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And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand… Matthew 12:25

Donald Trump is a divider, the biggest divider since OJ Simpson.  Remember that trial?  Reactions to OJ Simpson’s acquittal were and remain radically split along racial lines. Reactions to the Mueller report (which neither the public nor their elected officials have seen) are, not surprisingly, split along political lines.  The president and his sycophants claim total exoneration (that’s not what the Mueller report says) while the president’s critics say “not so fast” and for good reason.

Sea Gull Cellar Bar Napkin Art, Jack Haye artist

Division is not a good thing for America (or for families, neighbors and friends).  Americans like to think of their country as the great melting pot although the alchemy has never quite worked and the resulting alloy seems a bit tarnished especially in these current times.  In this age of Trump one wonders whether the national motto should be changed from E Pluribus Unum (Out of many, one) to Ex Uno Plures (Out of One, Many).  Donald Trump’s method of choice is to divide and conquer.  It has worked for him thus far.  The obvious question is, for how much longer?

If I were a gambling man, I’d place my bets on not too much longer.  The days of the old white men are numbered.  Let me phrase this in the Trumpian idiom.  “Mackerel Mitch” McConnell (ironically the Kentucky state motto is united we stand, divided we fall) and “Punxsutawney Pence” the man who has lost his shadow like Peter Pan have staked their entire (quickly fading) reputations on the mercurial personality of Donald “Trompudo” Trump, the illegitimate leader of the “free” world.  As they say, the fish stinks from the head down and Trompudo’s “base” base is no exception.

Sea Gull Cellar Bar Napkin Art, Roy Hoggard artist

When we see the full Mueller report, I suspect we will see plenty of stinkers.  Trompudo has left a trail like the Hale-Bopp comet.  The Heaven’s Gate cult that follows his every move is reminiscent of the devils exorcised by Jesus in the Bible.  The relevant question is not if but when will they (we ?) go over the cliff?

And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way.

And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?

And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding.

So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine.

And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the water.

And they that kept them fled, and went their ways into the city, and told every thing, and what was befallen to the possessed of the devils.

And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart out of their coasts.

Matthew 8:28-34

The most depressing 4 words in George Orwell’s 1984 dystopia were the last four: I love Big Brother.  Trompudo thinks he can batter us into loving him with his lies and favors for the rich, with his kowtowing to the racists and isolationists, with his fake “deals” that endanger America and the world … but he can’t.  The best that decent forward thinking people can do is to keep shining the light and hope for a resounding defeat in 2020 or a fatal misstep before then.

That light is getting pretty bright in some areas of the country where Trompudo’s base is beginning to rethink their prior choices.

Nobel economist Paul Krugman makes it very clear where Trump and his minions are leading us in Trump’s Kakistocracy is Also a Hackistocracy.  As another great economist, Herb Stein, once said:  “If something cannot go on forever, it will stop.”  How to make it stop, to be or not to be involved.  That is the question.

Until then, out of one, many seems to be the new national motto and the Kentucky state motto warns us where that will lead.