Trump’s America

The Octogenarians

Yesterday morning I could have been shot.I wasn’t,but the anamnesis of the event is enlightening.That morning there had been a knock knock burglary in Westchester in the course, of which an 84 yr old was robbed and beaten.A blue van was involved,two or more perpetrators including two males and at least one female were identified as perpetrators who did get away.It was an early a.m crime.Fast forward to 11.a.m.with me sitting at the kitchen table with two hispanic plumbers who came two hours earlier in a red white and blue van.My problem was a rupture in a pipe without warning.As we were discussing,cost,risk and insurance,we heard the sound of a police helicopter flying low above the canyon.I remarked that there must have been some kind of happening on our part of the peninsula sufficient to draw attention.When I opened the garage door to let out the workmen we found at…

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Revisiting The Man Who Would Be King

“Disrespect”is now an excuse for fighting and killing even if it is only. verbal or gestural. Trumpeter stop Trumpeting!

The Octogenarians

Members of Potus’ inner circle and at least one member of his expanding legal team are now calling him a ” unitary executive”.About fifty years ago a woman psychiatrist,(for some reason I don’t want to use female here)I believe her name was Beulah Parker,wrote a book called ‘my language is me.’It explored the language of schizophrenics,neologisms,clang association etc.and sought dynamic explanations that linked to a meaningful historical developmental self.The treatment of schizophrenia is no longer significantly psychoanalytic but the psycholinguistic view of speech as doing more than communicating persists.With this introduction,let’s look at the words “unitary executive”.Unitary is a seldom used word more at home in the 18th and 19th century than today.It is a cross between single(unique)and singular( remarkable),executive simply means mover,shaker and boss.The argument is that this nonpareil( it means unrivaled,unmatchable one) cannot be prosecuted for a crime,( murder too !?)can fire anyone,can pardon anyone( not only those…

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Comedians Are In For It !

The Octogenarians

Kathy Griffin lost a lucrative gig and got fired for pulling a stunt with a severed head prop of Trump the Great.Clearly in bad taste,but hardly an invitation to gather the likes of Jihadi John.How quickly we forget that Dear Leader,a.k.a. POTUS ,announced when still a candidate,that should Hillary Clinton get into the White House ” those second amendment folks” might have a solution.He might be the driver of a clown car,but he is not a comedian.Bill Maher got himself into trouble with a quick and clever house n….r riposte that was actually funny but in bad taste and politically incorrect.But comedians have a right to spontaneity carrying with that spontaneity the risk of erring on the side of bad taste.An apology when this is identified should be enough! On the other hand there’s Bill Cosby a comedian from a different era,whose comedy was feel-good constructed with skilled psychiatric consultative…

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Congressional Baseball,Gun Control,Polarizing Leadership & Symbolic Interaction?

The Octogenarians

This a.m.a man named Hodgkinson opened fire on congressmen and onlookers involved in practice and spectating a run up to the annual Republican/ Democratic bragging rights game.Much will be made of his leanings,left rather than right,but it clearly doesn’t matter.He was angry,blamed Trump’had guns and did travel’ from Illinois).the horse is out of the barn as far as guns are concerned and gun control is adroitly blocked by the NRA,so we are vulnerable to both domestic and foreign born voilence by those,who want “skin in the game”.I did not find Trump’s reassurances convincing and wonder whether he ” leaked” the death of Hodgkinson prematurely and sans advice or consent.He is not a unifying presence.
There is a more important game than congressional baseball

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Clashing Personality Types

The Octogenarians

The Trumpeter(POTUS),has engaged James Comey,the fired former FBI Director in Mano a Mano combat.Considering the difference in status and power he has nothing to gain and a lot to lose.Comey’s style (simultaneously strength and weakness)is a grinding obsessive analyzing and rehashing of facts with a reluctance to cut and slash.He could have,as infuriatingly as the original,commanded Lincoln’s army of the Potomac.(fired for dilatory over caution).However this attribute serves well ” the duty to correct”,which ” nauseatingly” helped destroy Hillary.He has turned over the classified portfolio to another Bulldog Drummond type and his notes to a Columbia Law Professor.
Trump burdened by his inability to learn from experience,his inability to display or evoke empathy,and his flashpoint engaging of anyone or anything that does not bend the knee is at constant risk.I dread his attempt to convey empathic understanding of the deaths of three servicemen in Afghanistan.(The death toll is climbing!) His…

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Suspended Animation…or What to do until the doctor comes !

The Octogenarians

It is amazing that many of us feel suspended in mid air while awaiting the Comey appearance on Capitol Hill.It is as though we need some assurance that the malignant degeneration of the U.S.A,has a pivotal switch to be thrown before it can be halted.Perhaps we owe a thank you to Trump for forcing us to reexamine our basic assumptions and attitudes ,paying particular attention to the many ways we disenfranchise.Paying attention,at least verbally to some and ignoring others.How important to us is primacy on the world stage?What are the modes in which primacy has to be manifested.Vladimir Putin knows that national policy is enduring and not a result of the latest deal.His defense of Trump is therefore cynical.He too, is awaiting the course reset of this great nation.On the other hand he is prepared with a number of variations on his national/ sphere of influence theme while we,officially, are…

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