by Mark M. Bello

Many friends and colleagues I speak with feel the country is doing “fine,” that who’s president doesn’t really matter.

But America is not fine, or stable, or immune to collapse.

We have spent years pretending our institutions will save us, that the Constitution is self-enforcing, and no single leader could break a republic built over two centuries. But here we are, watching cracks widen, listening to guardrails rattle, hearing otherwise intelligent people shrug, still saying:

“It doesn’t matter who’s president.”

It matters.
It matters more than ever.
And the evidence is no longer subtle.

We have a president:

· who tears down the East Wing of the White House to erect a monument to himself — a tribute to his massive ego.

· who orders killings at sea without due process when safer, lawful alternatives were available.

· who appoints a vaccine denier to run the nation’s Health apparatus, putting our children and our communities at risk.

· whose reckless tariff policies tank the Economy, drive up costs, and destabilize Small Businesses.

· who calls human beings “garbage,” villainizes immigrants, stigmatizes the vulnerable, and treats cruelty as governance.

· who basks in the glory of his so-called “tough leadership.”

This isn’t “tough leadership.” This is the behavior of someone who thinks like a dictator and doesn’t believe in or understand a democracy.

The Weaponization of Justice — Autocracy in Plain Sight

This president dangerously uses our Attorney General as a personal attorney whose job is to prosecute political enemies,

not based on evidence,

or law,

but on his personal grievances.

This is what autocrats do and what collapsing democracies tolerate. Someday, our country’s students may study the Trump presidency harshly, as an administration that challenged and threatened our democracy. But, today, citizens shrug at his host of misdeeds and harmful conduct because they believe he stands for something they want — some single-issue policy, a tax cut, a judicial appointment, or some culture-war thrill.

That apathy, the acceptance of chaos and crisis in exchange for “your issue” — democracy for dopamine — is how nations die.

The Sycophant Supreme Court

Following Trump’s lead (and because of his three appointments), we now have a Supreme Court that:

• Ignores racism in redistricting
• Grants king-like immunity to a president with criminal impulses
• Elevates executive power above the Constitution
• Signals that accountability is optional

An unaccountable president protected by a tush-licking Supreme Court is a formula for authoritarianism.

Not theoretical.

Not abstract.

Very real.

“But He’s Good for Israel” — No, He’s Not

Some of my fellow Jews tell me, “I know he’s a piece of shit, but he’s good for Israel.”

Let me be clear:

He is not good for Israel.
He is not good for Jews.
He is not good for democracy.
He is not good for the world.

Under his watch, antisemitism has exploded — not just in the U.S., but globally. Authoritarian leaders everywhere feel emboldened. Hatred has been rebranded as patriotism. And while he criticizes left-wing Israel detractors, he embraces right-wing antisemites with open arms.

This is not support; it is opportunism.

Meanwhile, four countries recently boycotted the 2026 Eurovision contest simply because Israel was invited. That is like condemning Ukraine because Russia attacked it. Only Israel is attacked and condemned for defending itself against terrorism — Trump’s normalization of hate pours gasoline on this fire, and my Jewish brothers and sisters can’t see the burning forest through the trees.

The One-Percent Presidency

In the Trump era, every major socio-economic policy shares the same theme:

If you are wealthy, you benefit.
If you are vulnerable, you suffer.

Trump and his enablers in Congress:

· refuse to renew ACA subsidies, putting millions at risk of losing health care,

· relax vaccination standards,

· gut climate protections, defang emergency agencies, and weaken federal oversight — leaving communities exposed when catastrophe strikes.

· Stack the cabinet and other government agencies with more sycophants—fire inspectors general and purge civil servants who dare to value competence or integrity.

This is not governance.

It’s vandalism.

Abandons Democracy at Home—Loses Respect Abroad

Under this presidency:

• Allies question U.S. reliability
• NATO can’t trust our commitments
• Intelligence partners withhold sensitive information
• Authoritarians feel emboldened
• Democracies feel abandoned

America’s moral authority — once imperfect but real — is now a punchline.

Attack on Free Speech and the Press

He labels any media criticism as “treason.”
He threatens to revoke press credentials.
He encourages violence against reporters.
He undermines truth as a democratic foundation.

When a leader convinces his followers that only he tells the truth, democracy is already on life support.

Voting Rights Under Siege

Democracy is not just about counting votes. It’s about assuring that all people have the opportunity to Exercise the Franchise.

In the Trump era, we’ve seen:

• voter purges,
• gerrymandering that mocks fairness and considers race,
• polling place closures in minority communities,
• threats against election officials,
• disinformation campaigns targeting vulnerable voters,
• foreign interference in our voting process,
• and disingenuous challenges to free and fair elections.

If you are permitted to control who votes, you can control who wins. Trump and his Republican friends understand that, and their election strategies reflect it.

Normalization of Violence

From stochastic terror to explicit threats, political violence is no longer taboo. Trump:

• praises vigilantes,
• excuses mobs,
• demands “retribution,”
• calls opponents and the press enemies of the people,
• and pardons the worst offenders.

January 6 wasn’t an aberration. It was a preview of more tyranny to come.

Abuse of the Military

He treats the U.S. military like a toy chest:

• Sends troops into cities for political theater,
• uses the National Guard to clear protesters so he can stage a photo op,
• deploys force internationally without legal authority,
• praises war criminals and mocks decorated veterans.

A commander-in-chief who doesn’t understand the Constitution is a danger to the troops who swear an oath to defend it.

LGBTQ Rights Under Siege

He empowers:

• Anti-trans legislation
• Anti-gay prejudice
• Marriage equality
• Restrictions on healthcare
• Book bans
• School censorship

Cruelty is the point.

Attacks on Women’s Rights

He doesn’t just oppose reproductive freedom; he weaponizes it:

• Appointed justices to dismantle bodily autonomy
• Supports state surveillance of women
• Encourages criminal punishment of healthcare providers
• Shrugs at maternal mortality

His policies have endangered millions of women, especially poor women.

The Vance Problem — The Clone Waiting in the Wings

If you think things will magically improve in three years, consider this:

Authoritarian movements build or breed successors. J.D. Vance is not an accident. He is succession planning: a younger, smoother, more disciplined clone of his boss, equally contemptuous of democratic norms. This movement to the extreme right is not about one man anymore. It’s about a political culture that rewards cruelty and punishes conscience.

The Hardest Truth: The American Voter

And here is our darkest and most painful truth:

We, the People, knew exactly who he was — and voted for him anyway.

Shame on him for who he is. But, worse, shame on us for pretending not to notice.

We excused cruelty,
rewarded corruption,
and normalized hate.

We traded democracy for convenience.

If we continue down this road, the question will not be ‘Can America recover?’ but ‘Will America still exist as a democracy?’

Some Final Thoughts

I am sick — truly sick — of hearing:

“I know he’s a piece of shit, but he’s good for (insert your issue here).”

Donald Trump is not good for:

· Israel,

· democracy,

· Our economy,

· global stability,

· civil rights,

· the Constitution,

· your children’s future,

· anything of real importance to our country.

This is not a political debate; it is a national emergency. The state of the country is “urgently in danger, perhaps not yet hopeless.”

I’m exhausted, furious, scared for my country, sick of watching millions of my fellow Americans shrug their shoulders because their 401(k) went up one quarter or their pastor told them to vote for “God’s chosen leader.” I’m literally watching millions excuse criminality, incompetence, cruelty, and autocracy because they like a single policy position or selfish initiative. My rope is frayed because I see the truth:

Acquiescence or patience will make the problem worse. Shame will not save us.

Only courage and a drastic voter reality check will save what was once America.

Mark M. Bello is an attorney and author of 9 Zachary Blake Legal Thrillers and other legal themed novels and children’s books. For more information, please visit https://www.markmbello.com

Bob Gatty Author, Podcaster, Blogger

For many years, Bob Gatty worked as a writer, editor, and communications consultant, based on the Washington, DC area with a focus on government and politics. He began at The Pittsburgh Courier, an African American weekly, covering crime and the courts. His salary was $55 per week before moving on to two local Pennsylvania dailies. At age 24, he began reporting for United Press International covering state politics in Pennsylvania and then New Jersey, where he was UPI’s state capitol bureau in Trenton.

Tempted by the allure of Washington, DC and big-time politics, at age 29 Bob became press secretary and chief of staff for two Congressmen – first Republican Edwin B. Forsythe, and then Democrat James J. Florio, who later became governor of New Jersey and until his recent death was a frequent podcast guest and co-host of Bob’s NFN Radio News podcast (now called Lean to the Left).

After seven years on Capitol Hill, Bob opened a communications business in Washington, first providing political media consulting to candidates and then freelance Washington coverage for business and trade magazines, plus creative communications services for trade and professional associations, including social media. This work involved articles and analyses of key governmental developments affecting businesses, such as the food and Health industries, retailing, and the environment.

His work as a communications consultant to trade and professional associations included launching and editing association publications, providing website content and social media assistance, and covering conferences and conventions.

Bob retired from G-Net Strategic Communications in 2016 and moved to Myrtle Beach, SC, where he launched his blog site, first called Not Fake News, now known as Lean to the Left.

Hijacked Nation
In August, 2020, Bob and co-author Chris Waldron, one of Lean to the Left's most loyal and prolific contributor, published "Hijacked Nation-Donald Trump's Attack on America's Greatness," a two-volume compilation of blogs regarding Trump's presidency and the consequences for our nation. A followup volume was published by Luna Global Media in September 2024. It is available at https://amzn.to/4ePrTF7 .

In all three volumes, blogs from Not Fake News and Lean to the Left create a virtual play-by-play of key actions of the Trump administration and Congress. For more information, please visit https://leantotheleft.net/books/, and visit Bob's Author's Page on Amazon, https://www.amazon.com/stores/Bob-Gatty/author/B08C7HWXZ5?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true&ccs_id=4e603563-7251-4074-b54d-40800c4ce40a.

The Lean to the Left Podcast
The Lean to the Left podcast provides commentary and interviews with newsmakers and others with interesting stories to tell. Video and audio podcasts stream twice weekly on major channels. More info at https://podcast.leantotheleft.net.

The Lean to the Left YouTube Channel
You'll find all of the audio tracks for the Lean to the Left Podcast here plus original videos, including complete video versions of each podcast.
https://www.youtube.com/@LeantotheLeft.