Consent of the Governed

Wikipedia:  Article 21 of the United Nation's 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that "The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government".

The current resident of the White House imagines himself to be the most powerful man in the world. Traditionally, the President of the United States has been considered to be the leader of the free world. For the first time in my lifetime, I don't believe that is the case. I don't believe he has a fraction of the power he imagines he has, because he doesn't have the consent of the governed: not in the US nor in the rest of the world. No one has power unless those they hope to lead agree that they have it. No one can have power over you unless you consent to it. One has to earn the respect of those they govern, earn their trust, and earn their tacit consent. One has to demonstrate they are competent to govern. This is not happening. Each day the power he seeks is farther from his reach. 

He is not a powerful man: he's a loose cannon. Loose cannons are not powerful at all. Out of control and dangerous, they roll around on the deck threatening good order. His behavior is erratic, his decisions are often made on childish whims, his main interest seems to be hearing himself praised. He recently held a cabinet meeting in which he first bragged about his imaginary triumphs and then asked his cabinet, one by one, to praise him. He went around the circle and demanded each one tell him how wonderful he is. I can't imagine anyone but the leader of North Korea ever doing such a thing. Only one cabinet secretary failed to do so, passing it off with a joke instead.  He has alienated most world leaders. He does not seem able to learn from his mistakes or exert adult self-control. 

He lies so much, I swear I can see his nose growing like Pinocchio's. Today I heard him say "Manufacturing dominance is at an all time high." We have not dominated manufacturing since the previous century. We are no longer known for manufacturing, which, except for cars and automotive parts, has almost all been sent offshore. He has his own clothing line manufactured outside the country. He constantly takes credit for economic gains that were in place before he was elected or were set in motion years ago as part of long-term business plans. He never ceases to praise himself or take credit for accomplishments that either don't exist or were achieved by others. He brags about his overwhelming electoral victory, when he actually lost the popular vote by 2 million votes and barely squeaked by in the electoral college. He swears he had the biggest inaugural crowd of all time, yet we have solid photographic evidence that it was anything but. He lies about things he was recorded saying, denies things he has just finished swearing to on record. There is nothing he says that can be trusted to still hold true in the next few minutes. 

All that doesn't add up to someone we can trust with power, or someone who could handle it if he were granted it. This is not someone who deserves, nor has, the consent of the governed. 



photo credit: Google images