Thank you, ex-President Trump!

Trump, the Genius, 2017

…for all you have done.

Like, what, for example?

Well, you have…

…modeled for us exactly how a President of the United States of America should NOT behave, with your incivility, anger, resentments, childishness, lack of planning and judgement, tender ego, and unrestrained narcissism. It was all “Let’s Make ME Look Great Again!” (and to hell with the country).

…made us understand that the American Civil War never really ended.

…helped expose the still painful and unresolved problem of racism and sexism, both individual and systemic.

…helped highlight the problem of economic inequality between social classes.

…shown us the ineffectiveness of our current health care system and the need to join the rest of the developed world in a new, modern paradigm.

…helped us understand how weak our constitutional republic really is–how much we innocently rely on “good people” in government and the obeyance of democratic “norms and traditions”.

…helped us understand that tax cuts for the rich and a rising stock market mean nothing for the rest of us 99%ers.

…shown us what the GOP really stands for–not smaller government, not balanced budgets, not strong defense/respect of troops, not support of the average working American, not respect of democratic traditions… Rather, it apparently stands for Power at any cost. [NOTE: Now, after the January 6th incident, it appears that a good portion of the GOP also supports lying to the public and violent insurrection as perfectly acceptable methods to maintain power.]

…shown us how, by simply repeating lies and conspiracy theories often enough, you can get millions of people to believe them.

…shown us how, with the right pressure with just two Twittering thumbs, a President can even get Senators, Congress, and Governors to support autocratic political moves and borderline criminal behavior.

…highlighted how far-right, white supremicist, domestic terror groups are more active in this country than Islamic terrorists.

…illuminated the necessity to improve our public K-12 educational system and the dire need for the average American to learn to think critically.

…demonstrated that it is indeed true that anyone can be President!

An important history lesson

Finally, thanks to you, I now completely understand how a supposedly educated and modern population can fall in line like good little troopers behind an autocrat and thus carry the entire country off to a very dark place.

In short, I now viscerally understand the rise to power, way back in the 1920s and 1930s, of that infamous and failed Austrian artist with the bad haircut and ridiculous mustache.

Thanks to you, Trump, you have shown us that we Americans are not immune to that same process.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

As of noon today, you will be gone. (Once again, thank you!)

It’s quite obvious we have a whole lot of “fixin” to do in these United States of America. Thanks, Donald, for pointing that out so expertly as only someone like you, with all your special talents, could do.

Now, let the good work begin.