Gangland U.S.A.

By Pat Priest

Once upon a time in America – and I mean for a long time, right up until now -- we had a genius-level balance of power that usually worked to keep Americans safe from corrupt leaders. But now, with the GOP under the sway of Putin pal Trump, a swaggering tyrant is rapaciously amassing ever more power while pillaging public resources.

Our personal data have been ransacked, and a whistleblower has come forward with evidence of Russian assets uploading very sensitive data in one large gulp. But the data are also being corrupted in-house in criminal ways — marking people as deceased, for example, so that they do not receive benefits due them.

Residents have been disappeared into heinous prisons without having their day in court. Trump, a felon, says he is protecting us from gangs and other criminals. But if a zealous and sometimes-ruthless willingness to carry out a boss’ whims and wishes despite harm caused to the public define a gang member, I’d argue that – for starters -- House leader Mike Johnson and most of Trump’s cabinet members qualify. 

Take the so-called Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act – an Orwellian name for a bill passed in the House. The far-reaching measure will make voting registration much harder for many citizens who do not have ready access to their birth certificates or marriage licenses — perhaps because they have moved repeatedly or suffered a fire or natural disaster. 

The Trump Administration works in every way — strong-arming universities, the press, and law firms, for example, and threatening judges — to hold power by any means necessary.

Meanwhile the gang’s leader is provided every protection and awarded the spoils. All the talk about “waste, fraud, and abuse”! The American people are being abused by Trump's erratic and retaliatory behavior. And what a waste to taxpayers for Trump to go golfing (more than 24 days as I write this) and to put on a huge military parade in honor of his 79th birthday. (I mean who doesn’t celebrate 79 in a big way? Especially dictators of tinpot countries.)

So many of my friends say it’s too upsetting to pay attention. Other citizens keep buying the sugar-soaked Fox News lollipop to suck on, but we’re not kids. As citizens of this republic increasingly at risk, we need to call for due process proceedings for everyone, including Trump himself. We’ve got to act so that time’s up for those abusing power, not for our democracy. 

Pat Priest is a resident of Athens