Renee Parsons<\/p>\n
With the change of the US Presidential administration almost exactly one year ago, it may be more than a coincidence that one of the most significant US founding documents, the Declaration of Independence<\/span><\/a> will celebrate its 250th<\/sup><\/span> Anniversary on July 4th<\/sup><\/span>.\u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>Mostly written by Thomas Jefferson with the editorial assistance of John Adams and Benjamin Franklin, the Declaration began with the infamous words that have become an international standard:<\/p>\n \u201cWe hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness<\/i>.\u201d<\/p>\n Since that 2024\u00a0 <\/span>election, the country has experienced an unexpected political turmoil, a series of domestic upheavals as well as an increasing chaotic foreign policy turmoil that have escalated\u00a0 <\/span>to plague and threaten America\u2019s nearly 250 year old Constitutional Republic.<\/span><\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n While Donald Trump\u2019s election had frequently been touted as a historic landslide<\/span><\/a> even as the winner of the Electoral College is assured election, Trump romped over Kamilla with 312 \u2013 226 with 270 needed to be declared winner. \u00a0 <\/span>The popular vote, however, told a very different story; as if the Electoral College was testing the certainty and the will of the American people.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n As has been repeated countless times since election night, President Trump did not win a stunning majority popular vote victory on November 5th<\/sup><\/span>.\u00a0 <\/span>In fact, Trump barely won a majority of the vote with less than fifty per cent of American voters supporting his candidacy. \u00a0 <\/span>After the dust had cleared, Trump tallied 49.8% (77,308,580) of the popular vote while Ms. Harris was close by with 48.3% (75,017,613) of the popular vote.<\/p>\n The \u2018popular vote\u2019 totals hardly provided a mandate to rule with a certainty or a level of plurality that Trump had envisioned; to provide an unquestioned loyalty that would provide a reliable level of voter support, no matter if he pursued offensive policies that had not been debated or agreed to during the heat of a Presidential campaign.<\/p>\n For example:\u00a0 <\/span>While the majority of Americans support the deportation of illegal immigrants, especially those receiving Federal support and benefits, the majority of Americans would not support an out-of-control<\/span><\/a> ICE (Immigration Customs Enforcement) behaving like hoodlums with no legal immunity to physically attack or murder bona fide American citizens.\u00a0 <\/span>The Trump Administration has doubled-down and refused to censor ICE or show any empathy for Renee Good\u2019s\u2019 death.<\/p>\n Obviously with a \u2018landslide\u2019 victory comes a sense of special distinction that a recipient has been bestowed with a benevolent gift of admiration including a high caliber of trust and integrity. That distinction then encourages a true authentic leadership, a revered personality\u2019s judgment and discernment are recognized as being entitled to an accolade of merit or excellence.<\/p>\n That has not been the case with Trump\u2019s popular vote election in 2024.\u00a0 <\/span>Missing a landslide is not a green light for helter-skelter, disorganized decision-making but requires a thoughtful, methodical approach to the choice of every decision.<\/p>\n After having served one year of this four year term, the question is what exactly does Trump\u2019s understand about the results on election night? \u00a0 <\/span>With evidence of dementia, does Trump fully grasp that he is not entitled to claim a landslide or behave as if he is an unrestrained winner as he narrowly won the popular vote.<\/p>\n In other words, does the President have even a modicum of <\/b>understanding that he has NO Mandate from the American people to act in an illegal, post-Constitutional manner or that his words, his actions and his conduct are expected to reflect a level of acceptable behavior for any official whose election was, in fact, by a narrow, thin margin.<\/p>\n Not only did Trump not earn a landslide, most importantly, neither did he win a mandate allowing him to make arbitrary, erratic and capricious decisions that continue to besiege his administration and agitate the American public since Inauguration.<\/p>\n ***<\/p>\n On Inauguration day, Trump predicted \u201cMy proudest legacy will be that of a peacemaker and unifier<\/i>.\u201d\u00a0 <\/span>Almost immediately, the Ukraine war persisted as the US continued to supply funds and weapons that maintained the violence the President frequently denounced; yet he remained oddly aloof, unable to plug the source continuing the war. \u00a0 <\/span>Also early on, it became apparent that the President\u2019s foreign policy objectives would take center stage when a Signal chat leak<\/span><\/a> revealed the planned bombing campaign on Yemen.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n While Trump\u2019s Big Beautiful Budget did little to reduce<\/span><\/a> the country\u2019s $36 T debt, US debt recently passing<\/span><\/a> the $38 trillion mark.\u00a0 <\/span>DOGE fraud and wasteful spending cuts were never adopted by Congress, Trump\u2019s provocative tariff policy created international fissures<\/span><\/a> with threats and sanctions as the Epstein file<\/span><\/a> provided the distraction from a zealous foreign policy agenda that included revelations of Trump\u2019s close link<\/span><\/a> to Israel\u2019s war criminal Netanyahu<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n The US contribution of weapons to Israel\u2019s appalling genocide in Gaza including the kidnaping of Venezuelan President Maduro and its oil (world\u2019s largest proven resource in the world) are both indicative of a lack of character that have not provided American voters with sufficient cause to respect or value its President.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Instead with a reputation built on personal insults, narcissistic behavior and other erratic, irrational characteristics have dramatically altered Trump\u2019s standing, the President became known for boorish, uncouth and unconstitutional conduct. There appears to be a complete lack of self awareness with nary a slight acknowledgement of regret or conscience that appears non-existent in his mind or his heart.\u00a0 <\/span>That is not the American Way.<\/p>\n