When a government, or for that matter, a corner grocery
store, fires one employee for incompetence that is good management. When that
government fires 5000 employees, without cause or the flimsiest of cause, that
is targeted domestic terrorism. When it does so to many departments and
agencies, that is bad government. It might possibly be a sign of worser things
waiting down the road.
America has had its share of bad government. We've seen
incompetence, corruption at times, and sometimes, leaders who just weren't up
to the job. We've gone through periods when, because of the times we lived in,
we as a nation behaved badly, and that was regrettable but was at least
excusable.
So, the question becomes, as is always the case when dealing
with bad: How bad can it get?
Alexis de Tocqueville answered the question in 1789 while
observing the early days of the French Revolution. The monarchy of Louis XVI
was clearly bad, and the citizens were obviously mad, but the eventual outcome
could not have been sadder. The beheading of the king was not the reform France
needed. Changing the calendar by making 1792, Year One also was not helpful,
although most people seemed pleased in the short term.
The new governments, there were several, were created by
well-intentioned revolutionists aware of what had taken place just a few years
earlier in America. But there were more. There were radicals, activists,
intellectuals, as well as common criminals, the usual power brokers, and always
a mob lurking in the background.
Clearly, the government replacing the bad government(s) was
itself a bad government.
Alexis de Tocqueville answered the question; how bad can it
get? this way. "…the most dangerous moments for a bad government…is when
they set about reform."
Trying to do too much, trying to change things too fast is
difficult in any situation, but for a bad government, the results can be
disastrous.
In just his first weeks, and in some cases first days, Trump
has set out to reform what has taken us over two hundred years to accomplish.
Was it perfect? No.
Was it working? Yes.
Trump has set out to reform: the military—by deciding who
can and cannot serve and who should lead those who serve; the Justice
Department—by pardoning convicted criminals who attempted a coup and who
threaten to do so again, while at the same time attacking prosecutors who
prosecuted him for the crimes he committed; the Treasury—by firing IRS workers
because he doesn't like to pay taxes; the Commerce Department—by enacting
senseless tariffs because it makes him look tough; the Department of Health and
Human Services—by replacing scientists and health specialists with non-medical
partisan idealogues; by cutting off aid to needy countries; cozying up to
foreign dictators while attacking our allies; by running roughshod over the
media and attacking the freedom of the press; plus a lot of just plain stupid
stuff like changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, and
suggesting we make Canada our 51st state.
More is going on behind the scenes.
These are clearly the workings of a bad government trying to
enact reform badly. Even worse, much of it seems to be done for publicity
purposes to his base. Maybe de Tocqueville was right and the worst thing a bad
government can be doing is making so many reforms so quickly.
After blaming Ukraine for Russia's invasion and calling
Ukraine President Zelinski a dictator just a week ago, President Trump and
Vice-president Vance behaved shamefully today in the Oval Office in a meeting
that ended without the traditional joint press conference.
This wasn't US delegate Adlai Stevenson dressing down Russia
at the U.N. during the Cuban Missile crisis. This wasn't President Reagan in
Berlin saying, "Gorbachev, tear down this wall."
This was just a bad president and vice-president throwing an
ally under the bus to please a Russian dictator thousands of miles away.
I don't know if this is what his supporters were looking for
when they voted for him. Sadly, I think many of them are getting what they
wanted.
I don't think America looked great today in the Oval Office.
I think we are in for many more dangerous moments like what we witnessed today.
This is what happens when we elect bad people who go on to form bad governments
and expect them to do good things.
Alexis de Tocqueville warned us, but that was 200 years ago. Who pays attention to history?
This article appeared in the Baltimore Sun earlier this year. The problem has only gotten worse.
