By Edwin Cooney
How many times have you inquired of someone, “what do you think of this or that?” and they responded: “I don’t know for sure because I’m of two minds about that.” Perhaps you’ve never had that kind of a conversation with anyone, but I can assure you I’ve experienced many of those conversations over the years. I’ll also confess that seldom am I of one mind over a public issue or personality. Thus, I’m of “many minds” on the subject of Donald Trump’s presidency. It doesn’t matter whether you love, merely support, are indifferent, dislike, or even hate Mr. Trump. You might be enthusiastic about his priorities, his background, or who he isn’t (namely Hillary Clinton), and yet you can reasonably be unsettled about the way he responds to a situation or how effective he is with both his friends and enemies.
Personally, I’ve accepted his presidency as I have always accepted the election of the leadership of the political party I oppose. Sometimes that has been difficult.(Specifically, the election results in 1980 and 1988 were hard for me to swallow). However, I came to have some tolerance and even affection for Presidents Reagan and George H. W. Bush! Second, whether I like it or not, the person who receives 270 electoral votes is lawfully the President of the United States of America, period — end of discussion. However, that doesn’t mean that I have to like it!
Back in 1960, former President Truman originally backed Missouri Senator Stuart Symington for the Democratic presidential nomination. However, once the balloting was over, Mr. Truman told reporters that he wholly supported Senator John F. Kennedy and Senator Lyndon B. Johnson for election to the offices of President and Vice President of the United States. Then he added, “That is all the answer you need. The National Democratic Convention is the law for the Democratic Party. I am a Democrat and I follow the law.”
The hard truth is that I’ve found absolutely nothing admirable about President Trump whether it’s his money, his business acumen, or his political creed (if he even has one). So, there you have one of my minds about President Trump. Then, there’s his irresponsible behavior. Even today, I would scold my lads if they behaved toward others in such a rude, crude manner as our president. Thus you have my second mind, or mindset, as I consider President Trump’s behavior. Ah! but I have a third mind, or mindset, about the president’s survival in office.
I think it is increasingly evident that many Republicans are very disenchanted with President Trump’s bullying, bragging leadership style. They certainly weren’t overwhelmed or cowed back in mid-March when he told the House leadership to either get on board with his version of repealing Obamacare “or else.” House Freedom Caucus Republicans simply rejected it. Perhaps that was the president’s first taste of bitter reality as it pertains to politics: orders may be bullets in business or in the military, but they are often marshmallows in politics! Be that as it may, I’m beginning to get a sense of satisfaction with the ongoing and increasingly tense relationship between President Trump and the various elements of 21st Century Republican Conservatism. It’s amazing to me how willing the party is to tolerate the president’s brand of behavior, when, just a heartbeat away, there resides Michael Richard Pence, a perfectly acceptable socio/political conservative — solid in mind, body and spirit. There are those who insist that the Republicans will gang up on the president and declare him “disabled,” under previsions of the 25th Amendment to the Constitution if the GOP takes a shellacking in the 2018 congressional elections. Under that amendment, if the Vice President and two thirds of the cabinet and two thirds of both houses of Congress submit to the President pro tempore of the Senate that the President is unable to assume his duties, then the Vice President will become the Acting President. (Note: the above is the concluding portion of the Twenty-fifth Amendment, not the whole document.) The point is, without impeaching the president, the GOP Congress could nullify his powers and turn them over to Mike Pence.
I hope they don’t. It’s likely, as I see it, that President Trump and his fellow Republicans are sufficiently dysfunctional as things stand and, except in matters where our national security is at stake, Trumpian and GOP dysfunction suits me just fine, thank you very much!
As stated above, I’m of more than one mind on many topics. For instance, I consider myself a Christian, but I struggle with some Christian doctrine. I’m a Democrat, however, I’m not terribly “pro choice” when it comes to abortion rights. I love my lads, but I often disliked what they did while growing up. I’m a Yankees fan, but the Steinbrenners almost always make me nervous!
As disconcerting as it often is to have more than “one mind,” I’m as certain as I can be that, in the long run, uncertainty is mentally, emotionally and even spiritually healthy!
Your next question to me ought to be: “Are you sure about that?”
And my response would be: “Sure… Struggle is sometimes painful, but comfort is too often mentally, emotionally, and spiritually stultifying!”
If you press me further by demanding to know why that is, I’d say: “Beats the hell out of me!”
RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED,
EDWIN COONEY
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