One of the challenges of writing a blog, particularly one which focuses on politics, is finding fresh perspectives on under-reported events.  The last thing you want to do is be part of an echo chamber.  For that reason, I have tried to avoid piling on where other reporters and pundits have done a sufficient job of making a case against the current occupant in the White House.

However, there is always a breaking point.  So rather than trying to be original, my goal in this post is to start connecting the dots between what Donald Trump says and the way different pundits are addressing his comments.  The particular event which triggered this post was Trump’s use of an example to fortify his claim (though widely discredited) he would have won the popular vote if not for 3-5 million illegal votes cast for Hillary Clinton.  Ironically, the first person charged with voter fraud during the 2016 election was Terri Lynn Rote, a 55 year-old Trump supporter from Des Moines, Iowa.

During a Monday White House reception for the bi-partisan leadership of Congress, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer asked what evidence Trump had to justify the claim of massive voter fraud.  According to several attendees, Trump used the example of professional golfer Bernard Langer, who he said is a friend and had told him about his voting experience in Florida on election day.  According to Trump, Langer was not allowed to vote while watching others who did not appear to be eligible voters (Trump suggested they were likely from Latin American countries) were allowed to cast provisional ballots.

Langer’s daughter Christina responded to Trump’s claim as follows:

He is a citizen of Germany. He is not a friend of President Trump’s, and I don’t know why he would talk about him.

In other words, within a single, short narrative, Trump again chose “alternative facts” over reality.  To paraphrase Elizabeth Barrett Browning, “How much do I lie to thee, let me count the ways?”

1. Langer is in the United States on a permanent residence status and is therefore barred from voting.
2. Therefore, Langer had no reason to be in a line on election day.
3. Therefore, he would not be in a position to judge who else in line might be an ineligible voter.
4. Therefore, he was not blocked from voting.
5. Although Langer has played golf with Trump, he is neither a friend nor supporter.

Five lies in a single anecdote.  Possibly a new Trump record.  What the Lyin’ King didn’t realize is his anecdote, if actually true, makes the opposite case.  A non-citizen was blocked from voting.  And questionable voters had to go through the provisional ballot process.  The voting integrity process works exactly as it is designed to do.

I thought about calling this post, “The Man-Child Who Cried Wolf,” but Bob Cesca, managing editor of The Daily Banter, beat me to it.  Yesterday, on the Stephanie Miller radio show, he explained why lying about the little things will have serious future implications.  Cesca expects there will be a real crisis when Trump needs Americans to believe him about the perceived threat and his chosen response.  The longer and more consistently Trump and his minions present lies as reality, the less likely he will be able to rally Americans behind any course of action regardless how legitimate it might be.

Which brings me to Keith Olberman.  After observing the first few days of the new administration, he believes Trump represents a clear and present danger to the future of the United States and the planet.  In commentary for Gentleman’s Quarterly he warns any attempt to oust Trump from office must not be seen as a liberal, Democratic plot.  Rational conservatives and Republicans must be part of the group that walks into the oval office and says, “Enough is enough.”

But how does one make that happen? Olberman suggests we forego disagreements about policy in the short term.  Instead, based on Trump’s behavior since the inauguration, we approach Trump supporters and only ask one question.  “Can you look me straight in the eyes and honestly say there is not something seriously wrong with this man?”  Olberman admits that a small segment of Trump supporters are as unstable as their leader and will never join the movement.

But we do not need everyone.  Sometimes one is enough.  Remember, it was Barry Goldwater who told Richard Nixon he needed to resign.  Surely, there is at least one more Barry Goldwater among the Republican faithful.

For what it’s worth.
Dr. ESP