Odd to suggest when we’re 18 months past that inauguration day that so many won’t forget (for many reasons), but there was something bothering me about Dump and his whole approach to becoming president (and now that he is president).
A year and a half has convinced me that he doesn’t want to be president and never did.
He wants to be king.
And that’s what he always wanted.
Again–this is a theory. But the way he holds himself and approaches the job smacks of the Divine Right of Kings coming back out of centuries-old Europe.
He has the “blessing” of many religious figureheads and congregants, some of whom have stated repeatedly that the man was sent by God to save the country.
He’s demanded loyalty to himself, not the nation and what it stands for, on several occasions in the early days (and probably still does). This reminds me of European kings who would invade and trade territories every couple of decades, so the people would have to swear allegiance to this new king, even if he’d never stepped foot on the territory and couldn’t speak the language.
He has a rotating cabinet (council of advisers) that he rarely listens to, unless they pander to his ego or whims first. And if they don’t do what he wants for long, he either gets them to resign or they do so out of frustration. Which leaves them on the outs, and he with more control.
He tweets and rallies (makes direct addresses and appeals to the people) to keep himself noticed and in their favor, bypassing and lessening the influence of the representatives (lords) that are supposed to be closer to the people. He hopes to break this hold entirely and establish a cult of personal devotion to himself, and inspire rebellion against those representatives who don’t or won’t devote themselves to him alone.
If you support him, you are a good, loyal American. If you don’t, you’re “the other” and should be gotten rid of…somehow.
He does not try to guide policy, but actively create it: laws, established structures, and the judiciary be damned. If it’s not his idea, it’s not worth discussing.
He’s put family and close friends in positions of power, whether deserving, experienced, or otherwise. When that doesn’t quite work, he invents places to put them so he has a “loyalty bubble” around him.
He has a firm belief that only he can get things done, that that’s why he’s the head of government…never mind the thousands of people in various levels and the cabinet (council) itself that actively write and discuss policy (or try to pretty up speeches). This is most noticed in Dump’s continuous use of the word “I” regarding what happens daily in government.
I can’t recall the last time the word “we” escaped his lips during his presidency, except perhaps a few slips when he was at a rally with his hard-core supporters.
He tests the established order to get what he wants.
He alienates leaders of other nations (kingdoms) who will not agree with him or do what he wants them to, and threatens them when they don’t give him what he wants.
He flatters national leaders who have more power in their hands than he does, admiring their ruthlessness and force of personality.
I can’t help but feel that D.T. is a throwback to a lord who became king in the Feudal ages, one who helped establish Divine Right. A person corrupted by absolute power who would only get worse.
This makes me worry about us, the American People. It hit me this morning that I had to throw this theory out there, because this thought came to me: does D.T. consider the American People citizens, or serfs?
Floor’s yours if you want it…
The Chatty Introvert 
The way he deals with traditional allies, I think he thinks he is supposed to be emperor, not just king.
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I was startled at the lack of basic decorum in the pictures I saw with he and the queen. I mean, it would probably only take 5 minutes to get a brush up on do’s and dont’s with the Queen of England. After all, she’s been around longer, you’re a guest in her country, and she’s 92 years old. He looks like he doesn’t even notice she’s there in the inspection of the guard–he’s in front of her, a lot taller, instead of by her side at least, walking at her pace. She could be using a walker and barely creeping along–doesn’t matter.
I know they’re calling it a Royal faux-pas, but I just thought it was practical, common-sense manners: if you’re a guest, and it’s someone’s home (especially if they’re elderly), you defer to them and do things at their pace. Anybody would be damned offended if someone treated their grandmother like that, and this woman’s Queen!
Apparently, Dump’s misogyny has no age limit. I foolishly hoped there would be one.
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It is quite apparent that for Trump, respect is a one way street going only toward him. Any respect he shows for someone else is strictly a pretense for manipulation.
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And to think there’s 2 and a half more years of these shenanigans…and I doubt we’re close to the bottom of the barrel of “abhorrent and uncomfortable” yet.
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Alas, it is a deep barrel.
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Wow! When I was wasting time reading Alternet and Common Dreams I should’ve been over here reading serious, thought-provoking and thoughtFUL, intelligent writing! Remember what he kept saying to Comey about loyalty — I thought it was his mafia roots coming through — but it makes just as much sense with your argument that he wants to be king. Concerning our serfdom … it isn’t just the trumptard that thinks we’re serfs,* it is literally the majority of the 1% of this country — if we’re serfs then we are easier to ignore or get rid of.
I’m not a serf; I’m a peon!
Pwr 2 the ANGRY peons!
GUILLOTINE COMPLACENCY!
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Indeed– I’m baffled at how naked the greed and arrogance is. I mean, I always suspected it was there somewhere, but they don’t bother to hide it anymore, and they still have supporters among the serfs/peons. That’s what puzzles me so much. It’s getting dangerous to be a thinking person in this country (or trying to stay one, even). Well, I’m hanging onto my history degree with my fingernails, dammit, and I’ll keep reading and educating myself.
Bookworm revolution! How many read-ins would it take to make Dump apoplectic with fury (especially if none of the participants were reading The Art of the Deal)? Hmm…
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How many read-ins would it take? ONE, b/c he doesn’t read … he truly is the IQ45 😈 *He might be able to entertain himself for a few minutes (very few) if someone was reading his ghostwritten book, but he’d even lose interest in that within 30 minutes. Couldn’t read him any of Shel Silverstein’s books b/c his eyes would glaze over in the first 10 minutes due to his inability to understand poetry; and reading him The Giving Tree would just make him angry b/c the tree in the story GIVES when all he does is TAKE!
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EXCELLENT post! (I just saw the link on Scottie’s blog.) And yes … just as true (if not more so) today, at the end of 2019, as it was when you wrote it.
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