By BILL SHARKEY III
Martinez Gazette Columnist
UNBELIEVABLE (maybe not) were the words of the occupant of the office of the most powerful leader in the world: “As I have stated strongly before, and just to reiterate, if Turkey does anything that I, in my great and unmatched wisdom, consider to be off limits, I will totally destroy and obliterate the economy of Turkey.”
If there is anymore reason required to place the speaker in a straight jacket, or some other confinement to prevent a worldwide calamity, let’s hear it. This statement was made after he ordered the pullout of U. S. forces from Syria, against the strong objections of powerful members of the GOP and, apparently with little or no advice or counsel from experts in the Pentagon or State Department. How do we, the nation in peril from a derailed autocrat, let this behavior continue? What final disastrous decision will bring the walls come tumblin’ down around us?
Each day there is some new revelation which makes our hair stand on end. For the past 33 months since January 20, 2017 (really since November 6, 2016 election night….or was it the day he came down the escalator in Trump Tower to announce his candidacy?) we’ve been in a Looney Tunes-like atmosphere. While we’ve suffered from poorly-selected top officials, most of whom have split the scene by choice or ousted by their one-time benefactor because being “dumb as a rock”, a “loser”, “lazy” or some other wonderful phrase following their farewell, those have been in-house dealings. Now we are dealing with potential earth-shaking decisions made by a top-flight know-it-all narcissist who needs to be gone from the position. Will it be by impeachment or by the 2020 national election?
Or, will the departure be caused by too many cheeseburgers and milk shakes in the diet?
The cracks appearing to be increasing in number and width as some of his most staunch supporters in the GOP leadership have begun noticeably to push back publicly, something most ot them have been too chicken to do until now. The feeling has been that it’s not good to question the boss, or you will be back in civilian life, in the unemployment line and being beat over the head with tweets.
However, as we approach deadline for this column, several prominent GOP leaders have made a pushback over the abrupt pullout of U. S. forces from Syria leaving Kurdish forces hanging out to dry after being staunch allies to our forces for years. Does Senator Lindsay Graham, a close political buddy of the Oval Office Guy mean anything? Hope so.
A very telling statement/claim made recently regarding his status, as he sees it, was his impeachment would cause a ‘civil war’ in our country. What a thought from the head of our nation!! Even if he whispered it to his closest minions and family, and not broadcast world-wide, the thought is in his head. And, from past actions in this presidency, such uprising or protests would be like a cherry on the chocolate sundae for this self-serving individual. As recent history has shown us, we have a rocky road ahead. It’s also a scary trip we are facing.
As someone once said, “Keep the faith, Brother.”
SWEAT AND FUN brought in $92,000 for the Martinez Education Foundation as some 760 runners and walkers made their way through the streets of our community on Sunday, September 29th. This year’s Shell/MEF Run for Education ‘haul’ brings the total from this annual event to $916,000 since it began in 2003. Such a terrific endeavor to make our kids’ education opportunities the best we can provide for them. We are a community of doers.
CHEERS for the $30,000 provided to the Boys and Girls Club of Contra Costa to develop its Teen Center. Thanks to Shell Oil Company.