Tragedy brings out Trump’s governing depravity

 Tragedy brings out Trump’s governing depravity

None of Trump’s 44 predecessors used tragedy to advance venal, authoritarian goals as president. They responded to tragedy as president of all Americans to alleviate pain and suffering in times of great national distress.

No so, Donald J. Trump. In his first week he visited fire ravaged Los Angeles, bringing his own firestorm of fear and loathing to beleaguered Angelinos. He used his bully pulpit to bully his political bête noir, Governor Gavin Newsom, disparaging him as Gov. Newscum. Then he conditioned federal help on California implementing MAGA governing plank Voter ID. That was sick.

But his response to the airliner, military helicopter collision that killed 67 was sicker still. He railed at a news conference, while bodies were still being pulled from the Potomac, implying it was caused by the Biden administration’s DEI, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion policy

This is not new territory for the mentally disintegrating president. He has demeaned real or imagined opponents for decades with McCarthy like attacks he learned firsthand from red baiting Sen. Joseph McCarthy’s attack dog turned Trump lawyer-fixer Roy Cohn.

But as Trump’s aging brain further decays, his governing in times of tragedy worsens by the day. Trump never governed as a decent, caring, supportive president for one day of the 1,461 days in his first term. In his second term he’s 0 for 12 with 1,449 sorrowful, tragic days to endure.