News coverage of Donald Trump continues to be ongoing and virtually inescapable. Nevertheless, I am compelled to add to it.
President-elect Trump is creating worry in some circles as the inauguration approaches. Much more alarming than some of his political stances is the haughtiness with which he changes his views on important matters.
Most people have a set of principles that guide them daily with a fairly strong degree of behavioral consistency, both for their own and for others’ benefits. Is Trump even aware that a theme of living with some restraint is what people do?
Unpredictability can be an important element for winning in sports, but for leading a country it would produce some likely serious pitfalls. Succeeding politically (which is not necessarily winning in a game-like sense) comes about from smart compromising, often using human resources that reach beyond one’s self-serving convictions.
The United States is about to be led by a man who seems to be lacking a conscience, or who is frighteningly adroit at controlling people and situations by masterful communicative manipulation. Whichever the case, the two factors are undoubtedly interrelated, one being cause, the other, effect.
The real issue here, one that potentially affects everyone, is whether Trump’s grotesque manner, style and forthcoming decision-making can be steered toward rationality by more balanced, competent individuals than he.
Norm Gellatly, Auburn
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