Thoughts: Pageantry and Politics

In the two-and-a-half years of Russian usurper and malignant narcissist Donald "Rump" Trump's rule, the majority of Americans who oppose him have watched the government officials of our allies and adversaries bend over to flatter, appease and provide him with balm for his fragile ego (Germany being the main exception). Many, including France, Saudi Arabia, China, Japan, Israel and now the UK have all feted him with grand parades, opulent state dinners, and obsequious praise, regardless of the fact that Trump's one election away from the slammer, and that most Americans abhor him and his rampant corruption.

When we have a change in administrations, we should remember that these foreign politicians -- both friend and foe --  saw this mentally damaged person's weaknesses and played to those weaknesses shamelessly at the expense of our interests. With a royal banquet, military parade, and pomp and circumstance, they told the majority of Americans that this is just normal procedure, a recognition of the "bonds" between their nations and ours. Bullshit. It's one thing to lavish praise on a dangerous, ignorant sociopath who betrays supposed common values in order to play him, and another thing having cordial, businesslike relationship between governments. They chose the former.

With a change in administrations hoped for in 2020, the next President should signal to those that have gone overboard in their kowtowing to Trump that their behavior was a setback to relations with the U.S., not a step forward.