It’s no coincidence that the legal adult-use marijuana movement originated in the same states that had enough sense to see Donald Trump as a phony and conman. It’s also no coincidence that Trump gets the majority of his support from the same conservative states that gave us David Koresh, Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker, black lung and Jimmy Swaggart.
The country is divided like never before, and Trump made it to the White House despite repeated lies, numerous racist, misogynist and homophobic statements and actions and a lifetime of behavior that clearly runs in opposition to the real messages of the Bible.
He’s stayed there by using a variety of tactics, including demonizing the educated and the news media. Reporters who dare to investigate Trump Inc. or point out his lies are branded “enemies of the people” — the same playbook used by the Nazis during their rise to power. He also uses fear to intimidate Republican senators who lack the spine or patriotism to speak up. Before Trump got the Republican presidential nomination, Lindsey Graham, Mitch McConnell and most of the other Republican ass-kissers branded him an unqualified disaster and a fraud.
However, once elected, those same Republican yellowbellies sold their reputations, their allegiances to democracy and the rule of law to a schoolyard bully and crook. They kissed his fat rear-end, acted like scared children and refused to ask the obvious questions: Where are the tax returns he promised? Where are the coal jobs? Why is South Korea accelerating missile tests? Why is Iran flexing its muscles in the Middle East? Why is Russian President Vladimir Putin so smugly going about the business of undermining U.S. elections? Why did Saudi Arabia get away with murdering a journalist from an American newspaper?
The answer to all the above should be obvious: Trump is uniquely unqualified to be a president. He’s a goofy, reality TV personality posing as a world leader who hides his finances because he’s afraid of being uncovered as a cheapskate and a tax-cheat — or worse, that he’s leveraging the presidency for personal gain.
Furthermore, it didn’t take long for the leaders of the aforementioned countries to figure out what millions of American voters couldn’t: Trump’s a paper tiger that talks a big line but is hopelessly hobbled by a fragile ego, financial conflicts of interest and an inability to back up his words with real action.
As a veteran, I was disgusted by his recent treatment of General James Mattis, but not surprised. Trump’s a draft-dodger with no real respect for our war heroes or military and refuses to even admit his colossal blunders when they put our armed forces in danger (like the recent — and idiotic — withdrawal from Syria).
All of which gets me back to cannabis: Most of the states that had the smarts to legalize it, tax it and move on from a counterproductive, 80-year prohibition also had the insight to reject Trump and see through his fog of lies and conflicts of interest.
I can only hope that as we begin this important election year, voters will rise up and reject a corrupt president, as well as the brown-nosing Republicans that enable him — just as smart voters did in ending 80 years of prohibition in the progressive states.
Making America great again is pretty simple: It means getting rid of a crook, respecting the rule of law and getting back to being a country that actually has some common sense when it comes to electing politicians.
Greg James
Publisher