Ginger and I have a routine every day. I get up at 6:15, take Ginger out to go potty, play with her for a while, and get her breakfast. I often sit next to her while she is eating while I have my grapefruit, which is my breakfast. While we have breakfast for two, we discuss various things that are on our intellectual plates.

This particular morning, Ginger gave her canine laugh as she talked about the Donald. "It is interesting that the Donald is like a 21st century version of the reincarnation of The Emperor's New Clothes."

Ginger's comment caught me off guard and must have looked confused. Thus, began her explanation.

"Hans Christian Andersen wrote exactly 180-years ago next month, The Emperor's New Clothes. I came across an essay you had written about this story by Andersen."

I told Ginger that I enjoyed Andersen's novel and discovered that Soren Kierkegaard wrote a review of The Emperor's New Clothes when it came out nearly two centuries ago. Kierkegaard's nickname was the Dismal Dane, and I wondered why this great philosopher had reviewed it.

Ginger continued to explain, "I see Donald the Dumb as a reincarnation of the emperor. Actually, I came across this editorial cartoon, which is essentially an artist's view of my literary point."

The reincarnation of the emperor of long ago.

I laughed about the cartoon and asked Ginger to continue.

"Andersen's novel is about the emperor's tailors who claimed that his new clothes were invisible to those in his royal realm who weren't good subjects. In that way, the emperor could tell who were his good or bad subjects. The problem was the emperor, who was lied to by his tailors, forced his subjects to lie to him. They saw him nude but didn't want to be disliked by him, which resulted in their lying to him.

"That is precisely what is happening in Washington from the moment that Donald the Dumb took office. The Donald talked about having the largest crowd at his inauguration. You have written about this and used these photos side by side."

"The Donald wants everyone to admire him in his new presidential clothes and those in his kingdom in the White House are told the lie and repeat it.

"To make matters worse, the Donald buys into the lie. Humans call it putting on airs. He sees himself as the emperor. He enjoys being the Donald. However, I was looking at a Gallup Poll about Donald the Dumb."

Gallup's ratings

"Nearly 60% of Americans disapprove of the Donald, and we are discussing this before his first month in the White House. I remembered you and I watching CNN a month ago, and they were saying essentially the same thing."

CNN/ORC poll: Trump approval rating at 44%

My question to Ginger was why? Why is America dissing Donald the Dumb?

Ginger continued her diatribe about the Donald. "I watch him on TV. He likes to talk and to put on airs. He acts aristocratic and intelligent. Interestingly, that is precisely why Andersen wrote The Emperor's New Clothes. Andersen was not rich and felt that the rich were discriminating against him. Andersen was a Danish commoner. The Donald is always bragging about his wealth. Well, when his father died, Donald the Dumb inherited $14 million dollars. In addition, he claims that he can fix everything. I'd suggest that he would spend more time fixing himself."

My rejoinder was something that I have thought about after he won the election via the Electoral College. I told Ginger that I couldn't see the Donald remaining in the White House for four years. At the rate, he is going, it won't be long before he resigns, like Nixon. Part of my contention is all the stupid things that he does. Additionally, he will be caught lying about his dealings with the Russians or some other issue. Add that, his increasing disapproval numbers will result in his quitting. He is sinking like the Titanic sunk on April 15, 1912. Interestingly, that occurred 105-years ago next month.

Connecting the Dots

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Donald the Dumb

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Forrest Gump, "Stupid is as stupid does."

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03/24/17