Chaos Compounded
So much damage, so little time
Just over six weeks. That’s how long Donald Trump has been dismantling the foundations of democracy. Forty-five days is not a measure of time we normally associate with nostalgia, but many Americans I hear from are longing for the days B.C. — before chaos.
The definition of chaos is complete disorder and confusion. That defines Trump’s governing style to a T. He said he wanted to be a disrupter. Well, we have to give him that one. But a disrupter to what end? With no discernible endgame, the rules keep changing.
He imposes tariffs on our biggest and most important trading partners; then 24 hours later he suspends some of them but only for a month. He gives Elon Musk carte blanche to do whatever he wants to the federal workforce. But according to Politico, Trump told his Cabinet in a meeting today that they were responsible for their departments and Elon Musk could only make recommendations — that he has no authority to fire workers. Musk has already terminated tens of thousands of federal employees.
What should the endgame be? Well, if exit polls are anything to go by, the economy, specifically the cost of groceries, is the most important issue facing Americans. The cost of eggs is heading in the wrong direction, along with just about everything else. You know what Trump and his agriculture secretary have recommended to make eggs more affordable? Raising your own chickens.
The chaos isn’t confined by our borders. Before January 20, who would have imagined we’d have a president who openly talked of annexing Canada as the 51st state? Or Greenland?
If Trump had done nothing about the economy, we’d be in better shape than we are now. Before he came to power, unemployment was low, inflation was finally coming down, and the stock market was hitting record highs. But he hasn’t done nothing. Trump has started a trade war. The stock market is reeling. Canada and Mexico, our two biggest trading partners, are seething. Trump’s tariffs are a petulant and ill-advised bargaining tactic that will impact every American and could push us into recession.
Gasoline, strawberries, smartphones, nails — all will cost more. And If you are thinking of buying a new car, the post-tariff price of many models just skyrocketed. The average new car costs just under $50,000. Trump’s tariffs will add $12,500 to the sticker. It’s no wonder the big three automakers begged the White House for a break. King Trump just granted their wish with a 30-day reprieve.
Do you know where that extra $12,500 goes? Straight to the U.S. Treasury, where it will be used to help offset the price of Trump’s tax cuts to the ultra rich. So all this talk of getting tough with Canada, Mexico, and China is really a cover for getting more money into the U.S. coffers, courtesy of you, the taxpayer.
In the end, that’s what so much of this is about. Donald Trump and Elon Musk don’t have a plan other than to cut spending to give their billionaire friends tax breaks. The rest of the economy be damned. Tariffs will not only drive prices up, they will also push the inflation rate up, which had been declining since March 2024.
And then there are the firings and layoffs.
Will we be better off with only half the workforce at the IRS? These cuts won’t save money — in fact, they cost us. Fewer agents will mean more people will get away with failing to pay their fair share of taxes. Billionaires and others among the super rich love this.
Will America’s veterans be better served with 80,000 few workers at the Veterans Administration? Doubtful, but it’s about to happen. Same for all the scientists and doctors working on lifesaving research who suddenly find themselves unemployed across the federal government.
We can add the Department of Education to the imminent chopping block. The Wall Street Journal reports Trump will sign an executive order to eliminate the agency, though the courts will likely have something to say about that. In the meantime, what happens to the DOE grants to help underserved children or children with learning challenges? Your local taxes will likely increase to fill the gap.
But perhaps the biggest concern is over Social Security. Musk and his minions have implanted themselves at the agency. According to The Washington Post, Musk’s operation “is calling the shots as the agency races to slash thousands of jobs and shrink its budget.” In notes obtained by the Post, Trump’s acting head of the Social Security Administration wrote, “Things are currently operating in a way I have never seen in government before.”
The warning from former director Martin O’Malley, a Democrat, was more dire. “Ultimately, you’re going to see the system collapse and an interruption of benefits,” he told CNBC. “I believe you will see that within the next 30 to 90 days.” O’Malley added, “People should start saving now.”
Currently, Social Security pays monthly benefits to more than 70 million Americans.
It is a helpless feeling, watching all this spin out of our control. The only impediment to Trump and Musk has been the courts — even, surprisingly, the Supreme Court.
For anyone looking for guidance from the Democratic Party, check back later. Party leaders seem to be waiting for inspiration, or an intervention. You may have seen Democrats in Congress displaying signs of disapproval during Trump’s speech Tuesday night. As the country reels, prices spike, services are cut, and payments are threatened, some would hope a responsible opposition party would do more than sit in silence and wave pathetic paddles.
I’m often asked, what can I do? Many, many people will be adversely affected by Trump’s ineptitude and disregard. If you are able, help those less fortunate. Volunteer at a shelter, donate to a food bank, become a tutor. Be active in community work, such as refurbishing the Little League baseball park or the local soccer field. Get active politically and stay active. Keep asking yourself, “What can I do for my country?” All the while, try to stay optimistic and hopeful. Make steady your byword.
Americans are a resilient people who have been through periods of upheaval and disquiet before. Ours remains a great country with the potential of becoming ever better, provided we don’t allow this current reign of chaos to continue unchecked.
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Stay Steady,
Dan
Trump is an idiot and also profoundly psychologically damaged. So, we get to suffer as he acts out his childhood emotional trauma with little to no understanding of or concern about the damage he's wreaking. As I've read numerous times in other comments elsewhere, "the cruelty is the point". If we get to have presidential elections in the future, I hope any declared candidate will be subject to psychiatric examination first, for the protection of the country.
The democrats should be ashamed. For the brief moment when they howled and jeered him, Donnie almost went off the rails. Another five minutes and he would have been snot-slinging nuts! Like the mad dog he is. And in live national TV. They missed an opportunity to show the world the real thing.