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New Orleans Various polls indicate that the American people are increasingly open to impeachment proceedings on President Trump, but his hardcore Republican base continues to hold firm, seemingly against all odds. Increasingly, I have to wonder giving the Teflon nature of his support, whether his Achilles heel is his hip-shooting, disastrous foreign policy. I don’t mean just his efforts to involve foreign countries in domestic politics for his own ends, like Russia or Ukraine. His base seems to believe in the old saying that “anything goes in love and war,” and they see politics as war. Fair enough, but can his base continue to hold as strong if they are forced to understand that Trump is not strong, but weak, and caves into one country after another led by autocratic and ruthless men who are stronger. Can Trump’s base be eroded on a line of attack that says he is not a deal-maker, but someone who allows every other country to eat his lunch? Why can’t we beat Trump by arguing his real slogan is not “make America great again,” but “make America weak?”
The litany of cave-ins seems endless.
North Korea wants South Korea to end military exercises, Trump talks to the dictator, and caves in exchange for nothing.
Turkey wants to muscle up in Syria and advance its age-old conflict with our allies in Syria and the fight against ISIS, and Trump pulls us out without so much as a howdy-do to the Kurds unleashing a disaster on multiple grounds.
Israel’s weakening strongman wants to come to the White House to get some buzz for his recent re-election effort, which he loses, and announce a muscling in on the West Bank, and Trump nods him forward without any agreement for peace in the Middle East.
Hungary’s autocratic leader visits the White House and dishes dirt on Ukraine, and Trump takes his side and continues America’s support for Orban even as he loses municipal elections across the country.
China’s leadership is the subject of one tirade after another on trade and other issues, but when it comes to the bottom line, Trump steps back once again as his bluff is called.
Russia has Trump on speed-dial, and he excuses all of Putin’s behavior and appeases their every request.
The Saudi’s seem to be able to kill at will, and Trump remains a fan.
I could go on, but the point is clear. Trump’s Christmas card list is one filled with dictators and wannabe dictators, while his attacks are constant on any moderate to liberal leaders and countries in the rest of the world. Ironically, many of his best friends are losing badly when their own citizens are actually allowed to vote on their policies these days and demonstrations by their people are often ongoing.
As America becomes increasingly a global laughing stock, and Trump’s bizarre decision-making process makes the US weaker and weaker, how long will the red-blooded Trump base be willing to look the other way? Forever, if there is no concerted attack, but I would bet moving on this front more aggressively and strategically could be a winning tactic in ending his reign of terror.