Friday, January 12, 2018

Af Al Pi Kein... (Nevertheless...)

The President of the United States
I can’t. I just can’t! He has gone too far. What he said yesterday sickens me. I cannot support our President no matter how pro Israel he has been; no matter how accommodating to the Orthodox Jewish community he has been.  

The things he has done for us no President before him has done. Just to name a few of the more obvious ones: his recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel; the commutation of Rubashkin’s sentence to time served; his choice of a very pro Israel US ambassador to Israel - who is an Orthodox Jew; and the appointment of a superb UN representative  whose eloquence on behalf of Israel has never been articulated as forcefully as it is now.

Then there is the fact that his daughter and son in law are observant Jews (if not fully Orthodox); his grandchildren are Jewish, and one of his top advisers on Israel is a pro Israel Orthodox Jew.

And then there are other things he has done not specifically targeted toward us. Which have nonetheless benefited us. Among those other things - his tax cuts will put more money in our pockets (at least for those of us living outside of high tax states like New York and California); his pro business approach to the economy has spiked an unprecedented bull market on the various stock exchanges. Which has substantially increased the value of retirement accounts (like 401Ks or IRAs) invested in them. 

Yes, these are all good things. For which we should all be grateful. Nevertheless, this man should resign. He should not be the President of the United States.  

This was obvious to me before the election. It should have been obvious to anyone with any sense of dignity. And even more obvious now. What he said about immigration from countries that are populated mostly by poor black people can only be said by a man who is racist at his core. I am not going to repeat his racist condescending vulgarities. Anyone even slightly following the news already knows what he said. For those who don’t - a quick Google search will get you there in a hurry. (Not that any refined individual would want to go there.)

There is no explaining it away. Trying to do so will only reinforce the obvious. Saying that he meant that he prefers educated immigrants from more developed countries over uneducated ones from underdeveloped countries is just a more polite way of saying the same thing. But he didn’t bother being polite. His diarrhea of the brain prevents  him from thinking before he speaks. The man who calls himself a genius is anything but!

It’s a good thing that this great country is so strong. Because that means that we can survive this man. The country will continue to flourish. And most of the rest of the world who is so disgusted with him will just wait it out. Although that wait might just last another 7 years.

One might ask, how on earth can a man who is so obviously unqualified – even after being given a chance to rise to the occasion once in office – and failing - be re-elected? That question was almost as legitimate before he was elected. No one expected he would win the Republican nomination, let alone the Presidency, least of all the President himself. He showed us who he was well before November of 2016. Believing he might change once in office was just wishful thinking. He won despite his obvious flaws, lack of any experience in public service, or any real qualification for office. With 80% of Orthodox Jewry having voted for him!

Why? How could such a man win? The short answer is that it was the will of God. For reasons known only to Him, he wanted this egotistic, narcissistic, immoral, infantile, vulgar man to become the leader of the free world. The President won the election against all odds. Now that the odds against his re-election are greater, it won’t matter. I have a feeling he will be re-elected despite his historically low public approval ratings.

I hope I’m wrong. I don’t want to see another 7 years of this embarrassment of a human being leading this country. But at the same time, I also hope that the very pro Israel administration that is also friendly to so many Orthodox Jewish values continues. I fear that his Democratic opponent in the next election will not be as friendly; reverse some of his pro Israel decisions; and replace his pro Israel foreign policy staff with a more ‘even handed’ one.

Which is why I am hoping for an impeachment – and removal from office. Or a possible resignation from office. Because his replacement, the Vice President, will be just as pro Israel and friendly to many Orthodox Jewish values as the current President is, if not more so. And he will restore the honor and dignity to the Oval Office that the current occupant has sledge-hammered out of existence.

I am hoping for it. But I don’ see it happening. Because I believe the President has not done anything impeachable. And all of these investigations will end with a giant thud.  Besides - as I said, if it’s God’s will that he remain in office, he will.

But one can hope. And pray.