PEOVERT Where Are We Now? 1coud focus on the serious national security ks we continue to face from North Korea and ranrisks hat have worsened despite administration statements to the ocontrery. I coud ate on the fact hat instead of Mexico paying for the wall President Trump diveted billions of dollars ton our Department of Delense. I could show Federal Reserve Bank charts hat ustrate the decade-long rise in boh GDP and employment-an economic trend which actually began and mostly grew during the previous administration Icould document that the impositon of tarits cont Americans 20 bllon dolars in govemment aid, because of the resutant harm to our farmers Icould start wth the fact that a friend of mine died with no pre-existing conditions (in April, when COVID was supposes to miraculously disappear). ist he presidents assorted statements about the vies, and then explain that t lant benign or a hoax. But my concems go beyond these things Iappreciate candidate Trump's appeal a tew years ago to people who felt "forgoten" or left behind. his messaging and actions as president had truly followed along that path in an inclusive manner, great thingn might realy have been accomplished But as a populist leader, President Trump aogrivated whatever divisions aready existed within the United States: he helped normale the process of creatirng and encouraging furter division, trom the highest levels of our govemment He has unnecessarty vied people by calling them losers and other derogatory nicknames, and by commending on their appearance or eic heritage. He esponds vindictively to those who happen to disagree, he claimed that For News was his neteork or st is when they agree with him, he diamisses the value of science and logic in tavor of instinct. and he has at times given more weight to he statements of foreign dictators than to those of people and organizations who have swom their dedication-and their ives so the United States. And sometimes, he is unipologetically cruet And us? When Tump says something we ike, we assert that he says what he means". When he says something controversial, we daim hat wel. he doesn't realy mean that" We sy to have t both ways. When he gives mutple takes on a topic, we pck and choose the statements we want to beleve, and disregard the ohers. These things may not be egat, but they're imesporsible And they matter-for example When Trump claims he wouldn't lone volers i he shol someone on Se Avenue 1-24-2016 CNN Sioun Center lowa When Trump tes supporters he'd pay for their legal fees if hey hurt someone. 3-12-2016 LA Tmes When President Trump cites a Montana politician as my guy ater he'd assauted a joumalist "10-182018 USA Today taking about Greg Ganfone When President Trump tels Proud Boys to Stand beck and Stand by. 9-20-2020 Associated Press during Presidential Debate When President Trump asks for help from foreign countries (including potential enemies) for his electone electon campaigns "ABC interview 120019 When some of the President's ertatic statements are achually acknowledged, they are often excuned as egeveryone lies 0 some degree." Sure, thars true. But as my father used to suggest everyhing isa matter of degree". And President Trump is off he scale. Awel unctioning society needs to accept some tundamental uneriten nules about behavior. But our society and govemment aren't functioning wel And yet, President Trunp la not a surprise, in The Art of the Deal he told us exacity what his MO. 1 play to people's tantasies His focus is not about us.is bout him President Trump consistenty maintains hat he is the "only one" aho can x things. That is, he can dictate what our businesses do, what the US Congress does, etc. But that's not how our constiutional epublic works. There are thvee independent branches of govemment for a reason. People who insist on "originalar inking would do well to read the historical writings that explain why the Founding Fathers chose a republic, and nota monarchy, democracy. or other form of govemment Our republic sdesigned lo sustain a delicate balanoe amongst competing ves twe want it to endure, we need to acknowledge his and protect A path paved with integrity can last forever. But Donald Trump's prionity has always been about winning". n the end-even for he most determined among us-winning isa feeling reality. And it seems to escape people's recognition thatif President Trump can bully Ns way hrough, and ifwe codify that behavior as legitimate. hen any succeeding President with a contary agenda can do so as well If thats the kind of America we want, then we're in for real trouble. Because while tmight be comforing to temporarily look for political saviors, sooner or later, Americans wil resent hat in fnding a human to worship. we are actually giving up our treedom The irony is that desple al the Presidentrs prolessions about his capabilites, he manages lo repeatedy complain about ohera "not being tair. That is, a man who is oten sermed The most powertul person in the world and a master negotiator portrays himseit as a victim. in this respect. he uses the same tactics he accuses those on the left of using On Nov 8. 2013. prvate citizen Donald Trump wrote on Teiter Leadership: Whatever happens. you're resporsble. IFR doesnt happen, you're responsible We should cal him out on that Because leadership is about service, not set-promotion and estuses Bules can often gain compliance. But ultimately. history doesn' gant hem respect Ialone paid for ths, because is maders to me. Whether or not Z has meaning for you. hat is your choice. Paid for by John Blash, 432 E daho St Ste C-217, Kalispel, MT 50001 PEOVERT Where Are We Now? 1coud focus on the serious national security ks we continue to face from North Korea and ranrisks hat have worsened despite administration statements to the ocontrery. I coud ate on the fact hat instead of Mexico paying for the wall President Trump diveted billions of dollars ton our Department of Delense. I could show Federal Reserve Bank charts hat ustrate the decade-long rise in boh GDP and employment-an economic trend which actually began and mostly grew during the previous administration Icould document that the impositon of tarits cont Americans 20 bllon dolars in govemment aid, because of the resutant harm to our farmers Icould start wth the fact that a friend of mine died with no pre-existing conditions (in April, when COVID was supposes to miraculously disappear). ist he presidents assorted statements about the vies, and then explain that t lant benign or a hoax. But my concems go beyond these things Iappreciate candidate Trump's appeal a tew years ago to people who felt "forgoten" or left behind. his messaging and actions as president had truly followed along that path in an inclusive manner, great thingn might realy have been accomplished But as a populist leader, President Trump aogrivated whatever divisions aready existed within the United States: he helped normale the process of creatirng and encouraging furter division, trom the highest levels of our govemment He has unnecessarty vied people by calling them losers and other derogatory nicknames, and by commending on their appearance or eic heritage. He esponds vindictively to those who happen to disagree, he claimed that For News was his neteork or st is when they agree with him, he diamisses the value of science and logic in tavor of instinct. and he has at times given more weight to he statements of foreign dictators than to those of people and organizations who have swom their dedication-and their ives so the United States. And sometimes, he is unipologetically cruet And us? When Tump says something we ike, we assert that he says what he means". When he says something controversial, we daim hat wel. he doesn't realy mean that" We sy to have t both ways. When he gives mutple takes on a topic, we pck and choose the statements we want to beleve, and disregard the ohers. These things may not be egat, but they're imesporsible And they matter-for example When Trump claims he wouldn't lone volers i he shol someone on Se Avenue 1-24-2016 CNN Sioun Center lowa When Trump tes supporters he'd pay for their legal fees if hey hurt someone. 3-12-2016 LA Tmes When President Trump cites a Montana politician as my guy ater he'd assauted a joumalist "10-182018 USA Today taking about Greg Ganfone When President Trump tels Proud Boys to Stand beck and Stand by. 9-20-2020 Associated Press during Presidential Debate When President Trump asks for help from foreign countries (including potential enemies) for his electone electon campaigns "ABC interview 120019 When some of the President's ertatic statements are achually acknowledged, they are often excuned as egeveryone lies 0 some degree." Sure, thars true. But as my father used to suggest everyhing isa matter of degree". And President Trump is off he scale. Awel unctioning society needs to accept some tundamental uneriten nules about behavior. But our society and govemment aren't functioning wel And yet, President Trunp la not a surprise, in The Art of the Deal he told us exacity what his MO. 1 play to people's tantasies His focus is not about us.is bout him President Trump consistenty maintains hat he is the "only one" aho can x things. That is, he can dictate what our businesses do, what the US Congress does, etc. But that's not how our constiutional epublic works. There are thvee independent branches of govemment for a reason. People who insist on "originalar inking would do well to read the historical writings that explain why the Founding Fathers chose a republic, and nota monarchy, democracy. or other form of govemment Our republic sdesigned lo sustain a delicate balanoe amongst competing ves twe want it to endure, we need to acknowledge his and protect A path paved with integrity can last forever. But Donald Trump's prionity has always been about winning". n the end-even for he most determined among us-winning isa feeling reality. And it seems to escape people's recognition thatif President Trump can bully Ns way hrough, and ifwe codify that behavior as legitimate. hen any succeeding President with a contary agenda can do so as well If thats the kind of America we want, then we're in for real trouble. Because while tmight be comforing to temporarily look for political saviors, sooner or later, Americans wil resent hat in fnding a human to worship. we are actually giving up our treedom The irony is that desple al the Presidentrs prolessions about his capabilites, he manages lo repeatedy complain about ohera "not being tair. That is, a man who is oten sermed The most powertul person in the world and a master negotiator portrays himseit as a victim. in this respect. he uses the same tactics he accuses those on the left of using On Nov 8. 2013. prvate citizen Donald Trump wrote on Teiter Leadership: Whatever happens. you're resporsble. IFR doesnt happen, you're responsible We should cal him out on that Because leadership is about service, not set-promotion and estuses Bules can often gain compliance. But ultimately. history doesn' gant hem respect Ialone paid for ths, because is maders to me. Whether or not Z has meaning for you. hat is your choice. Paid for by John Blash, 432 E daho St Ste C-217, Kalispel, MT 50001