Chaos Is Not A Sustainable Political Or Life Strategy

Most people would say a chaotic environment is a non-productive environment. The majority of folks would say a chaotic person is not a stable person and causes turmoil for those in their immediate radius at least. More people than not would probably say chaotic individuals might slide by for awhile but eventually they will not be able to allude the inevitable pitfalls and calamity chaos inherently births.


Yet, when it comes to the President of the United States chaos is presented as, if not admirable, an appreciative trait.


Many in the mainstream media (or so-called left-wing media) present President Trump's affinity for tumultuousness and disorder as some sort of mad genius strategy. They will criticize his impetuous nature while simultaneously low key praising him for being able to go through his life (personal and business) and becoming President with an irreverence for orthodoxy.


Of course, they frequently leave out the facts that Mr. Trump was born halfway between third base and home. Although he acts as if he hit a liner into the right-centerfield gap he is turning from a triple to an inside the park home run.


It is often unmentioned that Trump's daddy, Fred Trump, perpetually bailed him out of failed businesses and ventures due to Trump's refusal or inability to employ order and structure. Now, some (not I, of course) would say his failed ventures were wholly due to the fact he is an effin moron. Again, some say.


Trump has had a chaotic personal life throughout the years. He once said his, "Vietnam was avoiding stds." Translation: He was dipping his little mushroom into all sorts of cobbler dishes. Although, I am confident it was not nearly as much as he was bragging.


It is extremely well known Mr. Trump divorced his first wife, Ivana , because he was having a very public affair with Marla Maples. Without regard for his children's feelings or the turmoil being levied upon them Mr. Defender of Christian Values was publicly flaunting his affair. In fact, this led to an extended period of time where the relationship between Trump and Donald Trump Jr. was quite frosty.


Then, Mr. Trump publicly flaunted his cheating on Marla Maples with his current wife, Melania.


Of course, we all know the philandering Trump has partook within the last 15 years or so. Only weeks after Melania gave birth to their son Trump was having unprotected sex with porn star, Stormy Daniels, and Playboy Playmate, Karen McDougal.


Trump's chaotic style continued on into the White House. He hasn't been president two full years; yet, he has had almost as much turnover as presidents Clinton, Obama or Bush had in their terms. They all served eight years.


President Trump is on his third chief of staff. He has had three communications directors. There have been three national security advisers as well as FBI directors. Over half of State Department positions are unfilled. Actually, this can be said across the government.


President Trump said he was going to drain the swamp. He didn't drain he stockpiled it. The administration has been littered with scandals. Health and Human Services director, Tom Price, had to resign because of corruption. The same goes for Scott Pruitt and Ryan Zeinke, former EPA and Interior secretaries respectively. And, plenty of other officials and department heads have been embroiled in controversies but somehow have staved off resignation or termination.


This lunacy has extended to his policies and their implementation. Trump's initial attempt to enact the Travel Ban was shot down because of the slap-assed way it was written. His border policy has been not only cruel but haphazard. His 100% detain policy led to children being separated from their parents. Some of whom still haven't been reunited with their parents despite a judicial order demanding it be done.


Time after time the President has made foreign policy decisions without informing our allies let alone U.S. officials.


For example, Trump decided to withdraw our troops from Syria. Let's be clear that this is a good thing. The motives are sketchy but withdrawing troops is the prudent decision because we had no business being there in the first place. However, Trump didn't bother to give our allies in the region ample warning.


Just this past week Trump and the First Lady decided to visit troops in Iraq. It was a long overdue visit since Trump had not visited any troops in a war zone. Again, this was a great decision by the President. However, again, it was haphazardly done. Trump didn't inform the Iraqi prime minister until two hours before Air Force One landed he was coming. He then demanded the prime minister come meet him but he couldn't because he was in the opposite side of the country. Predictably, this irritated Trump.


Well, apparently, it irritated the Iraqis more. A damn near international incident has been caused because the Iraqi government feels it's been disrespected. Thus, they are demanding the United States pulls its troops from the region.


Then, here at home the country is in the midst of a partial government shutdown which is affecting 800,000 federal employees. Thousands more are having to work for free.


The shutdown is due to an impasse between Trump and Senate Democrats over funding for the border wall, which is not even going to be a wall but a fence.


This is another example of Trump's impetuousness and frenzied political stances. Almost three weeks ago on national television" Trump told Senate Minority Leader, Chuck Schumer, and incoming Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, "I'll take the mantle. I'll shut down the government. I'll be proud to shut down the government. Chuck, I won't blame you."


Well, the government is now shutdown and Trump is blaming the Democrats. Here's the thing, Trump doesn't calculate things.
Almost 70% of the country doesn't believe the wall would stop illegal immigration while only 25% believe obtaining the $5 billion Trump is seeking for the wall is worth shutting down the government. And, the only people who believe the Democrats are at fault are his die hard base who blame the Democrats if the slurpee machine at their local 7-11 breaks down.


The chaos, turnover and constant turmoil Trump chooses to live his life in and now the country isn't good for the country. Soon he is going to be made painfully aware it is not good for him neither. This is not the Hunger Games. Nor is it the WWE.


People's livelihoods and in some cases their lives are at stake. Rash irrational decisions are not representative of some type of mad genius. Not giving allies or essential personnel within our own government an adequate heads up before implementing a policy change or military decision is not a sign strategic secrecy and cunningness. Enthralling yourself and everyone around you in uncertainty and a frantic pace isn't a winning strategy.


This is all a sign of instability and lack of preparation, if you are being kind. In actuality it's closer to being a sign of sheer lunacy.


Hey, some people seem to thrive in chaos. Grant you that. However, even in those situations some apparatus of structure and foresight exist.


But, when it is literally a free for all when things can literally change minute to minute certain catastrophe is inevitably going to ensue.


Trump and his administration are the equivalent of an out of control chimpanzee. Sure, at first he's funny and maybe even a little endearing. You get pissed when he's hanging from the chandelier and knocking shit over but he's somewhat adorable so you let things slide. But, then while he's hanging from the chandelier or lurking behind furniture he begins indiscriminately hurling his shit at you. I literally mean feces. He is just chunking shit at the walls, in your food, wherever. You are afraid to walk in a room because you don't know if your eye is going to get done with some poo-poo.


This is Trump. A dude just hurling shit everywhere. And, it works initially because while people are concentrating on one mess he is creating another one. That is awesome if you're a monkey. When you're the leader of the free world it is an inevitable anchor that will bring you down.


Trump is embroiled in so many scandals and controversies he can't see straight. And, they are all of his own doing.


So, his response to them is to look for someone to bail him out while simultaneously hurling feces everywhere. The issues are there is nobody to bail him out. His sycophants in the House no longer have power. At this point firing Mueller, which is a significant chunk of his problems, would not lighten his burdens but make them untenable.  


And, the other issue is hurling shit all over the place is a shortsighted plan-plan is a term being employed extremely lightly. The vast majority of people have no interest in dwelling in a place that is covered in shit. Eventually the stench becomes overwhelming and nobody wants it on them. Also, the shit thrower will eventually wear themselves out and will have no plan for recourse.


Our government is shut down, half of necessary positions for diplomacy and military execution are unfilled, the personnel structure in the White House is in utter turmoil, the President is under numerous investigations all of which are beyond legitimate and credible and the President is at best emotionally flustered but really is just borderline clinically insane. Not to mention unread, willfully ignorant and a buffoon. Does it really need to be stated those traits coupled with mental fragility is not a
desirable combination?


Let this be food for thought especially for Trump supporters. In any other area of life and with any other human being would bathing in chaos and unpredictability be seen as a good thing or at least a long term sustainable mode of operation? Do you know anyone who is encircled in chaos who is actually stable and productive?




 

No Facts, No Logic (The Frustrations Of Current Political Debate)

Generally speaking I am a shy person. I am not one who is high on confrontation. However, if the topic is a passion of mine I will debate it. Despite my shyness I actually love debate. I think discourse is healthy and educational. I am always wanting to learn. Regardless of the topic I am usually ready to have a spirited open discussion.

But, while I love debating, I hate arguing. Arguments rarely, if ever, solve anything. They are almost always fruitless, vain exercises. When people are arguing instead of discussing they inherently cease listening to the other person because they only concern themselves with getting their point across. Arguments intrinsically cause people to be more concerned with "winning" the argument than coherently having their point heard and concisely conveying their position or belief.

In this current political and social climate I find more people who want to argue rather than debate or discuss. The general discourse landscape is littered with tension, narrow-mindedness and a desire for confrontation.

This especially true regarding political discourse. So many people are in their "tribes" and "bubbles" that they sincerely believe their views are infallible. These people all but isolate themselves inside their little world where they are "good" and anyone outside of the bubble is bad. They literally surround themselves the best they can with like minded people never challenging themselves with different opinions. If they work or have to socialize with the "others" they keep their communications with them as cursory as possible because they see them as the "enemy".

Then, there is the role social media plays. It is astounding the number of people who will get on Twitter and Facebook saying things about and to people they would never have the guts to say in person. And, if they did, they would immediately be ready to play the victim.

But, a huge swath of people will post political things saying they are all about frank fair discussion. However, the second someone replies with an opposing viewpoint the claws come out. All of the talk of fair frank discussion gets tossed in favor of arguing. As I can personally attest there is rarely civil discourse; it quickly devolves into name calling, demonizing and straw manning.

What I have found maddeningly frustrating is, whether it is online or in person, people are so woefully uninformed. They will argue conflating information, if not just getting it wrong all together. They began regurgitating things they've "heard" but never vetted. They will say they "read" some erroneous information but suddenly can't cite where they read it. And, everything they say they say it as if it is fact. Then, if you debunk what they say they call it "fake news" and you a liar.

I have no problem with anyone disagreeing with something I say. We can debate it and be productive. Maybe I will see something from a new view. Perhaps, I have information wrong and they can show me where I erred.

Open, honest, frank intelligent debate is apart of the fabric of our democracy. It is essential if we desire to keep it healthy. Discourse keeps us intellectually honest.

But, in this current climate people are not concerned with civil discourse. They are even less concerned with being logical and factual. Folks only want to be right and "own" you. I do not even know what that means. I have been told that numerous times by people on Twitter after they made some half-assed fallacy filled "point" that I countered and debunked with facts. I guess because they called me a "stupid libtard" or "ignorant munkey" or "another dumb nigger" or "a faggot ass pussie" they owned me. All actual things that have been said. I always respond with something to the effect, "You didn't 'own' me. But, Darwinism certainly owns you. And, I might be another dumb nigger but at least I can spell. We're done here."

This is the type of discourse we way too often have. Our society is is filled with people who are willfully proudly ignorant. They have absolutely no intellectual curiosity. They have not a drop of desire to be well read so they can coherently express their viewpoints. Instead they insulate themselves into their own bubble where they're only receiving some information or they are not accurately absorbing the it or they are succinctly only be told what they want to hear. Then they head to Twitter, Facebook or in person looking for a fight. Inciting a political debate so they can " own" someone only to show themselves as being shallow uninformed provocateurs. What is often worse is when the person they decide to banter with is equally as shallow and uniformed.

The base of the problem is folks don't listen to one another. As I said earlier instead of exchanging ideas and viewpoints people argue. They wallow in narcissism, willful ignorance and this pervasive need for victimhood. Winning and being made to feel they are right is much more important than expressing a particular stance where someone can see where they are coming from or coming to an understanding.

I know, perhaps more than anything, what depresses me is when people aren't listening. I am not really interested in "converting" anyone. Just listen to me, understand where I am coming from and show me and my opinion the respect it deserves as I do you. Or at least try my absolute best to do.

Name calling, demonizing, demeaning and belittling is not getting us anywhere and it never will. Isolation is not either. We solve problems and fix the ills by talking rationally and intelligently. It is certainly going to become heated and raw at times, but that doesn't mean it has to devolve into juvenile pettiness. Listen to each other. Empathize. Learn. And, be informed. Having a trusted news source is fine but watch, read and listen to multiple sources including ones who align differently from you and employ critical thinking.

We have a huge divide in this country. It is mainly because of ignorance refusal to listen. It's also because of this inexplicable need to have an enemy. We are all Americans. We aren't each others' enemy.

Honestly, this is a subject deserving of a book or at least a lengthy thesis. So much can be expanded upon and explored. But, I wanted to write this to get this off my chest.

*Please feel free to comment. I don't censor. I welcome all commentary even if it is critical.