A real President doesn’t threaten our Allies while coddling those who wish to do us harm. A real President works publicly and behind the scenes to strengthen our alliances and partnerships, valuing quiet diplomacy over public disparagement.
A real President demands that our foreign opponents operate within accepted norms and, when they don’t, uses all of our instruments of power (diplomatic, economic, and military) to enforce those norms. A real President does not repeatedly threaten actions, but always chickens out in the end, thus weakening our global position.
He is an illegitimate president due to the 14th Amendment, Section III. He incited insurrection, he tried to have his own VP and the Speaker of the House murdered by his mob. He has not one redeeming quality.
Imho, he stole the 2024 election with his pal Musk. Only one president before him won all 7 swing states, and that was Reagan in a landslide. The felon won with only a plurality of votes, more voted against him than for him. The math doesn’t work in this case, and he should be impeached and removed from office as soon as possible for the sake of democracy.
So many people want to believe that Trump/Musk "stole" the 2024 election. Those people are mostly ignoring "inconvenient facts" like the Supreme Court's Citizens United decision of 2010 (which was handed down long after Reagan left office) and the recently revealed Lewis Powell memo of 1971.
Question: Do you realize that if Trump is impeached and convicted, JD Vance becomes president? If Trump's election was illegitimate, so was Vance's.
Yes, of course I agree. There has never been a forensic audit of the 2024 election. Many people have questioned why it wasn’t done because the facts as they stand are suspicious. It is almost impossible to win all 7 swing states, by a margin above the necessary recount number, while only winning by a plurality.
The is no evidence the election was stolen, although quite a few gullible minds were manipulated via social media with some help from social media, so Musk in that context.
Trump says he won't help unless Europe stops buying Russian oil, but guess who that mostly is? Trump's pal Victor Orban is a main buyer who is friendly with Putin, so Trump already knows, in advance, that it won't happen and is using this as an excuse to do nothing.
So, is it cowardice or is it a backhanded way of helping Putin? Likely both in my opinion as he aways seems to be hedging his bets and fumbling about. Also likely complete incompetence, as well.
Russia and China and now India are all testing us and Trump keeps failing the test, and this puts us all at great risk.
It is like the gate is simply left open and the guards went home. No defense. I guess that is the real reason they changed the name of the Defense Department. If they think they can wait until after something huge has happened, they may find that this is either not that case or that Trump and the GOP in congress are unwilling. Thus, they are testing us. We are failing with inaction.
WE know what a “real president” does but I do think it is important to clarify this, so I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Who does not know this? Did Trump voters know what makes a person qualified morally and intellectually? I do not know, but the answer to that question may prevent another Trumpacolypse. We are mired in the sludge of Trump 2.0. Our wagon wheels are stuck in the rutted, muddy road of what is left of our democracy. What we have to do now is figure out how to pull this wagon out. Are some of us going to sit in the wagon while the rest of us pull it, or will everyone get out and help???
I truly believe my own large East Coast family does not understand what living under a Dictator, and/or Facism and/or an Oligarchy means.
I was born right after the end of WWII, my neighbor was drafted for the Korean War when I was 6 or 7. My high school friends and husband were drafted or volunteered for Vietnam. During all of those times the news was filled with details of the war and comparative discussions of Democracy vs Dictatorships
Also there was the real threat from The Bay of Pigs incident which even in high school we knew could lead to WWIII, but fortunately did not.
I sometimes consider those growing up now do not have the same proclivity or ability of understanding or insight we have from living through these experiences.
The terrifying incident of my growing up was the Cuban Missile Crisis, October 1962. I was 11 and already a reader of the daily papers. What made it especially terrifying was that during that time the fire whistle in my small Massachusetts town got stuck in the middle of the night. It woke me up. I was scared: I knew that a long uninterrupted blast meant "possible attack." (A series of staccato blasts meant "attack imminent.") I got out of bed and went into the hallway -- where I ran into my father. It was the only time I ever saw him scared. He called town hall and learned what had happened. By then the whistle had stopped.
At that point I knew about Hiroshima and Nagasaki. I don't think I knew about the WW2 German blitzkrieg against Britain. But ever since, when I hear about bombs falling anywhere -- most recently in Ukraine -- I feel the ghost of my 11YO terror in my gut.
Funny thing about the Cuban Missile Crisis. It happened in the second week of my freshman year in college--away from home. We were all so busy getting used to college and dorms that we missed it entirely. (The dorm had one black and white TV that was never on.) When my brother wrote to say how scared he was, I said "of what?"
It is like have a mean vicious dog for president. There is not an ounce of goodness in him. That he was able to mesmerize so many young men is a sad commentary on their upbringing. Very sad.
Why have those of malign character been able to attract such a massive following? I believe that until these traits are carved into tablets and their truths resonate with those who have invested meaning and purpose in the morally bankrupt, violence will continue to appear as the solution. Character is quiet strength. It does not shout loudly or cleave communities asunder. It does not thrive by harboring ill will. It is born of forgiveness and grace, trailing goodness in its wake. Because it speaks quietly, the loudness of anger drowns out character’s abiding message of friendship. Anger toward others gives frustrated young men a warped but abiding sense of purpose. The call to hate one’s neighbor is the sirens’ call, beckoning the traveler onto rocky shoals. The hero’s journey cannot be completed without allies, and without being an ally to others. Character sees the ally within every stranger in need. Will we see the emergence of those with good character being more attractive and purpose-affirming than those with ill? I pray we do.
You’ve outlined a real president well. Something going into 2026-2028 that will be unfamiliar for many voters. Certainly not from the right who see this as not only a tragedy but an opportunity.
I live in a zip that divides blue and red areas. Yesterday evening I received at text supposedly from Kirk’s widow. I’m sure the link goes to fundraising. They’ve wasted no time. Big donors were the first to be asked to re-commit.
Charlie Kirk was the public face of TPA and it gave him sizable wealth & influence. Behind the scenes were a couple deep pockets who also wanted to offset MoveOn and other liberal organization. Losing Kirk has given these forces a more specific target - us - and put their ‘rivals’ (particularly Nick Fuentes) on the back foot.
Steven, tRump appears to becoming more unhinged. His out and out hateful rhetoric and threats are surely meant to incite his lunatic fringe, he himself will never come out directly, I think he’s afraid of committing…plus an acute lack of Cahones!
I’m afraid we, aka, anyone not in his favor, may have to start considering their own safety and eventual self defense. We are up against a stacked deck! I spoke with an individual the other day who is of Italian heritage…easily noted by his darker complexion who was warned not to be out without good ID. Apparently there’s to be an increased ICE presence in the Boston area. Imagine regular American Citizens are expressing concern about being swept up. I understand there is to be another series of “No King” Rallies…a perfect spot for confrontations…especially in alleged “Lawless Blue Cities”! Fear makes desperate people do desperate things.
Now for a list of what a real president DOES do...
Also, my 17 year old grandson and his friends are not taken in by charlie kirk and his ilk. I'm not sure who he listens to, but he listens at my house I can hear what they are saying, and it's sensible stuff. Every once in awhile I'll ask a question and he has good answers. We are reading 1984 together. My even younger grandchildren are not taken in by the nonsense, either.
A real president doesn't jeopardize the nation's and the world's economic stability by insisting on a tariff policy that seeks to punish his enemies both within and outside America. A real president waits until all the facts are known in a horrendous assassination before spouting hateful, divisive rhetoric. That is what Trump and Stephen Miller thrive on, to the detriment and disrespect of the Constitution and the rule of law. A real president would not build a grandiose, gaudy and god-awful ball room to slake his endless need for ego boosts. It is a desecration of the White House, the People's house, not his rental. A real president would seek grace and kindness in the face of political violence and urge Americans to follow suit. A real president wouldn't be a pathological narcissist, whose only actions are to feed his desperate need for attention. A real president would be the calmer in chief, a beacon of hope and unity and in general, a nice, faithful and empathetic statesman/woman.
Thanks Steven: A great president appoints qualified people to his cabinet. Trump seems to have picked those with low IQ and no qualifications. A good president would not belittle the USA allies and take the country out of the world order. A good president would see to it that he/she would serve the American citizen rather than self. A good president would not divide but unite a nation. He has the ability to describe others as.he is. A good president would not voice and mimic a fellow like Hitler "poisoning the blood of a nation" "vermin" and other offensive slurs. I can just imagine him and Stephen Miller having breakfast planning their day of retribution.
A good president would release the Epstein files and support the young ladies and girls just by listening to them. A good president would stand tall for democracy, constitution and the rule of law. This president is too wrapped up in his own grievances to honor anyone but himself.
“To argue with a man who has renounced the use and authority of reason, and whose philosophy consists in holding humanity in contempt, is like administering medicine to the dead, or endeavoring to convert an atheist by scripture.” - Thomas Paine
A real President doesn’t threaten our Allies while coddling those who wish to do us harm. A real President works publicly and behind the scenes to strengthen our alliances and partnerships, valuing quiet diplomacy over public disparagement.
A real President demands that our foreign opponents operate within accepted norms and, when they don’t, uses all of our instruments of power (diplomatic, economic, and military) to enforce those norms. A real President does not repeatedly threaten actions, but always chickens out in the end, thus weakening our global position.
Everyone knows he is not “real”. We are all living inside “The Reality Show From Hell.”
He is an illegitimate president due to the 14th Amendment, Section III. He incited insurrection, he tried to have his own VP and the Speaker of the House murdered by his mob. He has not one redeeming quality.
Imho, he stole the 2024 election with his pal Musk. Only one president before him won all 7 swing states, and that was Reagan in a landslide. The felon won with only a plurality of votes, more voted against him than for him. The math doesn’t work in this case, and he should be impeached and removed from office as soon as possible for the sake of democracy.
So many people want to believe that Trump/Musk "stole" the 2024 election. Those people are mostly ignoring "inconvenient facts" like the Supreme Court's Citizens United decision of 2010 (which was handed down long after Reagan left office) and the recently revealed Lewis Powell memo of 1971.
Question: Do you realize that if Trump is impeached and convicted, JD Vance becomes president? If Trump's election was illegitimate, so was Vance's.
Yes, of course I agree. There has never been a forensic audit of the 2024 election. Many people have questioned why it wasn’t done because the facts as they stand are suspicious. It is almost impossible to win all 7 swing states, by a margin above the necessary recount number, while only winning by a plurality.
Imagine…an American “President” with not one redeeming quality. Not ONE.
The is no evidence the election was stolen, although quite a few gullible minds were manipulated via social media with some help from social media, so Musk in that context.
Yes, always chickens out and now Russia and Belarus are doing military exercises and there were the drones over Poland.
https://abcnews.go.com/International/russia-holds-major-war-games-belarus-amid-nato/story?id=125576856
Trump says he won't help unless Europe stops buying Russian oil, but guess who that mostly is? Trump's pal Victor Orban is a main buyer who is friendly with Putin, so Trump already knows, in advance, that it won't happen and is using this as an excuse to do nothing.
So, is it cowardice or is it a backhanded way of helping Putin? Likely both in my opinion as he aways seems to be hedging his bets and fumbling about. Also likely complete incompetence, as well.
Russia and China and now India are all testing us and Trump keeps failing the test, and this puts us all at great risk.
It is like the gate is simply left open and the guards went home. No defense. I guess that is the real reason they changed the name of the Defense Department. If they think they can wait until after something huge has happened, they may find that this is either not that case or that Trump and the GOP in congress are unwilling. Thus, they are testing us. We are failing with inaction.
There are no guards, are there? WE are supposed to be the Cavalry..but without swift horses or loaded cannons…
thanks for this....
WE know what a “real president” does but I do think it is important to clarify this, so I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Who does not know this? Did Trump voters know what makes a person qualified morally and intellectually? I do not know, but the answer to that question may prevent another Trumpacolypse. We are mired in the sludge of Trump 2.0. Our wagon wheels are stuck in the rutted, muddy road of what is left of our democracy. What we have to do now is figure out how to pull this wagon out. Are some of us going to sit in the wagon while the rest of us pull it, or will everyone get out and help???
Hi Ellen.
These are questions I’ve considered as well.
I truly believe my own large East Coast family does not understand what living under a Dictator, and/or Facism and/or an Oligarchy means.
I was born right after the end of WWII, my neighbor was drafted for the Korean War when I was 6 or 7. My high school friends and husband were drafted or volunteered for Vietnam. During all of those times the news was filled with details of the war and comparative discussions of Democracy vs Dictatorships
Also there was the real threat from The Bay of Pigs incident which even in high school we knew could lead to WWIII, but fortunately did not.
I sometimes consider those growing up now do not have the same proclivity or ability of understanding or insight we have from living through these experiences.
??
💙🇺🇸💙
The terrifying incident of my growing up was the Cuban Missile Crisis, October 1962. I was 11 and already a reader of the daily papers. What made it especially terrifying was that during that time the fire whistle in my small Massachusetts town got stuck in the middle of the night. It woke me up. I was scared: I knew that a long uninterrupted blast meant "possible attack." (A series of staccato blasts meant "attack imminent.") I got out of bed and went into the hallway -- where I ran into my father. It was the only time I ever saw him scared. He called town hall and learned what had happened. By then the whistle had stopped.
At that point I knew about Hiroshima and Nagasaki. I don't think I knew about the WW2 German blitzkrieg against Britain. But ever since, when I hear about bombs falling anywhere -- most recently in Ukraine -- I feel the ghost of my 11YO terror in my gut.
Funny thing about the Cuban Missile Crisis. It happened in the second week of my freshman year in college--away from home. We were all so busy getting used to college and dorms that we missed it entirely. (The dorm had one black and white TV that was never on.) When my brother wrote to say how scared he was, I said "of what?"
Ellen, it depends on whether they are in the cult or just vote along party lines.
Hi Susannah
You have experienced many difficult challenges.
❤️❤️❤️❤️
It is like have a mean vicious dog for president. There is not an ounce of goodness in him. That he was able to mesmerize so many young men is a sad commentary on their upbringing. Very sad.
Why have those of malign character been able to attract such a massive following? I believe that until these traits are carved into tablets and their truths resonate with those who have invested meaning and purpose in the morally bankrupt, violence will continue to appear as the solution. Character is quiet strength. It does not shout loudly or cleave communities asunder. It does not thrive by harboring ill will. It is born of forgiveness and grace, trailing goodness in its wake. Because it speaks quietly, the loudness of anger drowns out character’s abiding message of friendship. Anger toward others gives frustrated young men a warped but abiding sense of purpose. The call to hate one’s neighbor is the sirens’ call, beckoning the traveler onto rocky shoals. The hero’s journey cannot be completed without allies, and without being an ally to others. Character sees the ally within every stranger in need. Will we see the emergence of those with good character being more attractive and purpose-affirming than those with ill? I pray we do.
How long do we have to keep asking if we will see emergence of those with good character? Feels like we are screaming into the wind.
Hi Judy
I don’t know how long but I feel deeply we must “keep screaming” against the Trump
Regime actions. We must not go silent. We must nonviolently rage; And help each other through this.
I know Trump will not always be here and then we will still have to work to Right our Ship.
You’ve outlined a real president well. Something going into 2026-2028 that will be unfamiliar for many voters. Certainly not from the right who see this as not only a tragedy but an opportunity.
I live in a zip that divides blue and red areas. Yesterday evening I received at text supposedly from Kirk’s widow. I’m sure the link goes to fundraising. They’ve wasted no time. Big donors were the first to be asked to re-commit.
Charlie Kirk was the public face of TPA and it gave him sizable wealth & influence. Behind the scenes were a couple deep pockets who also wanted to offset MoveOn and other liberal organization. Losing Kirk has given these forces a more specific target - us - and put their ‘rivals’ (particularly Nick Fuentes) on the back foot.
A real president doesn’t lie non stop and avoid taking responsibility for his decisions.
Neither does a good man.
Steven, tRump appears to becoming more unhinged. His out and out hateful rhetoric and threats are surely meant to incite his lunatic fringe, he himself will never come out directly, I think he’s afraid of committing…plus an acute lack of Cahones!
I’m afraid we, aka, anyone not in his favor, may have to start considering their own safety and eventual self defense. We are up against a stacked deck! I spoke with an individual the other day who is of Italian heritage…easily noted by his darker complexion who was warned not to be out without good ID. Apparently there’s to be an increased ICE presence in the Boston area. Imagine regular American Citizens are expressing concern about being swept up. I understand there is to be another series of “No King” Rallies…a perfect spot for confrontations…especially in alleged “Lawless Blue Cities”! Fear makes desperate people do desperate things.
Steven, your post reminds me of why the Netflix series Adolescence was soo powerful and why more people MUST see it.
Now for a list of what a real president DOES do...
Also, my 17 year old grandson and his friends are not taken in by charlie kirk and his ilk. I'm not sure who he listens to, but he listens at my house I can hear what they are saying, and it's sensible stuff. Every once in awhile I'll ask a question and he has good answers. We are reading 1984 together. My even younger grandchildren are not taken in by the nonsense, either.
This is awful. But I think the big scandal on the horizon is the huge number of pardons being given out as a pay to play scheme.
A real President
* Isn’t a convicted felon.
A real president doesn't jeopardize the nation's and the world's economic stability by insisting on a tariff policy that seeks to punish his enemies both within and outside America. A real president waits until all the facts are known in a horrendous assassination before spouting hateful, divisive rhetoric. That is what Trump and Stephen Miller thrive on, to the detriment and disrespect of the Constitution and the rule of law. A real president would not build a grandiose, gaudy and god-awful ball room to slake his endless need for ego boosts. It is a desecration of the White House, the People's house, not his rental. A real president would seek grace and kindness in the face of political violence and urge Americans to follow suit. A real president wouldn't be a pathological narcissist, whose only actions are to feed his desperate need for attention. A real president would be the calmer in chief, a beacon of hope and unity and in general, a nice, faithful and empathetic statesman/woman.
Thanks Steven: A great president appoints qualified people to his cabinet. Trump seems to have picked those with low IQ and no qualifications. A good president would not belittle the USA allies and take the country out of the world order. A good president would see to it that he/she would serve the American citizen rather than self. A good president would not divide but unite a nation. He has the ability to describe others as.he is. A good president would not voice and mimic a fellow like Hitler "poisoning the blood of a nation" "vermin" and other offensive slurs. I can just imagine him and Stephen Miller having breakfast planning their day of retribution.
A good president would release the Epstein files and support the young ladies and girls just by listening to them. A good president would stand tall for democracy, constitution and the rule of law. This president is too wrapped up in his own grievances to honor anyone but himself.
History speaks…and weeps.
“To argue with a man who has renounced the use and authority of reason, and whose philosophy consists in holding humanity in contempt, is like administering medicine to the dead, or endeavoring to convert an atheist by scripture.” - Thomas Paine
This is one of your important comments, Steven, that in particular affected me:
A Real President:
…”Doesn’t prefer dictatorship over democracy.
He knows that he’s part of one of the greatest experiments in the history of the world and sees himself as its steward.”
💙🇺🇸💙
If you used AI to conjure the most Anti-President for America, you would get a Donald Trump.
It's behaviour would match, to the letter, everything we know that ".. a real President doesn't do".