My Holiday Spirit

Like much else from American culture these days, the holiday season is front and center in cynical political posturing. A very sad state in our national discourse.

Every year following Thanksgiving, I find myself humming and even singing popular Christmas songs from my youth. These songs of my youth lift my spirits and restore my sense of renewal and hope—two things I welcome in these days of the challenging news cycles.

And family drama centers on national and Presidential politics.

Every family has one of those people among them. If you’re a Trumpist, it’s the crazy Democrat. If you’re not a Trumpist, then your suspect relative is a crazy Trump follower.

In my extended family, we have “one of those.” This person believes the Clinton Global Initiative was shuttered by the authorities, while the Trump Foundation was not. 

What???

Before continuing, let me note that I have a very cynical view of the CGI. True, CGI has done, and continues to do, good works in its programs. Unfortunately, while Hilary Clinton was Secretary of State, there was a bit of a whiff of “pay to play.” There were some other suspect things about the CGI, like Huma Abedin’s dual role in the Department of State and the CGI. And the Obama White House let that happen. Shame on them all.

The Donald J. Trump Foundation, recently shuttered by New York State authorities, was originally chartered to distribute royalty proceeds from one of the President’s books to worthwhile causes. A very selfless and noble thing for Donald Trump to have done. But that was then. More recently, the funds contributed to Trump’s foundation were solicited and donated by citizens who wanted to continue these good works. What these contributors did not know, however, was that their donations were used to pay business expenses of the Trump Organization, some of the 2016 presidential campaign expenses, and to acquire some questionable wall art for display in a Trump property.

No good works there.

I’ve gone all the way around the mountain when I could have been more direct. As I grow older, I find I’m willing to walk a few extra miles for the sake of family harmony. But why is it in my family (at least) the word from “one of those” is always based on disinformation? Really bad disinformation? Usually followed by “don’t bother me with the facts” or “fake news.”

“Come they told me
Pa rum pum pum pum….”

I feel better already….

Copyright 2019, Howard D. Weiner

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