Sleight of Hand

So here’s my main complaint with the Democrats in DC these days: They ‘take the bait’ from Trump every time. Every single time.

It happened again today with his latest outrageous, scurrilous rhetoric about the four congresswomen, whom he despises as much for their skin-tone as their politics.

Hear me out.

Yes, what the President said about the four non-white elected officials was racist. Yes, it was un-American and vile. And, yes, it was even a new low for him – this damaged man we are saddled with for at least another 18 months.

But all those easy slam-backs from the establishment Dems so misses the point of what Trump is really doing in these ridiculous, un-American moments. What he is really doing is creating intentional smoke-screem. He continues to do his damned-est to divert us all from what ought to be the real stories.

The real story is his failure and ineptitude to advance anything substantial other than tax-cuts for the wealthy and stacking the Supreme Court (which works because he has the unquestioning help of a complacent Senate).

Here’s how he rolls: A, It is a fact is that almost none of Trump’s policy priorities are working out for him – not at the southern border, not with the Muslim travel ban, not in North Korea, not in the Middle East, not even the time-bomb question he wanted inserted into our Census this time. B, He understandably wants none of us (and especially Congress and the news media) giving any sustained attention to these topics, these failures, so therefore, C, He lobs out smoke-bomb after smoke-bomb to constantly change the Story of the Day to his liking.

For this low strategy to keep working, it’s essential for Trump to make each outrage seem more vile than the last, because that’s what ensnares the daily media and most of his DC opposition. They are overwhelmed and don’t seem to know it.

And as long as this sleight of hand works for him, and the longer the opposition falls into the trap, the longer he will occupy the White House.