I have been perusing various opinion pieces and news reports in the Guardian Newspaper. I find myself again quietly approving of the current article by Owen Jones and his view of the conduct of the American State towards the rest of the world, being historical naked self-interest. There are also pieces by Nesrine Malik on “a clear Trumpian doctrine” and Andrew Rawnsley on what can Keir Starmer might have to say to Donald Trump that he might listen to.
(Owen Jones article at: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/feb/20/us-moral-supremacy-donald-trump-president
In short, there is grave concern about how the advent of Trump’s second coming is screwing up the world in a major way. Since the 1940’s no “leader” has had the effect that Mr Trump has engendered throughout the world. His extraordinary Orwellian fantasies, ‘truth speak’ and general misrepresentations and lies are splattered all over the internet and all forms of media. The entire planet must by now be well aware of the danger and threat he poses.
Unfortunately many Americans have failed to recognise and heed the signs so glaringly obvious to the majority of rest of the world’s population and in particular leaders on the continent of Europe. One can also add some governments in the middle and far east. There is now beginning to be a dawning of realisation. in the United States itself, as to just how egregious the Trump presidency is turning out to be. There may be, at last, the growing acceptance that a serious mistake has been made, and the burgeoning disenchantment of the poorly educated Maga folk may turn into a reversal of allegiances. It is however a very slow and trickling epiphany into the minds of the few, which, hopefully will spread. Perhaps I am being far too optimistic.
Nonetheless there is something about the arrogant and narcissistic personality that secretly cries out for retribution. I am drawn to the particular exploration of this phenomenon by the late great Orson Welles in the 1940’s with his productions of Macbeth, Citizen Kane and the Magnificent Ambersons. Macbeth is in effect self-explanatory in its portrayal of ambition, as is Citizen Kane. Wells’ dialogue in certain specific scenes lays emphasis on the consequences.
In Citizen Kane, the character of Charles Foster Kane is told, when the fact of his adulterous relationship is about to be exposed to prevent his election as governor, “If it was anybody else, I’d say what’s going to happen to you would be a lesson to you. Only you’re going to need more than one lesson, and you’re going to get more than one lesson”
In the modern age how well has that worked in the case of Trump? He has been found guilty of 34 felonies over his adulterous relationship with Ms Daniels and is now a convicted felon; yet, he has still been elected to the Presidency. Has this been a lesson learned? There have been other matters arising before the courts, equally damning, yet no comeuppance.
In the Magnificent Andersons towards the last few scenes of the film, the narrator speaks over an image of George Minafer praying: “Something had happened, a thing which years ago had been the eagerest hope of many many good citizens in the town, and now it came at last, George Amberson Minafer had got his comeuppance. He got it three times filled and running over, but those who had so longed for it were not there to see it. They never knew it. Those who were still living had forgotten all about it, and all about him.”
Therefore, one has to ask oneself, when will Donald John Trump get his comeuppance. This word was first used in 1859 to mean a deserved rebuke or penalty. Apparently it first appeared in Harpers Magazine which began in New York in June of 1850. There was a time when American citizens were very keen on certain people getting their comeuppance. Mr Trump most definitely qualifies as such a person, yet he presents as an individual immune from such a fate.
He now sits at his Miami, Florida, lair sending out obsequious henchmen and women to screw up the European Union, real peace prospects in middle Europe and the Middle East, with a sideling of bullying and blackmailing tactics to extract minerals from Ukraine.
In any event, the writings and musing of both Welles and Orwell are proving to be more than idle fiction and intellectual entertainment. What is it that can be done or said to him to reverse course and bring about his comeuppance. Will it be Macron, Starmer, Zelensky or even Putin? Who can say?
Bam, Zelensky floored him in the oval office, it's definitely a count, although a few rounds to go yet.
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