What's Worse Than Worst
The slippery slope gets more slippery
In the fall of 2020 when it looked like the election was going to be very close, I warned that Donald would do anything—including burning it all down—to make sure he wouldn’t have to relinquish power. I also said that, if at any point he felt like he was going down, he would take all of us down with him. He’s a nihilist, a malignant narcissist who literally can’t believe the world would dare continue to exist without him. My grandfather, a sociopath of the highest order, believed in his legacy. Donald believes in nothing beyond himself. If he ceases to exist, everything else should, too.
If his threats against those who thwart him, or those who don’t support, or even the powerless against whom he believes he can score points leads people to think he’s increasingly “deranged” or out-of-control, remember this: On May 1, 1989 Donald took out full-page ads in four of New York City’s major newspapers (The New York Times, The Daily News, The New York Post, and New York Newsday) in which he called for the execution of five innocent boys: Antron McCray (15), Kevin Richardson (14), Yusef Salaam (15), Raymond Santana (14), and Korey Wise (16).
The Exonerated Five have always been innocent. Donald has always been vile and cruel; he’s always been master of the art of beating up on those who can’t fight back. I know that better than just about anyone.
The thing is, though, it’s not his strength that makes him dangerous, it’s his weakness along with his unconscious sense that he is a loser who can only “win” if he lies, cheats, and steals. He believes that being a “winner" is an absolutely necessary condition of his existence which partially explains why he threatens to burn it all down if he doesn’t get his way. The problem is, a significant minority of Americans, in conjunction with almost 100% of elected Republicans, seem determined to put him in a position to do just that.
Is he getting worse? I don’t know. If he seems to be it’s because he’s in greater danger, legally and financially—even existentially—than he’s ever been before; there is more at stake (including his freedom and his wealth) than there ever has been.
But as every outrageous, fascistic, violent outburst goes unchallenged by the media and ignored by the Republican party, the chances increase that Donald’s stochastic terrorism will find a target who will be more than happy to commit political violence on his behalf.
I hope yesterday’s decision by Judge Engoron in New York (which, according to Joyce Vance, is the equivalent of New York's corporate death penalty) will prove something of a tipping point. It’s far past time all of the evidence against Donald and his decades-long crime spree reaches critical mass.
Hi, Mary, as a clinician myself, I want to tell you how much I have admired your ability to step back from the personal pressures of this situation, horrific as this man has been for your dad and your family as well as the nation, and look at it through the eyes of an excellent, experienced clinician. It really allows you to use your skills and clinical experience to see this through professional eyes. The only thing I found missing in today's article is the role stress hormones, induced by limbic fear and hysteria, must be planning in his ability to function right now. And this is scary because there is no telling what he will be driven to do. Apart from Hitler and Putin, this is the most frightening man I have watched. And he is on a par with them, IMHO. I just applaud and thank you for your courage in all of this as well as for involving us, your community. Bright blessings, Claire
Glad you’re doing all you can to keep him away from WH. Listen to the women, folks! E. Jean, HCR, Mary, Cassidy, Joyce, Rachel, Liz, and all the female prosecutors; the list goes on and on.