“Dilemma of the American Constitution”

In the early 1960s, America was introduced to a new brand of British satirical comedy. Beyond the Fringe was a comedy stage revue written and performed by Alan Bennett (The Madness of King George, The Lady in the Van), Peter Cook (The Princess Bride), Dudley Moore (10, Arthur), and Jonathan Miller (The Body in Question). These four writer/performers have been credited with introducing Americans to a new brand of off-the-wall British comedy, opening doors to the stylings of Monty Python’s Flying Circus, The Secret Policeman’s Ball, and Faulty Towers, among many others.

So, why bring up an obscure British comedy? No, I am not an Anglophile. Okay, I enjoy a frequent British ale. And good Scotch… And gin… And I love fish and chips… And bangers and mash… And I drive an old Morris Minor… So maybe I am an Anglophile, but that isn’t the ONLY reason I mention it. There is an exchange during one particular routine that seems to address some of our current political troubles:

Moore: “Of Course you know the Americans must be frightfully jealous of our Royal Family.”
*mumbled agreement*
Bennett: “Except there is a sense where the President is the Queen and Prime Minister all rolled into one.”
Moore: “One what?”
Bennett: “Exactly, that’s the whole dilemma of the American Constitution.”

Perhaps, after over 50 years, we are finally realizing the dilemma Alan Bennett mentioned. Are we now finding a new answer to the question Moore asked? I believe we have.

For years, many Americans have replaced the adoration of the British royal family with worship of beauty and wealth. In addition to Trump, many Americans have followed the exploits of Paris Hilton, the Kardashian family, and numerous A and B list Hollywood celebrities. This adoration of the rich and beautiful has permeated our nation’s elections.

Since the televised debates between John Kennedy and Richard Nixon (many attribute Kennedy’s win, in part, to his more polished appearance over that of Nixon), there has been a growing emphasis on the appearance of our Presidential candidates rather than their policies or integrity. After all, Trump is the second President who can attribute his election, in part, to his past celebrity.

So does this mean the worship of wealth has translated into the creation of an American monarchy? If this is not the case, then someone should have mentioned to our current President that he is, in fact, not a king. After just over 100 days serving as the President, Donald Trump has done his best to establish himself as a new American Monarch. Consider some of his actions since taking the oath of office:

• Executive Orders are presented with the fanfare of royal proclamations.
• The Presidential admiration of dictators such as Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, and Kim Jong-un.
• His staff and publicists have been contradicted and have contradicted themselves during numerous interviews--often within the same sentence.
• His first National Security Advisor was forced to resign, after serving less than a month, due to allegations of impropriety.
• The presentation of “alternate facts”.
• His daughter, (Princess) Ivanka, has an office in the West Wing and is a “special advisor.”
• He has fired high-ranking government employees for simply not agreeing with him or swearing loyalty to him, such as former Acting Attorney General Sally Yates and former F.B.I. Director James Comey. (I wonder if--in private--he yelled “off with their heads.”)
• The American tax payers are paying for the security of  Trump Tower to protect (Queen) Melania and (Prince) Barron who, at the time of this writing, have yet to move into the White House.
• His son-in-law, (Prince) Jared, has been assigned multiple tasks varying from making government run more efficiently to bringing peace to the Middle-east.  Prior to the Trump Presidency, Jared Kushner’s largest business deal, apart from being born into wealth, was the purchase of an office building for a record $1.8 billion that lost money and value following the 2008 crash.
• Oh, and did I mention alleged collusion with Russia?

Can anyone imagine a previous administration getting away with such action? In less than a year? Barack Obama had his very citizenship questioned by people who were unaware that Hawaii is a state. George H. W. Bush was criticized when he fell ill during a Japanese state dinner. Nixon resigned in disgrace because he attempted to cover-up the Watergate break in. Bill Clinton got caught lying about having sex with an intern and was impeached!

These offences seem to pale in comparison to the ongoing Constitutional clusterf*ck that is the Trump Administration. Americans are confronted every week, every day with at best, dishonesty, and at worst, treasonous behavior. Yet with all of this insanity, Trump still has an approval rating hovering around 36 percent. These Trump supporters, mainly conservatives, would have never supported a President with ties to Russia, an enemy. Is this simply "team loyalty," turning politics into a grotesque spectator sport? Or, perhaps, these Trump supporters are not supporting their President. Maybe they are devoted to their monarch, to someone they see as, dare I say it, as their heaven-sent King.

-- Food For Thought