Trump’s hollow deadlines
by Bob Schwartz
The opening scene of the TV series Justified shows Deputy U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens sitting across from drug kingpin Tommy Bucks at a Miami restaurant.
Givens has given Bucks 24 hours to get out of Miami, a High Noon moment. But Givens has a history with Bucks, and changes the deadline to right now. Bucks tries to pull a gun, Givens kills him across the table.
It’s the deadline and the change of plan that is relevant here.
Trump’s latest deadline, in a change of position, is giving Russia 50 DAYS to do something about its war in Ukraine. It isn’t clear what and besides, the cliched TACO (Trump always chickens out) applies.
You need two things to move up a deadline like Givens did: courage and ability. And to some extent a developed sense of right and wrong, which for Givens and anybody is a tricky one. You have to be willing to take a risk and live with consequences.
If you don’t have courage, ability, a developed sense of right and wrong, and a willingness to take risks and live with consequences, you should stay away from being a Deputy U.S. Marshal or from any job with power and authority. And you should stay away from hollow deadlines.
Bob Schwartz 
His kool-aid-drinking, a**-kissing, fact-twisting, amoral sycophants are the only ones too blind to see what a powerless, indecisive, piece of excrement the object of their worship is. The rest of us can only shake our heads as we watch in incredulity.
There is not a thought in this I disagree with, especially the head shaking. It is more direct and harsh than I would be, but you and everybody who sees through this expresses their frustration their own way. What I seek is ways to get beyond head shaking and frustration to tools of change. Like U2 sang, I still haven’t found what I’m looking for. Thanks for the comment.
Direct, yes; harsh, debatable. As a believer, I’ve not given up hope, but I HAVE pretty much given up on those who are, even now, entranced by this man. I’m not an eye surgeon – I can’t make the blind see. As Bruce Cockburn sang, waiting for a miracle.