Sometimes I Cry When I Write-- This Was One Of Those Times... But Not Because John Bolton Was Fired

Early this morning, Señor T tweeted that he had fired Bolton. Can you think of another good thing he's done this year? Don't worry, less than 40% of voting age American can either. According to the new Washington Post/ABC News poll, Trump's job approval is down to 38%. 56% disapprove. "His average rating since taking office," wrote pollster Gary Langer, "remains the lowest on record for any modern president at a comparable point in his term, and he is the first never to have achieved majority approval." The Post noted that "Trump is ending a tumultuous summer with his approval rating slipping back from a July high as Americans express widespread concern about the trade war with China and a majority of voters now expect a recession within the next year."

Wondering why Trump finally did fire Bolton? Is he actually seeing the light on the evil that he's surrounded himself with? Don't be ridiculous. Secretary of State Pompeo told hinted, gently, that if he didn't fire Bolton, he (Pompeo) would quit and run for the open Kansas U.S. Senate seat. After Trump's rally in North Carolina last night, Bolton called him to whine about Iran and either Trump fired him (Trump's version) or Bolton quit (Bolton's version). Bolton was Trump's 4th National Security Adviser since Putin put him in the White House. Trump, as you know, hires all the best people.

CNN published an alarmingly essay by Zach Wolf this morning about how Trump is stressing out the constitution. Wolf wrote that by his simultaneous existence as a real estate tycoon and "president," Trump "continues to test the U.S. Constitution in ways that the founding fathers didn't anticipate and for which the current legal and political systems are completely unprepared. The founders didn't specifically anticipate a hotelier President pushing his golf resort as the ideal location for an international meeting of heads of state. They didn't specifically say an Air Force crew couldn't use taxpayer dollars to stay at a resort owned by the President in a foreign country, which may or may not be suffering as a result of his presidency. They didn't anticipate the Air Force more generally starting to send more flights in need of refueling to the financially troubled airport closest to that resort, eschewing military bases that might provide cheaper fuel. They didn't anticipate the President's subordinates would begin serially staying at his properties or planning parties at them, potentially currying favor with their boss. And they didn't anticipate a President who would be so willing to push every rule to the breaking point-- or be so cavalier about the appearance of self-dealing. But the real problem is that Congress hasn't, either. There's nothing on the books curtailing any of this-- which means that the President could be in violation of the Constitution without breaking the law."





John Pavlovitz published a different type-- but not unrelated-- essay on his website today: . It's incredibly powerful... like the song. I suggest you read the whole thing but, basically, this is what those 38% of Trump supporters are teaching their children:

• People don’t matter. Human beings are things, wielded in battles you manufacture in order to win.
• Never apologize. When you are found to be wrong or speak in error-- never admit it.
• Diversity is dangerous. The more differences around you, the more there is to fear.
• It’s all about you. Forget the advice of your teachers and pastors and story books, and discard that all nonsense about loving your neighbor as yourself or doing unto others and you’d have done to you. Other people’s experiences unimportant.
• Compassion is a flaw. To feel empathy is to show weakness
• America is the world.
• Women are less valuable than men.
• Whiteness is better.
• Your convictions are for sale.
• Laws don’t apply to you.
• Religion is a prop. Faith is simply a costume to put on when it profits you; a shiny veneer to cover yourself in,  in order to ingratiate yourself into community with genuinely spiritual people who will think the best of you, and thus be easily fooled.
• When in doubt, lie.

"A generation of children is learning these things from the people most entrusted to show them how to be human," concluded Pavlovitz. "They are forming the lenses they see the world through from birth. It will be almost impossible for them to discern reality."