By Terry Manning
I generally am not a person who traffics in conspiracy theories, but there apparently was a lot of truth behind the years of accusations leveled against Jeffery Epstein and his client files.
Yes, there was a lot of abuse of young women and girls. Yes, there is a cabal of elites protecting the guilty at the expense of the innocent. But are any of us still hopeful the victims will be liberated from the weight of justice denied? Do we really think the whole truth will surface?
In both cases, I think the answer is “no,” because of the concerted effort to cover up any wrongdoing that might be associated with the current occupant of the White House.
I have already read reports about victims committing suicide and a newborn being drowned. If that’s what is in files that were “redacted,” what the heck is still out there?
I used to think Donald Trump ran for president because he was ticked off that President Barack Obama mocked him at the 2011 White House Correspondents Dinner. And maybe that inspired his first term, but wouldn’t it be something to find out Trump ran for a second term so he could block the release of the Epstein files?
For the record, I don’t think that would qualify him as any kind of evil genius. A survival instinct like that is gut-level, practically reptilian.
I imagine even Trump is surprised at the ancillary gains he’s enjoyed, such as filling his coffers with billions and putting his children in positions to make their own fortunes. He knew if he protected his rich friends’ profit margins, they would do little to impede his actions in areas that matter more to us in the working-class.
Others who turned a blind eye to Trump’s worst efforts include his Cabinet members, fellow members of the Republican Party, Supreme Court justices, much of the right-wing media sphere, and of course the core group of supporters who remain doggedly devoted.
Even if we never learn all the details in the Epstein files, we still know something broader is wrong with this man and his influence on our nation. We know that something’s broken, and we know it needs to be fixed.
And while I am stunned at how nonchalant many if not most people are about a lot of what would have been politically fatal — or criminally liable — missteps for most other public figures, I am encouraged that pushback against Trump seems to be gaining momentum.
Lower courts, even judges appointed by Republican presidents including Trump, are pushing back against his administration’s blatant disregard for the Constitution and individual rights of due process.
Former supporters are acknowledging on social media how they overvalued the pig in a poke that is the Trump presidency.
What remains of the Washington press corps is being challenged to call out the lies, the hypocrisy, and the corruption, and to explain them in ways that are harder to rebut or dismiss.
The biggest payoff from last year’s “No Kings” demonstrations might have been that they served as a clarion call to many Americans that a lot of other people feel the same way about Trump’s authoritarian tendencies.
When a board Trump appointed added his name to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, entertainers canceled shows in droves, even when it cost them financially. The annual TV special that was a seasonal delight for many drew all-time low viewership with Trump as its host.
The White House is planning to stage campaign-style rallies to energize the base ahead of the midterms, because the sentiment seems clear: People are tired of Trump.
But just because people are upset doesn’t mean they will do the right thing or for the right reasons.
MAGA’s latest uproar is a planned boycott of this year’s tax season. They say they are tired of paying taxes that turn into aid for foreign countries or immigrants they view as freeloaders.
Last time, it was Haitians in Ohio eating pets; this time it’s Somalis in Minnesota stealing funds meant for childcare. The goal is the same. Point hatred toward a minority group and away from the president, his controversies, and his failures.
The shooting death of Renee Nicole Good at the hands of an ICE agent in Minnesota might prove to be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. Maybe this time people will see the inevitable tragedy of Trump’s efforts to dehumanize his enemies while he pimps out his supporters.
Terry E. Manning worked for 20 years as a newspaper journalist. He can be reached at teemanning@gmail.com.
