The Theme Of Trump's Presidency: The Privileges Of Power

It was Scaramucci's long tenure as part of President Trump's staff that finally helped me finally realize what Trump's Presidency is all about. It is all about the perks one enjoys when one has power.

Why would Scaramucci's long standing appointment help me see what many others had perceived before? And why call his time at the White House long when he lasted around 10 days? The answer to the latter question is that a 10-day stint for a person of Scaramucci's character is a very long time. But it was Scaramucci's rant against White House other members of Trump's White House team that initially went unpunished that clued me in. How could one in Scaramucci's position speak publicly like he did and not even be reprimanded the same day? Not having to exercise self-restraint was a perk of power that Scaramucci temporarily enjoyed. And it is a privilege that President Trump still enjoys.

But Trump's theme of enjoying the privileges of power began with his campaign promises to both put America first and to rebuild our decimated military. We should note a past infamous candidate who promised to put their nation first and then did all he could to destroy the world. Of course, that was Adolph Hitler. In fact, Dr. Seuss mocked such an attitude that directed America's rejection of Jewish immigrants from Germany when Hitler was in charge (click here). We should also note that the call to rebuild the military is a Republican mantra that is chanted in each election where the sitting President is a Democrat.

This combination of putting America first and expanding our power so that no one would dare challenge us is the first indication of Trump's love of the privileges of power. And that love of the privileges of power for America really appealed to his authoritarian followers. Of course, the second sign followed on the heels of the first sign. That second sign was Trump's promise to his followers who attended his rallies that he would pay their legal fees if they put protesters at the rallies in their place.

Trump's assumption of privileges has only continued from his refusal to release his tax returns to his threats against legislators who don't vote his way to his pondering of whether he could pardon himself to his constant trips to Mara Lago where a business interest of his profits while he plays golf on a regular basis. In these cases, Trump shows that, unlike the rest of us, he doesn't have to be accountable to others.

But Trump doesn't just enjoy the privileges of power for himself. He has celebrated the privileges of others who are in power as well from Duterte in Philippines to Putin in Russia while praising Kim Jung-Un. In addition, Trump encouraged NYPD officers to be rough with those from the MS-13 gang. True, the members of this gang take pride in showing a degree of brutality that is beyond the pale. But Trump should know that American brutality gave birth to this gang during the 1980s in El Salvador as US trained El Salvadoran military and paramilitary troops tortured and murdered many citizens. MS-13 was merely a group that had learned to survive the atrocities we trained troops to commit.

True, Scaramucci's privileges have been revoked by the new chief of staff, retired Marine General John Kelly. Apparently, Kelly's Marine Corps training and experience had adequately prepared him to handle a front stabber like Scaramucci. So at least power does not mean that one does not have to exercise self-restraint when representing the Administration to the public. But what about the other situations where Trump, and those who are with him, revel in not having to either exercise self-restraint or be accountable?

We should not be surprised that the US has elected an autocratic leader in Donald Trump. Our religious heritage has helped create a highly authoritarian culture in this nation where power is king and nuance is nothing. And it is only when we can break free from that authoritarian mindset that we can actually defang a power hungry President. We can neither wait for Congress to impeach him nor for Mueller to indict him. That is because, though we might sincerely home for either event, neither one is guaranteed. For as long as we are passive authoritarians in this nation,  people like Trump will seek power for the privileges it renders them. And they will use those privileges to put them way above the rest of us.

ONIM For July 31, 2017

If you are not sure about the validity of a news story linked to below, you can use  mediabiasfactcheck.com to check out the credibility of the source of most of the stories linked to here.


Christian News

• Southwark Diocese Signals Opposition To Rebel Bishop Andy Lines By Withdrawing Permission To Officiate -- Christian Today (UK)
• Reprieve For Iranian Christian Who Threatened To Starve Himself To Death -- Christian Today (UK)
• Hundreds Of Muslims Converting To Christianity In Finland, Churches Say -- Christian Today (UK)
• US Evangelicals Rally Around New Religious Freedom Ambassador Sam Brownback, While Others Go On The Attack -- Christian Today (UK)
• After 50 Years In A Wheelchair, I Sill Walk With Jesus -- Christianity Today
• Pew: What Christians Worry About Most -- Christianity Today
• Most White Evangelicals Don't Believe That Muslims Belong In America -- Christianity Today
• Trump And The Christian Fascists -- Truthdig
• The Radical Origins Of Christianity -- New Yorker
• Evangelical Trump Supporters Hark Back To The Good Old Days That Weren't -- Religion News Service
• Houses Of Worship Do Some Soul-Searching As Their Neighborhoods Change -- Religion News Service
• Religious Leaders Respond To Trump's Transgender Military Ban -- Religion News Service
• Trump To Nominate Sam Brownback As Religious Freedom Ambassador -- Religion News Service
• The Gospel Of Self -- Truthdig
• Federal Judge Nominee Claims Bible Precedes Constitution -- Progressive Secular Humanist 
• Rev. Graham On Transgenders: Trump Is 'Exactly Right'--Don't Need Gender-Confused Soldiers -- CNS News
• Senators Prepare Bill To Block Firing Of Special Counsel -- Yahoo News
• Pride And Progress -- First Things
• Outlaw Pastor Rob Bell Shakes Up The Bible Belt -- CNN
• The Political Theology Of Trumpian Evangelicalism -- Huffington Post

World News

• Paul Ryan Hands Donald Trump A Blank Check For Endless War -- Nation
• The History Of British Slave Ownership Has Been Buried: Now Its Scale Can Be Revealed -- Guardian
• How San Francisco's Summer Of Love Sparked Today's Religious Movements -- Religion News Service
• Los Angeles' Homeless Crisis Goes From Bad To Worse -- BBC
• CEOs Make 271 Times The Pay Of Most Workers -- CNBC
• Congressman Proposes Ban On Trump Hotels Use By U.S. Government -- Reuters
• Everything That's Wrong With The Democratic 'Reboot' In One Lousy Op-Ed -- Moyers & Company
• Steve Jobs' Widow Buys Majority Stake In 'The Atlantic' -- Reuters
• Newly Declassified Documents Confirm U.S. 1953 Coup In Iran Over Oil Contracts -- Democracy Now
• Workers At Disneyland Are Going Homeless -- Salon
• Minneapolis Police Chief Resigns Over The Cop Shooting Of Unarmed Woman. Will The Mayor Be Next? -- Democracy Now
• Mississippi Nissan Workers Hope For Historic Win In 14-Year Fight To Unionize -- Guardian
• Worker Wages Flat, But Since 1978 CEO Pay Has Soared By 'Outrageous' 937% -- Common Dreams
• 110 N.F.L. Brains -- New York Times
• Brain Disease Affects 99% Of NFL Players In Study -- BBC
• "We Acted From Our Hearts": Activists In Iowa Admit To Repeatedly Sabotaging Dakota Access Pipeline -- DemocracyNow
• Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski Indicted In Connection To FBI Probe -- WFMZ News
• Mattis Bristles At Pentagon Waste of $28 Million On Afghan Uniforms -- Reuters 
• Sonia Nazario: The Tragedy In San Antonio Is "Predictable Outcome" Of Trump's Immigration Crackdown -- Democracy Now
• BP Pipeline Ruptures, Spills Unknown Amount of Coal-Bed Methane Into CO River -- Public News 24-7 
• The Chemical Attack At Khan Sheikoun -- ZNet
• Yugoslav Socialism -- ZNet
• Authorities Search Damond's Home: Law Prof Believes That Could 'Cause An International Incident' -- 5 ABC News
• 18 States Sue Betsy DeVos Over Student Loan Protections -- New York Times
• U.S. Gen. Dunford Says Military Option For NK Not "Unimaginable" -- NBC News
• Arepas Are Conquering The World--But Dying At Home In Venezuela -- NPR
• U.S. Justice Department Says Anti-Bias Law Does Not Protect Gay Workers -- Yahoo News
• U.S. Muslims Concerned About Their Place In Society, But Continue To Believe In The American Dream -- Pew Research Center
• Most Americans Unaware That As U.S. Manufacturing Jobs Have Disappeared, Output Has Grown -- Pew Research Center
• Sessions Says Hurt By Trump Outbursts, But Not Quitting -- Yahoo News
• James Cromwell On Citizen-Led Climate Action And The And The Current 'Revolution Of Love' -- Truthdig
• The Limits Of Bullying -- Atlantic

Israel-Palestine News

• Palestinian Hospitals Stretched With Influx Of Wounded -- Aljazeera
• Criminalizing Critics Of Israel: Congress Considers Sweeping Bills To Fine And Jail Backers Of BDS -- Democracy Now
• Democrats Join Republicans In Bill Criminalizing Speech Critical Of Israel -- Huffington Post
• Democrats In Congress Rethink Anti-Boycott Bill In Wake Of ACLU Warning -- Haaretz
• Senior Israeli Gov't Minister Warns Palestinians Of 'Third Nabka' -- Haaretz
• Jerusalem Hospital Calls On Int'l Groups To Stop 'Storming' By Israeli Forces -- Mondoweiss
• Every Israeli Should Read The Palistinian Assailant's Last Will And Testimony -- Haaretz
• Jerusalem Is Especially Volatile Right Now. This Is Why? -- Washington Post
• Israel Removes Flashpoint Metal Detectors At Jerusalem Holy Site -- BBC
• 'Netanyahu Doesn't Have A Vision For Peace,' Gillebrand Says At Townhall Arroused By Boycott Bill -- Mondoweiss
• Israeli Forces Carry Out Violent Hospital Raids In Ruthless Display Of Force -- Amnesty International
• These 4 Things Will Get You Barred From Entering Israel Under Its New BDS Travel Ban -- Haaretz
• The Late Palestinian National Poet Will Continue To Haunt Israel -- Haaretz
• 'Lack Of Hope' Drives Palestinians To Carry Out Terrorist Attacks, State Department Says -- Mondoweiss
• Sayed Kashua: Why I Have To Leave Israel -- Guardian
• How The World Missed A Week Of Palestinian Civil Disobedience -- +972 Magazine
• The Russian And Ukrainian Women Who Left Their Lives Behind To Raise Families In Gaza -- Haaretz
• Jordan's King Abdullah Calls For Israel Trial Over Embassy Deaths -- BBC
• Aljazeera Slams Netanyahu Bid To Shut Jerusalem Office -- Aljazeera 
  

Collusion News

• "Set Aside Putin And Follow The Money": A Russia Expert's Theory Of The Trump Scandal -- Vox
• Trump Jr. And Manefort Reach Deal With Senate Panel To Avoid Public Hearing -- CNN
• Senate Committee Withdraws Subpoena For Former Trump Campaign Chair Paul Manafort -- Huffington Post

Donald Trump News

• Donald Trump And The Coming Fall Of American Empire -- Intercept
• Trump Blasts Report On Obstruction Of Justice Probe -- Reuters
• Trump's Urging That Comey Jail Reporters Denounced As An 'Act Of Intimidation' -- New York Times
• How Trump And Netanyahu Pushed Palestinians -- ZNe
• Trump Bans Transgender People From Serving In The Military -- NBC News
• The Hijacked American Presidency -- New York Times 
• Trump Administration Comes Closer To Undoing Overtime Pay Rule -- Reuters
• Donald Trump Continues Public Humiliation Of Jeff Sessions, DOJ -- Huffington Post
• Trump Finds Reasons For The U.S. To Remain In Afghanistan: Minerals -- New York Times
• No, Trump Can't Pardon Himself. The Constitution Tells Us So -- Washington Post
• Republicans Are Starting To Draw Red Lines On Trump Firing Sessions And Mueller -- Washington Post
• Trump Fumes As McConnell Says It's 'Time To Move On' After Healthcare Collapse -- Business Insider
• Trump, Vowing Gang Crackdown, Urges Cops 'Don't Be Too Nice' -- Yahoo News
• Trump Administration, Intervening In Major LGBT Case, Says Job Bias Law Does Not Cover Sexual Orientation -- Washington Post
• Donald Trump Asked For Russian Help In The Election One Year Ago Today -- Yahoo News 

Pick(s) Of The Litter

• Arizona Senate Candidate Under Attack For Being Muslim -- Religion News Service
• Anthony Scaramucci, Trump's New Communications Director, Said Citizens United  Made Possible A "Sleeper Cell" Of Hedge Fund Managers -- Intercept
• Yemen's Cholera Epidemic 'Largest Ever Recorded' -- BBC
• "A Forgotten Crisis": Yemen's Aid Workers Speak Out About The World's Worst Humanitarian Crisis -- Democracy Now
• The Massacre Of Mosul: 40,000 Feared Dead In Battle To Take Back City From ISIS As Scale Of Civilian Casualties Revealed -- Independent
• All Hell Breaks Loose As Tundra Thaws -- Guardian
• Criminologist Phil Stinson: Police Shoot & Kill About 1,000 People Every Year In U.S. -- Democracy Now
• Robert Mueller's Probe Is Key To Exposing Trump's Abuse Of Power -- Truthdig
• Getting Radical About Inequality -- New York Times
• Native American Student Sheds Light On The Power Of Indigenous Youth In Upcoming Standing Rock Documentary -- Huffington Post
• Police Commission Rules LAPD Officer Justified In Fatally Shooting 14-Year-Old In Boyle Heights -- Los Angeles Times
• Man Charged With 1st-Degree Murder After Stabbing Of Pregnant Wife, Death Of Baby --  CBC News
• The Art Of Making A Jihadist -- Guardian
• Dr. Seuss Satirized "America First" Decades Before Donald Trump Made It Policy -- Artsy.net
• Half Of The Women Murdered In The U.S. Are Killed By A Romantic Partner, According To Report -- Glamour
• SPLC Statement On President Trump's Ban On Transgender People In U.S. Military -- Southern Poverty Law Center
• Philippines: Duterte Threatens To Bomb Indigenous Schools -- Guardian
• Trump-Pence Administration Asserts Civil Rights Won't Apply To LGB People -- Human Rights Campaign
• How Many People Across America Are At Risk Of Losing Their Health Insurance -- New York Times
• 7 Facts About Americans With Disabilities -- Pew Research Center
• Police Officer Dies After Being Shot Multiple Times At Indianapolis Crash -- Chicago Tribune
• A Silent Protest Parade In 1917 Set The Stage For Civil Rights Marches -- Miami Herald
• Burning Raqqa: Inside The U.S. War Against Civilians In Syria -- Truthdig
• Female Senators Are Increasingly On Receiving End Of Insults From Male Officials -- Washington Post