Uncomfortable Laughter

“In less than two years, my administration has accomplished more than almost any administration in the history of our country.”

—Mr. Trump, Address to the U.N., 9-25-18

This statement was answered by audible laughter from the assembly of the world’s diplomats and leaders.

Mr. Trump is right, in a way. This administration has done more than almost any administration: more to tear apart and divide, more to disparage and denigrate the poor, more to gut the social safety net, more to isolate the U.S. from its traditional allies, more to align with demagogues and dictators, more to erase environmental protections, more to advance the interests of corporations and Wall Street over the vast majority of citizens, more to increase an already corpulent military, more to lower the bar of what makes America great, more to scapegoat those who aren’t of the correct class and skin color, more to push the agenda of personal interest over the common good.

Some may claim that he has done more to enhance our economy through his taxation and trade policies than previous administrations. Some metrics may make these policies look like great successes. Certain news sources aligned with the Trump agenda love to crow about this “success.” I saw a particularly authoritarian-themed propaganda message on a certain media outlet while on the elliptical machine at the Y this morning. While these sycophantic ideologues tout these successes, digging a bit deeper shows just how shallow these claims are—the “real” unemployment rate is 7.4%, rising costs of household essentials are outpacing paltry wage gains, the rate of economic inequality increase continues unabated, and infrastructure continues to crumble. Sure, corporate profits are great, shareholder dividends are peachy and CEO pay is astronomical, but what does that do for the bottom lines of most Americans?

The demagogic, narcissistic reality TV showmanship of Mr. Trump, the smoke and mirrors and daily Maury Povich-level dramas emanating from the White House and the spinelessness of our purported leaders are leading us down a dangerous and dark road. The laughter of the world’s leaders at Mr. Trump’s inflated claims weren’t the guffaws following a well-timed witty comeback. Nor were they polite tee-heeing in nature. The laughs were those uncomfortable kinds that accompany the bombastic and boorish claims of someone with whom you’d rather not be in the room.