election. The fact that Trump wanted more the appearance of the investigation than the investigation itself supports that view, spin or no spin.
Whether or not I can trust Adam Schiff is a separate issue.
It’s unfortunate but until President Trump, I may have disagreed with other Presidents, even those I voted for but I always felt they put The United States first. I’m convinced , based on President Trump’s refusal to share conversations and notes pertaining to his conversations with Presidents Putin and Xi, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un with the US Senate Intelligence Committee, the CIA, Homeland Security and members of The Joint Chiefs he’s making deals to help himself, his family and his mega donors rather than the country’s best interests.
Mr. Moras is an example of how a Trump supporter thinks and responds. He accuses others of lying but gives no specific examples of the alleged lies told by people like Congressman Schiff or former VP Biden. The responses are always, “Well what about (fill in the name) .
Mr. Moras doesn’t mention the chronology of President Trump wanting investigations. Calls for investigations from The White House have come after Rudolph Giuliani’s contacts and activities in the Ukraine came to light. Every criminal investigation President Trump has called targets someone he deems a political enemy.
Mr. Moras and others like him won’t ever trust any politician who doesn’t have President Trump’s blessing. That’s unfortunate.
Trump did not cause the problem Trump just found a loophole to silence anybody who opposes him. It is sad everybody in Washington has something to who that can support a President a congressman or a senator from either side is lost.