Charles Blow at the Times

I sent the following letter to Charles Blow, columnist at the N. Y. Times.

Dear Mr. Blow,

Thank you for your relentless and right-on voice against Trump and his enabling Republicans. Here are some further comments.

1. I wouldn't count on any Republican to do anything ethical at this point. That includes investigating collusion between the Trump campaign and Russian agents. This is the chance for Big Business and the RMP (Rich Man's Party, formerly the GOP, often embedded these days as TRuMP)  to attain their wettest dreams. They see it as their best or even last chance. They will not let go willingly of the opportunity to transfer vast sums from the middle class to themselves (and stockholders) via deregulation and tax policy. They will drag their heels, lie, and even break the law to make sure they get their way and cash in. That this is already happening is not even conjectural at this point: look at Trump's cabinet and what the Congress and administration has already legislated (e.g. removing any hindrance to dumping toxic mine waste into streams; moving toward re-evaluating the worth of national park land to zero and so on).

2. The real issue here is treason: sacrificing the interests and laws of this country for personal (and class) gain (see above). Does anyone think that the contacts between Russian agents and the Trump campaign were about tourism or orders for caviar? There is only one word for attempted (and successful) collusion with a foreign government in subverting the U.S. electoral process. Hardly anyone is using the T word yet, but it is the elephant in the room...

3. The chaotic nature of Trump's first menstrual cycle in office (in the words of Samantha Bee) is partially due to his ignorance and incompetence, but also bears the signature of his de facto head advisor Steve Bannon. The so-called "shock doctrine" which uses chaos and instability to achieve hidden ends has been Bannon's self-professed and self-defining technique.

4. I don't think that these guys will get away with this, but it will be necessary to oppose them forcefully and intelligently. There is, at this point, a tremendous surge of activity and energy in the opposition. This opposition includes, BTW, quite a few business people who got where they are through intelligence and creativity, and understand Trump's lack of any real talent (other than amorality and bullying). 

5. Unfortunately, the national Democratic party so far seems to be using this grass roots opposition to Trump and the RMP in order to collect campaign contributions. Have you received any messages from them that didn't have a solicitation? Why should we be paying them to do the right thing? They, in fact, should be preparing hard-hitting and CREATIVE opposition TV and Web ads and paying (with the money we've sent them) to air them NOW. Where are our so-called Hollywood and Madison Ave lefties to volunteer their time and talent to create these spots? If the national Dems wait (as they always seem to do) until just before the next set of elections, they will be out-defined, out-framed, and blind-sided once again. Here is a case where the grass roots is way out in front of their "leaders".