2017 Jan 16^th

Counting tomorrow, there are four more days left until Donald J. Trump is scheduled to take the oath of office as President of the United States. He will then have, in the little satchel that never leaves his side, the power to eliminate “higher” life forms from the face of the earth. Are you nervous?

Trump has shown a truly remarkable ability to pick fights. He is described as thin-skinned. We will not delve into the personal inadequacies that produce this problem, although he has found himself fighting against a host of opponents from whom he could easily have gotten support. Most recently his antagonist was Representative John Lewis. Representative Lewis declared that he wouldn’t attend Trump’s inauguration because he did not believe that Trump had won the presidency legitimately. Predictably, Trump took to twitter to declare that this civil rights icon should work on helping his district recover from its awful conditions and that Lewis was “all talk and no action.”

Trump could not have made a more stupid response. Many people agreed with Lewis assessment but thought unity more important than what appeared to be a needlessly divisive comment. That is they did until Trump attacked John Lewis and then the outraged anti-Trump forces united behind Lewis. Trump compounded his mistake. After scheduling a visit to the civil rights museum that particularly honors Dr. Martin Luther King, on Martin Luther King Day, Trump canceled his visit claiming “conflicts.” His handlers will insist that this cancellation had nothing to do with his rant against the civil rights icon, but who believes them? This level of pettiness has become typical of Trump and it is embarrassing for the country.

Trump felt it necessary to go after Christopher Steele a former British Intelligence agent (Mi-6) who had sent derogatory information about Trump on to our security services. This information was not corroborated and only one minor outlet, Buzz feed, carried it. Even so, a furious Trump immediately characterized Christopher Steele as a “failed spy.” He is not a failed spy but a much commended former British intelligence agent. Trump, once again, looks like a fool.

Not only are there growing numbers of legislators now planning to boycott Trump’s inauguration but there are protest marches for the next day springing up all over the country. The young woman barista where I get my Sunday coffee said she wouldn’t be serving coffee next Sunday because she would be in Chicago marching in a protest against Trump. Yesterday there were at least 50 people carrying signs downtown protesting against the cancellation of the Affordable Care Act. There were no counter demonstrators.

As he prepares to take office Trump may have won the presidency but he is the least popular president elect in many generations. I doubt that his prospects will improve.