“What the hell do you have to lose?” Donald Trump asked of an all white audience in Ohio and Michigan in reference to Black Americans. Not once, did he ask the question in front of a predominantly Black audience and I’m sure the reason he didn’t, he knew he’d get an answer he wouldn’t like. So, this was his campaign question and it was re-asserted with a meeting of Black lawmakers in Washington with the Congressional Black Caucus. Now, 11 months into his installed position at the White House, not only can he not answer the question, he’s demonstrated he doesn’t care what the answer is or might have been.
Not only have Black Americans not gained anything from his being elected through the rigged, Russian interference, all Americans have lost — all those who are not rich and not old white men.
The Traitor has demonstrated his loathing of women, people of color and those who are financially strapped through no fault of their own, other than the circumstances of their birth. He accused over 16 women of lying when they lay accusations of sexual misconduct at his feet — disdaining them as if they were a pieces of garbage and only chose women to serve in his cabinet who are for the most part — pretty subservient. Although he had at least one strong defender in the White House — Omarosa — she has since been booted out and that only leaves — Ben Carson — the total belly-waxer who grovels every time Traitor Don looks his way.
But it’s not just the women and the Black folks who have lost. When we look at everything he’s done so far and God help us if the Republican-led Congress won’t wake up and smell the stench — we see one thing pretty clearly — Donald Trump only cares about Donald Trump and what he wants and to hell with anyone else and the Constitution.
Through the storms and the rain from Harvey and Maria and the fires in California, we discover that addressing catastrophic situations are not his strong suit. In fact, from his delayed responses, it would appear that he had to be reminded that these events were occurring. The same is true of Heather Heyer’s murder, the massacre in Las Vegas, and in the small town in Sutherland Springs, Texas — his remarks were perfunctory, not comforting as if he hated the interruption of his daily tweet rants and golf games. He was rude to a Gold-Star widow, Myeisha Johnson, on the phone (at least that was her perception) and then he attempted to belittle Congresswoman Fredericka Wilson who was with Myeisha when she got the phone call from Trump.
Leaders from the Historical Black Colleges were invited to the Oval Office for for a photo op and after making empty promises, they were no longer needed and nothing he said to them has been fulfilled. They lost needed funding to continue their mission to provide quality educational opportunities for a predominantly Black student body.
He’s rolled back consumer protection regulations that now allow coal mines to poison streams and other water systems; manufacturers are free to pollute the air and manufacture pesticides that cause brain damage and create toxic soil in food production.
He’s pulled out of the Paris Accord agreement regarding global warming because his limited ability and understanding of science has convinced him, the United States doesn’t need to participate.
He’s insulted world leaders and attempted to bully them into doing what he wanted with an assist from Nikki Haley, who apparently has joined the cult of stupidity.
His tax cut scam— benefits only the very wealthy and corporations — those earning less than $100K a year will have to suffer the consequences of not making more money and in paying increased taxes — on a graduated time scale. And it looks like — if Paul Ryan has his way — those of us who are older, Senior Citizens will lost Social Security benefits and Medicare benefits. A whole of lot losing going on from this corrupt administration and Congress.
Over 9 million children have lost access to medical care and another 13 million will suffer from the loss of healthcare insurance with the removal of the “ACA mandate.”
Native Inhabitants are losing protected lands (national monument regions being shrunk it size) because of the greed of the wealthy donors so they can “drill for oil” and uranium.
Alaskans are losing precious wildlife area — again for greed — focusing on the rich, not the land.
Puerto Ricans have lost much — access to electrical power, needed medicine and food supplies because of Maria and the Traitor in the Oval Office doesn’t seem to concerned about them.
America has lost her standing on the global stage because of his ineptness and incompetence and if he has his way, many parents will lose their children in a war that does not have to be, but will because the Traitor is a bully and has no common sense or decency.
Many families will lose their homes due to the inflation that is bound to occur with the lopsided tax code passed by greedy Republicans who care more about money than their constituents.
Access to a quality education is lost because of his lack of education (how he obtained a degree is a mystery, but most of us have concluded — daddy paid for it). Betsy DeVos is the worst person in the world to head the Department of Education because she knows nothing about public education and could care less.
Traitor Don admits all his cabinet members are his billionaire buddies (or least those who contributed millions to his campaign) because he “couldn’t have a poor person in a cabinet position.” Many of us could argue that point effectively, but it would be a waste of breath and time.
Some people have lost sleep since November 8, 2018 and a desire to live — anticipating the worse — every morning they wake.
So, what did we have to lose? It appears quite a bit — a sense of security and stability — since none exists in the White House. Hatred and bigotry abound because it spills over from the White House, unfettered, unfiltered as anyone who dares to disagree with him, is belittled or undermined.
No peace, no compassion, no empathy, no real leadership — that’s what we lost when Russian interference and foolish people decided to elect a reality TV has-been rather than a competent woman — simply because she was a woman and her last name was Clinton.
Though we have lost — some of what we had and some of what will never be — we don’t have to lose more. We can take it all back — by voting for Everyone who runs as a Democrat in 2018 and 2020 — The Blue Vote — will at least give us back a sense of security and our rightful place on the global stage — without influence from Russia or greedy Republicans.
We can stop the madness — from the impotent Republican majority and the traitor in the White House, but we have to take off the blinders that hinder the truth of the matter and put our feelings aside for the good of America — all of us, not just some of us.
maryhallrayford 