LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Reality worse than Trump's rhetoric

Inauguration of Donald Trump as president of the United States. Surely one of the most disturbing, most shameful, most frightening events in this country in my lifetime. We can’t react appropriately without seeking to understand the root causes of this disaster. A blogger I respect, Erik Hare, recently wrote “… As we prepare to inaugurate our nation’s second genuine psychopathic president, Andrew Jackson being the first … .” Many people feel Trump’s behavior is associated with recognized types of mental illness. At the least, he seems narcissistic and lacking in impulse control. Or is it all just a reality show? This is a man who says he wants to expand and “rebuild” the insanely bloated U.S. military. Who will have his finger on the nuclear warfare button. We in this country tend to take political stability for granted, somehow immune from the upheavals and violence seen around the world. Clearly enough, we are on notice that this is not so. This is what Trump has already done: “Donald Trump has assembled the worst Cabinet in American history.” [Paul Waldman, “Plum Line,” The Washington Post opinion blog, Jan. 19] Consider: A notorious racist for attorney general, the head of Exxon for secretary of state, a “purveyor of lunatic conspiracy theories” for national security advisor, a secretary of education who “has spent much of her adult life attempting to destroy public education in America,” a secretary of labor who hates workers and is the CEO of a fast-food company which exploits them, an EPA administrator who dogmatically opposed environmental protection and denies global climate change … It just goes on and on, getting worse and worse. Those who hoped Trump’s campaign rhetoric was just that are on notice: The reality seems even worse than the rhetoric. And with Republican control of the Senate, these ghastly nomination will likely all be confirmed. Physicians for Social Responsibility had this to say on Friday: “But let me suggest reasons for hope today: “If nothing else, this election proved that large numbers of people in this country are unhappy with the status quo. In their anger, many of them reached for the most volatile change agent offered to them. But I believe that the appetite for change in this country actually goes deeper than that. The frustration felt by many Americans often springs from a desire for healthy and sustainable communities, and for a positive future for their families. That’s something were all want, wherever you fall on the political spectrum, and something that can bring us together. “And it’s important to remember on this day that the issues that you care about, the ones that brought you to PSR, are concerns that are shared by a sizable majority of Americans. Just this week, a poll revealed that more than 60% of Americans would like to see the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s powers preserved or strengthened, including 47% of Republicans. Similar polls suggest wide support for disarmament and peace. “Today can be the start of something big, starting with tomorrow’s march, which will bring hundreds of thousands of people to Washington, D.C., to demonstrate that they reject the politics of fear. If we want any kind of hopeful future we’ll have to come together and reject that kind of politics, and I think we’re starting to. “Let’s look forward from today with hope. I look forward to working with you as we begin this journey.” I think this is so. It MUST be so. Most of Trump’s voters are not evil, or insane. They are angry and frustrated, often for good reason, and denied a constructive outlet. If the Democratic Party establishment, along with the “military-industrial complex” and the 1-percenters, hadn’t denied Bernie Sanders the nomination, he would very likely be inaugurated and our future would be looking a lot brighter.

Alan Muller Green Delaware Port Penn