Making America Less Great

While waiting for Ann to come out of the OR and the Recovery Unit, I began to daydream about becoming President.  

If he-who-shall-not-be-named has preempted Make America Great Again, what does that leave for an aspiring leader as I? (Sorry; must remember to look populist: ". . .like me.") Perhaps I could set about making America less great than ever.  Let's think, now, where would one start?

Well, I might consider unraveling our historical commitment to self-determination and being spokesperson for democracy.  To begin,  maybe embrace some autocrats, Putin, Erdogan, Duterte, Salman for starters, and invite some of the unseemly ones to the White House.  Erdogan and Rezak would be good candidates.  But just to keep people on their toes, I might also squabble with some others, such as Xi and Un and the Ayatollah.  

Second, tackle our reputation for trustworthiness.  We need a little doubt in the world.  What about revoking trade agreements and repudiating international pacts?  That Paris Accord would sow some good doubt and distrust, and NAFTA -- that would really shake things up.

And spread doubt here at home, too.  Maybe raise awareness of how far our infrastructure has been weakened by deferred maintenance -- and then do nothing at all about it.  Frustration is good for making folks think we're not so great as we used to be. 

And fear; fear is good.  Let's expand our nuke inventory and make some idle threats. And look unstable; instability puts people on edge. Let's show that FDR was wrong; we have lots to fear other than fear itself.

Third, I might push America further down in the world rankings of health -- more premature deaths, more addiction, less women's health support, less of a health-care safety net, the most expensive system in the world.  There must be ways to do that. 

Oh, and that equality ideal Jefferson kept writing about? (All the while sleeping with a female slave, using his power position to dominate a woman -- what a deal.) I guess we could give special benes for wealth and make sure the one tenth of one percent get even further ahead of the rest.  

Speaking of Jefferson, what about tolerance and religious freedom?  Perhaps embrace Christian Evangelicals who think they have the inside track on redemption, and teach Americans to be suspicious of non-Christians?

Golly, there's a lot one can do to Make-America-Less-Great-Than-Ever. And then arrange to get booted out of office and really polarize the country.  Can't wait to get started!

PS I know -- this isn't funny.  It’s damn serious!