Let’s catch our breath

Trump can’t dictate all our waking hours

No full essay today, folks. Other life obligations and the need for joy took priority this week, as it should for each of us from time to time.

Our backyard pecan tree, wintering through January.

Just a few quick thoughts, however, about this consequential week in January.

It occurred to me that when someone stirs such needless chaos and trauma on multiple fronts, they are working really hard to distract us. Trump doesn’t seem to care what he sets on fire if it draws our attention. What’s happening is incredibly painful, and should enrage us. But Minnesota and Greenland? Really?

1. Somalian immigrants are merely a scapegoat for what’s happening in Minneapolis and now door-to-door in Maine. Among ICE detainees this week were a 5-year-old Hispanic boy being used as bait for his mother and an 80-year-old Hmong man dragged out into freezing weather. If Trump really wanted more immigrants to deport, he would fixate on much higher immigrant populations in red border states rather than in these well-functioning blue communities. This is about punishing Democrat-run cities and states who are “disloyal” to his regime. Trump doesn’t care who gets hurt, and the American people won’t have it.

2. Trump proved himself an international embarrassment before world leaders (again) when he rambled, ranted, and finally retreated to the concept of a deal in Switzerland. This, after holding the world hostage over threats to launch World War III over taking possession of Greenland—or is it Iceland?--all because he didn’t get the Nobel Prize. Trump doesn’t care about loyalty to our longtime allies or protecting the future of the planet, and the world won’t have it.

(Side note: Mary Trump, who is a psychologist, says her uncle appears to be descending into madness, which she says is the final stage of malignant narcissism. It’s truly evident if you listen to extended clips of his speech in Davos.)

3. I am looking forward to special prosecutor Jack Smith’s public testimony today.

4. Release the Epstein files.

Stay warm and breathe deeply. Together, we really can do more than we think we can.