During the last year, we learned a great deal. The most upsetting fact is that the leaders of our government cannot be believed or trusted. Trump has failed to speak the truth once during his first year. Senate Majority Leader, Mitch McConnell, has bowed to Trump’s every demand, and has lost the small amount of credibility he once retained. The biggest disappointment is Speaker Paul Ryan.

Ryan was once a respected and intelligent voice, he has become Trump’s ‘boy toy.’ He no longer offers his support for the American people; his only loyalty is to his fuhrer.

Trump, McConnell, and Ryan are not trustworthy. For a year they have operated our government with partisan politics, and this is pure fascism.

The government has been shutdown. The blame can be placed directly on Donald Trump’s shoulders. A week ago he asked for a bipartisan solution to the major problems which must be addressed in the budget; he promised to sign it regardless of its content. On Friday he was presented with that plan, and he refused to accept it. No one is sure what he wants.

Trump is a political neophyte. He has no knowledge about how to govern. His advice on the shutdown comes from hardliners on immigration, John Kelly and Stephen Miller. These extremists are encouraging Trump to refuse to negotiate.

The Senate is the key. Both Democrats and Republicans are refusing to settle for less than the right thing. McConnell has made overtures, but Democrats and Republicans have stated the fact that they do not trust him. For example, during the effort to pass tax reform, the majority leader gave promises to Republican Senator Susan Collins relating to Medicaid payments for the citizens of Maine. After she voted in favor of the bill, he reneged on his promises.

McConnell has made efforts to harm the American people for more than 30 years. During that time he failed to attach his name to a single significant piece of legislation.

Ryan is not without blame either. The bill he sent to the Senate was finalized after he capitulated to the right wing extremist group which calls itself the “Freedom Caucus.” It was doomed from day one to fail in the Senate.

Please spread the truth; thank you.

Op-ed by James Turnage

SOURCE

Image courtesy of DonkeyHotey

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