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THE VIEW FROM HERE - Trump was the logical choice over the Woke DEI, anti-Israel, anti-Jewish Democrats. The country can survive Trump, but it could not endure with any more of the racist, anti-inalienable individual rights Wokeism of the Pelosi - Biden - Obama. Let’s remember that the Woke Dems’ foreign policy enticed Putin to invade Ukraine and it funded Iran’s cash to Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis and other Islamists whose goal was destruction of Israel and America. Trump’s first administration’s policies had neutralized Iran’s terrorism and had a great start on constructing a regional organization along the lines of NATO based on the Abraham Accords with Israel an integral member. When Biden allowed Iran to earn billions of dollars by selling oil to China, Biden was indirectly funding Hamas, etc. which imperiled Israel’s existence. Furthermore, Biden was helping Iran to advance towards getting nuclear weapons. Domestically, the Woke Dems made American colleges campuses ground zero for the worst anti-Semitism since WW II. While Trump is better than Wokeism, he comes with serious problems.
We are already witnessing Trump’s attacking the Constitution in an endeavor to have his atrocious choices confirmed by the United States Senate. Attention focuses on Pete Hegseth (DOD), Tulsi Gabbard (DNI) and RFK, Jr. (HHH). Trump fails to recognize that the Republic’s constitutional checks and balances are essential for his long term success.
Why Does Trump Scream “America First,” but Attack the US Constitution?
As this column has pointed out since December 2016, Trump suffers from two DSM personality disorders: Narcissistic ( NPD ) and Histrionic ( HPD ). As a result Trump personalizes everything, he must be the center of attention, and he has a grandiose sense of entitlement. On Tuesday, December 16, 2024, Trump mused that TikTok is OK because it helped him win the election while ignoring that its imminent ban is based on national security. One early example of his disorders was his absurd claim that he had the largest inauguration crowd in US history. Trump went so far as to doctor the 2017 inauguration photo which he showed on 60 Minutes. While histrionic Trump feels that he must be the most popular ever, he was myopic to the fact that everyone could see that he had falsified the photo.
Listen to his word choice: “the greatest ever” or “the worse ever,” “you wouldn’t belief,” “no body has ever seen such a thing,” “I had the greatest economy ever,” etc. His speech pattern reflects his Histrionic disorder, e.g., exaggerated, theatrical emotional expressions to draw attention to himself. It also shows his Narcissistic disorder, e.g. grandiose sense of entitlement that he can erase the 14th Amendment’s citizenship clause, and finally he has dashes of paranoia, e.g., he is both a victim and a savior, e.g., “no president has been treated worse than me.” His personality disorders force Trump to speak and act in this fashion. Anyone who is half-way familiar with Donald Trump knows that he habitually believes things which are totally false. With his disorders, truth is what he says it is.
These disorders do not, however, mean that all his policies are bad, but they make him subject to rash decisions and manipulation by foreign leaders who understand his psychology. It is testimony to the Dems’ extraordinary incompetence that they lost the November 2024 election to a certified madman. Over 250 years ago, Great Britain lost the 13 Colonies because no one could restrain King George’s madness. Now, the Republic is in peril because US Senators lack the integrity to reign in Trump.
Trump’s True Friends’ Job Numero Uno Is to Protect Trump from Himself
Trump, however, surrounds himself with craven sycophants who encourage his worst traits. As a Histrionic, Trump requires constant praise. As a Narcissist, Trump turns against anyone who disagrees with him. Although it is dangerous to try to protect Trump, United States Senators have unwaivable constitutional duties which require them to disagree with Trump and to reject unqualified people whom he nominates for crucial positions.
Advice and Consent, US Const. Art II, Sec 2, Cl 2
All US Senators have the Constitutional duty to advise and consent (or reject) Trump’s nominees. Federalist Paper 76 shows that their role starts before any hearings. Really bad nominations should be squelched before the public learns about them. Perhaps some were; Matt Gaetz was not.
The second opportunity to protect Trump from himself is when the US Senators learn of an unsavory nomination. How Trump’s friends allowed Hegseth, Gabbard and RFK, Jr. to be selected is not known. (As to RFK, Jr., it seems likely that Trump made a deal to appoint him in order to get more votes.) As the Federalist Paper 76 explains, prudence requires that Trump consult with friendly but not with sycophantic Senators. At this stage, Senators can provide silent feedback to the President.
“To what purpose then require the co-operation [advice and consent] of the Senate? I answer that the necessity of their concurrence would have a powerful, though in general a silent operation. It would be an excellent check upon a spirit of favoritism in the President, and would tend greatly to preventing the appointment of unfit characters from State prejudice, from family connection, from personal attachment, or from a view to popularity. And, in addition to this, it would be an efficacious source of stability in the administration.” Fed Paper 76
Federalist Paper 76 recognized that considerable embarrassment can arise when the President selects an unfit person. When Federal Paper 76 used “silent operation,” it envisioned bad nominations ending before a public hearing. Public hearings can needlessly reveal information harmful to both a poorly selected nominee and to the President. When a president has a reasonable good faith belief in his nominee, he has plenty of resources to gather more favorable data, if it exists. Senators are serving as jurors who need as much factual information as possible.
Threatening Jurors with Any Type Harm Obstructs the Constitution
18 U.S.C. § 1503 (2022) makes it a federal felony to threaten a juror. Trump and/or his henchmen have been threatening juror Senators with personal retaliation such as making certain they will be primaried unless they vote as Trump demands. Trump has not even taken office and he is repeating the same type behavior which lead to the Jan 6th insurrection, when he tried to intimidate Mike Pence to not certifying the elections results despite Pence’s constitutional duty. When Pence stood by his constitutional oath, Trump had a mob descend upon the Capitol, shouting “Hang Mike Pence.” Yet, Trump is now threatening Senators to violate their constitutional oath or suffer the personal consequences.
Trump is “living in a power keg and giving off sparks” without friends to take away his matches.
(Richard Lee Abrams has been an attorney, a Realtor and community relations consultant as well as a CityWatch contributor. You may email him at [email protected])
