Thursday is the worst day of the week, but this day America finds ruin

My morning bus driver told me weeks ago that Thursday is the worst day of the week because it means one more day to work.

Yesterday was another day where we worked almost a full day. Another day when I left rather tired. Only I had places to go. First, to the bank to get the balance of my rent, then to the property management company, then to physical therapy. Two buses and the better part of two hours in traveling and taking care of business.

I did feel better from the physical therapy, but I did not feel like cooking dinner when I got back at 5:30. I ordered Chinese, They have vegetarian food, so I could keep with the Lenten Fast.

Waiting on dinner, I did some research, found out I lacked some software.

Dinner arrived, I watched a movie on Netflix, The Third Border.

Then I started on my email, which brought me to Jonathan V. Last's The American Age Is Over (The Bulwark). A certain reassurance comes to one's vanity, reading something that confirms one is not alone in one's opinions. Mr. Last's essay confirms an opinion I have held for many years now, without giving my vanity any good sensations. It was mostly chilled.

If, tomorrow, Donald Trump revoked his entire regime of tariffs, it would not matter. It might temporarily delay some economic pain, but the rest of the world now understands that it must move forward without America.

If, tomorrow, Donald Trump abandoned his quest to annex Greenland and committed himself to the defense of Ukraine and the perpetuation of NATO, it would not matter. The free world now understands that its long-term security plans must be made with the understanding that America is a potential adversary, not an ally.

This realization may be painful for Americans. But we should know that the rest of the world understands us more clearly than we understand ourselves.

Vladimir Putin bet his life that American voters would be weak and decadent enough to return Donald Trump to the presidency. He was right.

Europeans are moving ahead with their own security plans because they realize, as a French minister put it, “We cannot leave the security of Europe in the hands of voters in Wisconsin every four years.” He was right.

The Canadian prime minister declared the age of American leadership over. He was right.

I then sent out the essay to friends and family with the following message:

 America first becomes America on its own, loss of trade, loss of jobs, loss of being protected. Oceans will not protect us. That was the lesson of World War One that got rammed home hard with the birth of ICBMs. The power we held was not from bullying, but from the dollar being ubiquitous in trade. There is no reason for oil to be priced in dollars now. There is no reason for anyone to trust us any longer. And trust is what keep alliances together, keeps people investing in America, and keeps the world at peace. I have been worrying for years now - written about it, too - when the rest of the world looked us at presenting more harm than benefit. We have seen that day come.

Yes, I am tired and worn out, but that does not mean I am depressed, for all that the news is depressing. Some of you reading this will agree with me, some of you will delete it without reading, but I hope none read this and do not realize the damage that is done to our country and to your futures.  

See, I had been looking at what we had been doing in so many places in the world where we harmed native populations. Resentment had to be brewing that did not come to a boil so long as America remained useful to the majority of the world through our good works. We can only await judgment for our hubris.

A friend replied to my email this morning with this:

I agree with him too. I believe that one of the biggest mistakes made has been to alienate the EU and Canada because they will now become an economic and military rival. A Russian asset couldn't have done a better job.

And another wrote:

Future headline: Embargo on US!

All those critical minerals we use for stuff will not be available. Shortages will increase.  People will lose jobs.  Any food that comes from other countries will go up even more! (EMPHASIS ADDED).  The people that voted for or still support the Rump will deserve what is coming.  Dark path ahead.

Apologies,

DM 

Yep, but Ukraine war briefing: Kyiv solving its troop shortages, says top US general in Europe (The Guardian). 

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