Damned out of his own mouth
Trump also used the National Prayer Rice Krispies to tell the assembled multitude not to worry about his belligerent phone calls to heads of state who have the bad taste not to be Putin.
Mr. Trump also went off topic in his address to the National Prayer Breakfast. He told the audience not to worry about reports that he had held tempestuous phone calls with the leaders of allies Australia and Mexico, saying a tough approach was long overdue.
“When you hear about the tough phone calls, don’t worry,” he said. “We’re being taken advantage of by countries around the world. It’s time for us to be a little tough. It’s not going to happen anymore.”
Yeah, that Australia, man – robbing us blind, they are.
Mr. Trump talked about the influence of faith in his own life, referring to the family Bible, which was used when he took the oath of office at his inauguration. His mother, he said, read to him from that Bible during his childhood.
“America is a nation of believers,” he said. “The quality of our lives is not defined by our material success, but by our spiritual success.”
Is that right? Well then I hate to break it to you, Donnie from Queens, but the quality of your life is in the toilet. You are the emptiest human being I have ever observed.
Given the vague and flexible meanings of the word “spiritual,” we really can’t say Trump’s not a “spiritual success.” A lot of Christians seem to think spiritual success involves smashing the wall of separation between church and state and repealing the laws permitting abortion — in which case Donnie looks like he’s well on his way to glory.
True, but in context, I take his speechwriter to be intending to say something closer to the meaning that religious people use to flatter themselves. He’s mouthing a very orthodox platitude there about how religiosity makes people better, more elevated, more filled with virtue, all that – not more thoughtful, exactly, because that’s so unfortunately likely to lead to Doubts and then full-on infidelity, but more…pseudo-thoughtful. More deep-thinky. So if he’s going to mouth platitudes of that kind when he so patently doesn’t believe them for an instant, I’m gonna hold him to them.
What, to date he’s been doing so swimmingly. In the toilet. Only training he ever took but boy did he take it.
That put me in mind of training my dog. He pushes the boundaries a bit, I apply gentle correction. It doesn’t happen any more. Is that how he sees his relationship with other world leaders? The trainer?
Great. Now I’ve got bits of irony meter all over the carpet. That was an expensive one, too.
Graham, you’re going to have to invest in the super-hyper-heavy duty mega-Irony meter that can deal with irony at the speed of light without imploding. This administration will require nothing less.
Some Australians (like me) are already extremely sceptical in regard to the value of the US alliance and would like to see it terminated, so Trump’s hubris can only help the cause.
RJW, without doubt Australia benefited over NZ post ANZUS in terms of military equipment supply, information sharing and general jollies. Of course you also got dragged (somewhat willingly) into sundry wars as a combatant which seems to have elevated your status as a target for terrorists. I did note that Australia didn’t seem to get better trade deals or otherwise special treatment so even the purported benefits seem mixed from the outside.
In general countries have interests in common, rather than friends, unlike individuals. Take our countries. It would be hard to find two nations with a more blended history, familial relationship and interests in common. Even so our big brother is pretty quick to slam the door when it suits their interest, mate-ship be damned.
Rob,
I wasn’t claiming any moral superiority. Our government was ready to write off the East Timorese because of Australia’s strategic interests until we finally found our moral compass and intervened. Now of course we spy on them and try to impose our version of the 9 dash line.
The underlying point is the problem of alliances between a superpower and a minor power, there’s no such thing as an insurance policy. Despite our loyal help and huge losses in WW1, the British abandoned Australia in 1942 because it was in their strategic interests to do so. The US came to our aid because it was also in their strategic interests, America wasn’t an ally. So far the only effect of our alliance with the US is to acquire America’s enemies, I can’t help thinking of the fate of Athen’s loyal ally, Plataea.
Alliances, such as NATO are of course different there are common strategic interests.
I have to reply to your last paragraph. During most of the 20th century Australia and NZ ignored each other, ANZAC is essentially a myth. NZ has decided on its own independent foreign policy.
As for ‘slamming the door’, New Zealanders have the privilege of visa free entry into Australia, no other nationality has that advantage. And you understand as a Kiwi, that if ever NZ had a serious security issue or another devastating earthquake, “who you gonna call?”.
RJW, no worries mate!
I know you weren’t claiming that, and for the record I’m not either. Depending on our government we’ve done some pretty shitty stuff from time to time.
As to your last two paragraphs, well yessssss, kinda. NZ has largely decided on an independent foreign policy, largely as a result of the ANZUS rebuff, which was not unanticipated to be honest. That said, we are a minnow and our current government has been a lot more cosy with the US than the last for a variety of reasons.
I disagree that ANZAC is a myth. I do think it has become a much weaker relationship than it was as Australia has become more USA centric and NZ became more independent. The natural alignment of interests, the huge NZ population resident in Australia (500k – 700k) and the massive amount of trade, commerce and trans-tasman company operations/shareholding make for much in common. Not to mention being colonised around the same time, by the same people and being cut loose by them at the same time (looking at you UK).
Without doubt NZers have easier access to Australia than anyone else, although not quite as easy as Australian access to NZ. We also grant better access to unemployment benefits, healthcare etc to Australians than vice versa. We also don’t deport people back to Australia quite as readily and with as little due process as Australia does. I guess it’s those kinds of examples I’m talking about. My brother worked for a US corporate overseas for years, with his final posting being Australia when his kids hit secondary school age. He opted for them all to become Australian citizens as quickly as possible, which was lucky, otherwise his kids would have struggled to have entered the University programmes they did. Trust me, you guys came out on top in every way.
That said, you’re the best neighbours we could wish for, as we’ve proved to each other through earthquakes, bush fires and
under arm bowlingtest match rivalry time and again.Churs Bro!
Speaking of training, I’d love to see the media rub Trump’s nose more forcefully in what he’s left on the carpet. I would love to have someone ask him, during Black History Month, how he squares his newfound respect for African Americans with his continued desire to see the execution (rather murder) of the now exonerated Central Park Five? I would love to see one of those “intimate” , “exclusive” one-on-one long interviews really nail him and make him squirm.
I would recommend the irony sundial. No moving parts, no electronics, just an ever shifting, ever widening pall of darkness.