The past couple of weeks I have started to write a Marla’s Musing several times but then I have not completed them for several reasons. I will see how it goes this time. I have paused at times because there is so much going on with our country right now – and everything is happening so fast. I really don’t know where to start.
Plus, I have recently been following podcasts, writers, editorials, etc. that often say what I want to say – and they do it better. I follow Adam Kinzinger, Dan Rather, Heather Cox Richardson, The Status Kuo, Red Wine & Blue, political Gabfest, and other sites on Facebook. You should too. Excellent writers and great insight into what is happening.
And, as I sit here right now I am listening to the news on CNN that the tariffs on Mexico are possibly being lifted, but maybe not, and maybe Canada. And maybe not. And, as so much is changing and up in the air the Dow Jones continues to drop, and the unemployment numbers are up (with all the federal employees who have been let go.) And, Trump has now said he will dismantle the Dept. of Education. Today’s news. Or – maybe not.
I am wondering…. Can a government implode?
I fear we are headed that way but I don’t know what that actually means. I just know that too much is happening too fast. Thousands are affected now and thousands more may be soon. Maybe millions.
Already, we have executive actions that ban DEI, and Trump has told human beings that their gender identity is not real, and he has changed names of forts and bodies of water. At the same time we have Musk out there cleaning out lots of departments with no idea what they do. A man who has never worked in any form of government before. Thousands of federal employees are losing their jobs without even being vetted. The VA Department is losing people too, a department already too slow for the vets that desparately need their help.
I also just watched the prime minister of Ontario, Canada speak. If you can, pull it up. It’s worth watching. I’m sorry. I don’t have his name. Canada is mad and hurt and is doing what they need to do. Trump has turned countries against us. And, the worst was his behavior and nastiness to President Zelenskyy of Ukraine last Friday. I cringed watching it. Then following up he tried to freeze allocated funds to help fight them in the war against Russia. Legal battles for many reasons have become the way of life now. That’s Trump’s MO: sue me. or, I will sue you. He has made himself above the law.
The free press is being threatened.
He has shown very obvious signs, patterns, and rhetoric, of a man who wants to be a dictator. Trump has no desire to work with Congress. He wants to keep people nervous. He thrives on the chaos. He bullies people and uses retaliation as a threat.
Have I mentioned Trump is a narcissistic psychopath? Well, now we have another one with him. Musk. They are two of a kind.
So…
What to do?
I have always found ‘current events’ and politics interesting. But, this is not that. Trump and Musk need to slow down. They need to THINK, PLAN (ha!), maybe CONSIDER the long haul. They need to think beyond money – which I wonder if they even can. They need to think about people. Humans. Again, I wonder if they can.
My head is spinning about everything going on.
I guess everything will slow down once businesses need to raise prices, and when construction has to slow down, and car sales slow, and food prices go up. It will be felt in the coming months. The effects of what is happening now will show up very soon. A recession is on the way.
Those in our country who need help will not be able to find it. Children who need extra support at school won’t get it. Retirees will have to live more tightly each month on fixed incomes. Poverty will go up. Healthcare may go down.
And…
We are only a couple of months into the Trump presidency. Get ready. Prepare if you can. It’s not going to be easy.
Marla’s Musings 