| Back to... |
Share Our Stories! - Click Here
|
 |
Trump Under
Assault |
| By
Stephen Lendman |
| Turnover in Washington happens in all administrations, Steve Bannon the
latest Trump departure. According to the National Journal, a Washington-based research and advisory service on government affairs, the average turnover during a four-year presidential term is 72%, an average of 44 staffers leaving the White House. If Trump’s first year in office ended today, his turnover rate would about match the average since the Reagan administration. Excluding rollovers from previous administrations and positions requiring Senate confirmation, eight high-level staffers left or were fired so far. What’s different from previous administrations is how the anti-Trump media chorus made the turnover headline events - treating the ordinary as unusual, blaming Trump for what’s happened, part of the ongoing plot to denigrate and remove him from office. Things seem headed in this direction, a slow-motion coup d’etat attempt to oust a sitting president. If occurs, it’ll be unprecedented. The Constitution’s Article I, Section 2 empowers House members to impeach a sitting president, Senate members with sole power to try them. Article II, Section 4 states “(t)he President, Vice President and all civil officers of the United States, shall be removed from office on impeachment for, and conviction of, treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.” Views on any issues aren’t impeachable offenses, no matter how extreme, offensive or different from most others in government only criminal acts too severe to ignore, open to interpretation, given how egregiously America operates at home and abroad with bipartisan support. Aside from war crimes and serving monied interests exclusively, major wrongdoing no US president was ever held accountable for, Trump isn’t guilty of an impeachable offense. No US president was ever removed from office this way. John Adams once said it would take a national convulsion to do it. Will dark forces in Washington break tradition? Democrats, some Republicans and media scoundrels oppose him. He’s bashed relentlessly no matter what he does or doesn’t do - at home and abroad. Most everything he says is used against him. Investigative journalist Wayne Madsen reported European nations may stage a diplomatic boycott against him by recalling their ambassadors in Washington, leaving charges d’affairs in charge - over the dubious accusation of supporting Nazi sympathizers and KKK elements in Charlottesville. A week ago, he “condemn(ed) in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence. It has no place in America,” adding: “Racism is evil, and those who cause violence in its name are criminals and thugs, including the KKK, neo-Nazis, white supremacists and other hate groups that are repugnant…” Strong stuff ignored because he blamed both sides for Charlottesville violence - a correct assessment his critics failed to report, using last weekend’s violence as a way to further denigrate and weaken him. Administration turnover aside, Trump disbanded two high-profile business advisory councils last Wednesday after a number of participating CEOs quit over his remarks about Charlottesville. Pentagon army, navy, marine corps and air force chiefs of staff criticized him for his comments, along with the national guard head, unfairly blaming him for fanning the flames of racial hatred and extremism. Plenty about Trump’s agenda and performance in office warrants strong criticism. Instead of holding him accountable for the right reasons, things are invented, distorted or exaggerated, part of a plot to remove him from office. Anti-globalist Bannon’s departure leaves hawkish generals and Wall Street in charge of administration policies, Trump largely hostage to their agenda, his position weaker with another loyalist gone. Maybe his family members and Kellyanne Conway are the only ones left he can trust. He’s increasingly isolated with barbarians at the gate circling to oust him. For the first time in US history, it could happen. It looks increasingly likely unless Republicans ally to prevent a “national convulsion.” VISIT MY NEW WEB SITE: stephenlendman.org (Home - Stephen Lendman). Contact at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. My newest book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III." http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network. |