Mad As Hades

“I’m as mad as hell, and I’m not going to take this anymore!”  The words of Paddy Chayefsky in the movie Network resonate through the decades since that movie was released in 1976. The words ring true today. The tag line fueled my imagination as I realized a few of the things I’m as mad as hell about in this day.

I’m as mad as hell about the total incompetence of our Federal government in addressing the viral pandemic racing across the country virtually unchecked. Failures happened in destroying the infrastructure set in place by his predecessor to detect and respond to this future event. Failures happened in pretending that the virus would disappear of its own accord, and besides, it was hitting Democratic states harder than Republican states, so why bother creating a national strategy. Failures in taking responsibility for any of these failures.

I’m mad as hell about the total incompetence of the administration in realizing that the world is truly interconnected, and we as a nation cannot take our ball and go home and expect that the rest of the world will be there for us if and when we need them. About the destruction of relationships with other nations and with international organizations.

I’m mad as hell about the willful ignorance and subsequent stupidity exhibited by this administration when it comes to anything requiring applying a scientific perspective. It was bad enough when it involved ignoring any inconvenient truths about global warming. It was bad enough when it involved assigning unqualified personnel to leadership positions in Federal departments where knowledge of science was required. But with the response to the pandemic, we have really seen how the disdain that this administration holds for science has and will cost hundreds of thousands of unnecessary deaths.

I’m mad as hell about the petty grifting and blatant hypocrisy demonstrated by this administration, beginning with the example from the top. From the very start of this administration where the Trump hotel became the necessary venue for all who wished to make a visible display of financial support, to the recent revelation that the ambassador to Great Britain tried to strong arm the British to awarding a British Open to a Trump property, it has been apparent that everything is good that plows money back into the Trump business empire. And then the hypocrisy involved in declaring that it was so much worse in the previous administration. All of this manifests itself in a cabinet embroiled in personal petty privilege, whether through chartering private planes on the public’s dime, or driving around in a limousine in search of just that special lotion while department employees were paid as drivers

I’m mad as hell about the belief that this President had that it would only be a minor matter to staff and handle the transition between administrations. The belief that you don’t need to fill all of the available positions in the government. The belief that you could put your incompetent son-in-law in charge of intractable problems that had evaded solutions for decades and expect success due to force of personality alone. About the belief that he and Chris Cristie could go out after the night of the election and take care of the transition by themselves.

I’m mad as hell about the narcissism and thin-skinned nature of this President. About how his vindictiveness extends beyond the grave, so that he continues to denigrate the memory of those who stood up to him who have since died. About how he could not stand to see any accomplishment of his immediate predecessor left standing, so he has gone out of his way to destroy any trace of the previous administration. About how he has to be right, and can never ever admit making a mistake, since admitting a mistake shows your weakness.

I’m mad as hell about the racism unleashed by this President. About how the example he has set has freed a nasty strain within America to feel enabled and entitled to declare their hatred for anything other than lily-white ‘Muricans. About how when presented with support from a misogynistic racist like David Duke, he will feign ignorance of him and welcome the support. About how he has learned to stoke the fear and hatred that had lain dormant under the surface by trumping up the risk from asylum seekers.

I’m mad as hell that even after seeing the complete and utter disaster of this administration for nearly four years, there are still 40% of the voting public who think he’s doing a remarkable job for them, and they will go to their coronavirus graves still supporting this incredibly poor excuse for a human, much less the leader of the free world. Hell, had he his choice, he’d lead the nation of sub-human slaves as they marched in goosestep unison past his Presidential mansion. After all, he’s done such a wonderful job we just have to keep him in office.

Excuse me while I retch into the porcelain altar.