As the Trump Era presses on, the weeks get longer and more dispiriting. When we get to the end, it’s hard to remember what outrage was central at the beginning. And that’s why we need dark humor:
I hope Trump can get in some golf this weekend, he deserves a break after a busy week insulting war widows and joking about hanging gays
— (((Jeff Tiedrich))) (@jefftiedrich) October 20, 2017
I have been shying away from documenting the atrocities lately, and trying to maintain some focus on the actual grinding of the organs of government, particularly the legislative process. This is at least partially a defense mechanism, because it allows me to focus on areas where the Trump administration is failing.
There are only so many ways that we can write about Trump’s character flaws. Eventually it feels like beating a dead horse. Anyone who doesn’t already get it probably isn’t going to get it until this presidency screws up their life in some fairly direct way. I can’t make that happen, and I wouldn’t want to if I could. So, I go looking for my audience less from people I consider persuadable and more from people who are curious about the kind of damage this administration can do or, perhaps, not do as a result of their cluelessness and incompetence.
I see this is as a better use of my time than writing one more story about how Trump is golfing while issues x,y, and z go unaddressed. At the same time, it’s very important that the atrocities are documented in intricate detail by someone. I respect the people who are willing to do this in real time, all day, every day. I took on that responsibility during the Bush years and I’m still amazed that I could write five to eight stories a day, every day for the last four years of Bush’s presidency that were virtually all about some new outrage.
I can’t do that anymore, so I’ll leave it to others who are perhaps younger, with more stamina and more intact faith in the American electorate.
Once again, I am relieved that it’s Friday. Now I can avert my eyes from this catastrophe, however briefly, and let my frustration level subside a little below the overflow point.
It’s going to be a grind to get our nation out of this mess, if we can get out of it. We’re all going to have to do our little part. And get rest where we can find it.
