THIS LITTLE PIGGY

 

THIS LITTLE PIGGY

 

This article was inspired by the little ditty that we play with our children’s toes when they’re babies.  They giggle in anticipation.

This little piggy went to market

This little piggy stayed home

This little piggy had roast beef

This little piggy had none

And this little piggy cried, “Wee, wee, wee!” all the way home.

 

Pigs of all sorts are a favorite subject in many stories.  Most of them funny stories.  But we’re all too familiar with pigs feeding at the public trough.

 

As a writer, a student of philosophy, history and the humanities, in all of my seventy odd years, I have never come across an American president like Trump, who, rather than placing his business affairs in a blind trust, as is customary, has instead opted to incorporate the entire nation into his business emporium.  Openly and blatantly he is accepting gifts and has put into motion schemes to enrich himself and his family.  He has made it abundantly clear that he can and will treat the United States of America as his personal piggy bank, ready to take from as he pleases and to do with as he sees fit.  In doing so he is treating the nation like a doormat and with total disrespect.  Acting as if he is above the law.  That he is the law.  And he can make and break rules willy-nilly, ignoring court challenges and decisions.  He is learning quickly from his fellow felon and wanted war criminal, Putin, who takes a cut from every major business transaction in Russia.

America has had its fair share of shady politicians and influential people flouting the law and convention, but Trump eats the cake when it comes to the Oval Office.  Because of Trump and his cronies democracy in the United States is skating on thin ice, despite the fact that most Americans take great pride in democracy and its values.  Honest and hard-working Americans are being taken to the cleaners by a greedy bunch of self-serving politicians and conglomerates surviving on the largesse of the taxpayer and fat government contracts.

“America first has turned into Trump’s pocketbook first and we’ll keep the destitute in the poor house because they’re used to it anyway.  And as far as the average worker is concerned, they’re helpless to stop the assault on their wallets.”  “All I want is your vote.”

Trump’s political shenanigans at home and abroad are well on their way to transform America from a global player into an America that will find itself standing alone as the world will find ways to work around it.  America isolated.  America with no allies or friends.  Subtract the American population from the global tally and you’re left with 8 billion customers who’re not American.  Under Trump’s leadership it will isolate itself from former friends and allies, shunned and distrusted by the world markets and political leaders.  America the pariah, rather than making America great again.

Foreign investments and interest will dry up when a bunch of unreliable, unpredictable weathervanes are running the show, too busy stuffing their pockets with ill-gotten gains while its citizens and the rest of the world look on.  Desperate people will do desperate things and the ultimate stick wielded by unstable leaders will be to unleash World War III when it becomes apparent that all their schemes fall flat around their silly asses.

Nothing good hails from avarice pursued with greed and vengeance.

Ancient Rome was done in by their imperial ambitions, over-extended and the cost of occupation and meddling in the affairs of other nations outstripping the income.  All empires end up in the dustbin of history.  Russia was done in by overextending its influence and costly military expenditures, and America, with over a million people in uniform overseas, is following suit.

America’s huge bureaucracy (the one extending its influence across the globe, with security and military presence) and the business conglomerates dependent on fat government contracts, are the main reason as to why America as a nation is struggling at the present time.  None of them are positive contributors to the economy.  All are detractors and a huge cost factor.  Nations are better served to keep the size of their governments to a sustainable minimum and to shy away from large military investments and foreign escapades.  Instead all should concentrate on fair trade relations based on trade agreements negotiated in good faith.

Trump and his cronies are running amok like the proverbial bull in a china shop.

In a world with over 8 billion people clamoring for a piece of the pie you either create a system that is fair and equitable or reap the consequences of conflict and outright rebellion.  We would do well to remember that war is a costly and destructive activity whereas peace is a lifelong commitment.

Draw up a psychological profile of Trump and the underlings he has surrounded himself with and you can only shudder.  His insecurity comes shining through in his insane desire to have his name plastered on as many buildings and institutions as possible, even attempting to rename buildings graced with the names of true American heroes and contributors.  Naming a building in someone’s honor usually takes place after death, not while still alive, and not by the person himself.  His narcissistic, egotistical nature comes shining through in this obsession of his to be somebody (I borrowed that one from Brando).  Don’t be surprised that when Trump is taken down from his perch that his name will be removed from all those buildings as a first order of business.

This is my take on this little piggy.

 

One little piggy ignored the other four.

It owned a golf course and loved the yell, “Fore!”

Charged the others tariffs on top of their fees.

Rubbing his piggy feet he’d yell in glee,

“I’m the pig you need to fear and adore

Because all I want is more and more.”

 

The moral of this ditty: The fattened pig is the first to be slaughtered.”