[Click on BLUE links for sources and more information]

 

Many families have a relative they look up to, a personality known widely in a local area, nationally or internationally.  For me it was my Great Uncle Lewis Foster, my grandmother’s brother.  He was a screenwriter, director and producer who won an academy award for writing Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.

I remember visiting my uncle in Los Angeles (Bel-Air actually) when I was around twelve.  As I recall, my mother and aunt went shopping while Uncle Lew took me to a movie.  It might have been A Light in the Forest, I can’t remember for sure.

While watching the movie my uncle noticed that I was rubbing my eyes.  I told him they itched a lot and that I couldn’t help it.  He frowned.  Then he instructed me to stop.  He said, I clearly remember this, “God doesn’t make little boys whose eyes itch.”  He told me I was addicted to rubbing my eyes and that I could stop if I would just give it a try.

It will help you to know that my uncle nearly died at one point in his life.  The doctors seemed unable to help him.  A friend introduced him to a Christian Science practitioner who prayed with him.  Miraculously he got well after that.  Needless to say he became a true believer.

I tried with all my might not to rub my eyes during that movie.  My eyes teared up.  I became very uncomfortable but I did my best not to disappoint my uncle.  After the movie he smiled and said, “You see, your eyes didn’t really itch.”  Well, they sure did but I was loathe to argue.  A few years later my doctor prescribed allergy medication and I’ve been free of itching eyes since.

I thought of this little episode in my life because I realize I’ve become addicted to Donald Trump.  There’s no escaping him.  He’s all over the news, even the foreign news that I like to read.  Everywhere I go people argue about him.  His tweets are followed by millions of Twitter subscribers.  I get emails daily pointing to one idiocy or another that occurred that day.

The fact is Trompudo is a narcissist and he has succeeded getting attention 24-7.  I wish I could take a medication that would cure me of this addiction but I can’t.  In this case I really am on my own.

I’ve decided all these years later that my uncle was on to something.  I concluded long ago that religions have too many kooky ideas for me to take any of them seriously.  Trompudo has lots of kooky positions too, but he is in a position of power and cannot be totally ignored.

Or can he?  Most of what he says is bluster.  Most of what he does is symbolic.  There is no doubt that he is making consequential changes in regulatory reform, the judiciary, and so on.  But, he doesn’t have unlimited power as much as he might like to.

 

Flushing Trompudo

Flushing Trompudo

 

I have reluctantly come, kicking and screaming, to my uncle’s conclusion.  Ignore Trompudo and he will go away.

The worst thing that can happen to a narcissist is to be ignored.  As Trompudo himself has said:  bad press is better than no press.

So, I’m going to follow my uncle’s advice at least in part.  My uncle was a Republican, but I know he would understand.  He wasn’t like today’s Republicans who have no scruples.  After all, he wrote Mr. Smith Goes to Washington!   I’m going to break my Trompudo addiction by ignoring Trompudo.  It may be hard with this Stormy Daniels news breaking.  But, hey, a guy’s gotta do what a guy’s gotta do.  He can say any stupid thing he wants, do any stupid thing he does.  I’m going to focus on Congress and on the next election.  That’s where the real action is today.  Trompudo, colorful as he may be, is just a distraction.

 

Some Links

Why We’re Addicted to Donald Trump and How to Get Clean

I Must Face the Crippling Reality of my Donald Trump Addiction

How Will We Get Over the Trump Addiction?

Trump is a Drug and the Media is Addicted