Trump conned by his own worst enemy: himself – and the fixated lunacy of believing his own BS

This lame-duck “has been” who “never really was” hits the jackass jackpot – looming, non-stop scrutiny, with revelations to send the victimization syndrome off the map

Except for two close national elections against weak, ill-chosen Democratic candidates, what has Trump the “public servant” ever won? No previous elections, no majority approvals ever, no escape from sexual harassment and tax fraud convictions, hardly admiration by irate ex-partners or abused vendors who’d never vote DT businessman of the year. And now behold the anything but adept politician, not passing systemic legislation (that lasts) and forever committing the inexcusable sin of not expanding your permanent base (of late losing it).

Would Trump have won the WH without nefarious PR shenanigans, domestic and foreign, plus scads of buried billionaire payola? Would not the scandal-free Bernie Sanders have been stronger than the baggage-laden Hilary, even party-rushed, unprimaried Harris? Despite superior qualifications, both women were tainted by the hawkish Dem establishment while battling enormous misogynist intolerance.

What now blares forth is exactly how unfit is Trump – and has always been, the least agile, most delusional, most ham-fisted of cheaters. His wins were more about lucky, post-Obama timing, not savvy or competence. His damning flaw, not knowing when to fold, even retreat, is most visible as loads of unforced, absurd scams hit the fan. That’s why the Carnage-in-chief plunges from one self-made fiasco (real and PR) to another. He just can’t help himself, inadvertently fueling his Legacy of Loserdom – with no end in sight. As his intimidation leverage fades, expect scores of anti-Trump revelations to surface, grist for his ever-turning scandal mill.

First term, Trump at least pandered on vaccines, Covid closures, distance and masks. He at least pandered to MAGA isolationism and its myopic hatred of foreign wars. He voiced hatred of taxes and government overreach – such that he en-cult-ified a base dying for novelty. But the second term – and spate of broken promises and betrayals, epitomizes Murphy’s Law (whatever can go wrong will go wrong). Even MAGA gags as the crudeness of his transactional trainwrecks. Tariffs sound good (to amateurs, for five minutes) but not as vanity-driven, punitive ploys to enhance faux power; thus outlaw tariffs implode, depressing job growth and CEO decisions, ruining inflation and key alliances. The perfect, Trump-made storms biting his own backside.

Threats and bluster can intimidate, even decapitate a surprised, weak Venezuelan potentate; they crush GOP dissent but even rank bludgeoning requires more nuance. Item: the whole nonsense that tens of millions aren’t paralyzed by affordability dilemmas makes Trumpers sound not just insular but wacko. Sending in ICE to arrest dangerous criminals might pass muster, but not when riveted around murdering law-abiding citizens and negligent deaths of caged (law-abiding) prisoners. Saber-rattling can work but not when TACO is your pet name – and never against loyal, unthreatening allies: Canada, Denmark and and key NATO members.

Breaking rules to show you’re “man enough”

Trump the spoiled brat rich kid never learned when to say when – certainly not when women yell “No” (Jean Carroll conviction, Epstein teens). Even when wholly unforced, Trump’s compulsion to lie alienates even his shocked base, many unpacking blinders. What’s more ludicrous than the iconic con devoid of bait (to switch)? Whether stupidly denying AI opposition, surging gas prices, low job growth, ICE abuses, election denial, or self-serving, tax paid “love me” ads, Trump and enablers are making Marie Antoinette look good. On top of which comes the Iran debacle, as the impregnable, roaring mouse blows away the “perfect” windbag.

Has Trump ever been good at anything except preying on easy marks, cheating associates and contractors, manipulating rules or using wealth to elude legal liabilities and crimes? The forever pissed off Tea Party gang, justly alienated from GOP elites (like Bushes or Romney), were ripe for the picking by a sneering schemer who feasts on barren grievances, Old-time religion, gun access, and disgust with secular modernism. Thus do clear victims of an unjust economic system make themselves double marks from an even worse, more costly betrayer.

Trump’s unexpected MAGA swindle caught and sustained a moment ten years ago – the opposite of stagnant figureheads in love with canned party verbiage. DT was/is a calculated deviation from smarter, polished professionals – and their expertise. Thus the opportunistic dictator’s gambit: make a hash of workable rules (to appear mavericky), invent whatever fantasies get attention and lie like a rug about everything – while demonizing foes as rabid foxes stalking free-range chickens. Be outlandish, turn the insult parade into political flashpoints, then use the suckered media to manufacture celebrity that traps the gullible. Do strongmen not appreciate how other despicable authoritarians, like Mussolini or Libya’s Gaddifi, end up disgraced, even abruptly punished?

Unstable losers destabilize their careers

Were Trump not the least aware politician in history, he would have retired in 2021. That culminated his malign influence, when jaw-dropping scads of Republicans cheered on ludicrous election lies (only when he loses). In further cognitive/ physical decay since 2021, Trump now ups his arrogance, craziness and outlandish attention stunts (on top of humiliating narcolepsy). True, low self-esteem losers can’t reconcile failure, especially to the well-worn Biden. Yes, re-election protected Trump from serious criminal indictments but also handed him irresistible opportunities to break even more laws and invite further, widespread penalties to come.

No doubt for a criminal mesmerized by blackballs and corruption, the 2020 loss reinforced his victimhood and created today’s vengeance crusade; the time allowed him to corral his enablers and banish competitors for the royal throne only he deserves. That over four years – rife with indictments, felony convictions, and outrages – did not alienate voters proves that a slick sleazebag can fool enough of the people enough of the time. What also surfaced is this law-breaker only got more daring, ready to break more laws, making vicious personal attacks, and prove for all time, on trade, war and foreign policy, he really is as dumb as a bag of rocks.

This disturbing voter negligence is what re-empowered this coiled spring of irrational destruction, producing maximum threats to viable democratic structures. Damage is accelerated by woeful Congressional Rethugs, winning all prizes for facilitating political regression. The same deluded voters suckered by the discredited Trump backed a fistful of equally ignorant, unprincipled House and Senate yahoos.

For rational adults, this brew of nation-impairing judgments, MAGA bubble-mentality, increasing senility, sleep disorders and cognitive decline could not be more obvious, verified in spades by all midterm polling. A retaken House and Senate can handcuff the MAGA rampage, but nothing short of Senate conviction after impeachment – or resignation because of “medical” complications – remove the most conspicuous loudmouth — but hardly the only threat.

Now a double impeachment/resignation – and a Dem House Speaker, now that would rattle everyone’s cages. In the end demolishing is easy, as with the East Wing; rebuilding takes longer and is far more daunting, with both unpredictable and unintended consequences.