Dear President Trump, Remember how last February after the MSD mass shooting there were claims that the survivors who were speaking out about gun violence were crisis actors, that they weren’t really students who witnessed the murder of 17 people from their school community? Do you remember when those claims started burbling up to discredit … Continue reading Crowd fillers
Divisiveness
Systemic consequences
Dear President Trump, Just giving you a head’s up; this is going to be a longer than usual letter. I found out from Laura yesterday that our brother-in-law’s oncologist told him that people with his type of cancer (i.e., bone metastases from an organ tumor) have a median life expectancy of 20 months. This is … Continue reading Systemic consequences
What have we done?
Dear President Trump, I’m not sure at what point I started crying. I think it was during the video of President Obama’s highlights in office the HP put together for his birthday today. Seeing him smiling and engaged, signing the marriage equality act into law, flipping burgers for people on the White House lawn, talking … Continue reading What have we done?
It’s so tempting to dehumanize dehumanizers
Dear President Trump, Laura flew to Atlanta last night to be with her brother and our brother-in-law (BIL) for several days. We now know that the bone cancer came from a tumor in one of BIL’s kidneys, but we don’t know yet whether it’s spread elsewhere. He started palliative radiation treatment yesterday for pain and … Continue reading It’s so tempting to dehumanize dehumanizers
Why bring out the worst in people?
Dear President Trump, I wasn’t born yet, so I didn’t hear JFK give his inauguration speech urging Americans to ask not what their country can do for them but rather, what they can do for their country. You would have been 14 at the time, plenty old enough to be interested in your new president … Continue reading Why bring out the worst in people?
Raving maniacs in plaid sundresses
Dear President Trump, There are so many things going on. This morning it occurred to me that I could close my eyes and get Laura to open the WP and I could randomly point to something, anything and it would be a worthy letter-to-you topic. Then there are the things going on here with people … Continue reading Raving maniacs in plaid sundresses
Tangled webs and layers of lies
Dear President Trump, The line “Oh! what a tangled web we weave \ When first we practise to deceive!” just popped into my head. It’s from a poem by Sir Walter Scott named “Marmion” (a fictious English Lord) and it’s about adultery and efforts to cover it up. One of Marmion’s mistresses was to be … Continue reading Tangled webs and layers of lies
We don’t have time for this
Dear President Trump, It’s kind of silly and it probably means I need a break, but I came up with some more “F” words to describe how you’ve been dealing with the threats to your presidency: Fuss. Fume. Fabricate. Falter. Fake. Foment. Falsify. Filch. Fleece. Flounce. Flout. I still think “Flail” is the best single … Continue reading We don’t have time for this
Fight/Flight/Freeze….Flail
Dear President Trump, Are you betting your supporters won’t care that you’re lying or will be so gullible that they’ll believe Russia is actually trying to help the Democrats win the midterms? You’ll no doubt get some takers who will shrug off the blatant lie and others who will believe their Chief no matter what … Continue reading Fight/Flight/Freeze….Flail
Leading with hate
Dear President Trump, Since reading Richard Cohen’s piece in the WP yesterday that unpacks why your base adores you, I’ve found myself thinking about my first boss out of college. In most ways, this boss was about as unlike you as possible. He was a brilliant, highly regarded academic who helped launch many successful careers. … Continue reading Leading with hate
Daily Trump Letters 