Let's Look at this Trump Presidency in a Different Way

I understand that this whole Trump as President thing seems huge.  Really, really yuuuuuuge.  Perhaps to get some folks to understand why there is so much opposition to Donald Trump, we need to reframe this whole picture.  We need a smaller frame.

Let’s make it a local school district and Trump is the Superintendent.  What is a school superintendent?  Here’s what I found on the blog of Anne Martens, the former Marketing & Communications Director for Stand for Children Washington:

The superintendent is the top executive ("CEO") in the school district.

The superintendent implements the school board’s vision by making day-to-day decisions about educational programs, spending, staff, and facilities. The superintendent hires, supervises, and manages the central staff and principals. 

Superintendents must work with school leaders -- principals -- to serve the needs of students and meet the district goals.

The superintendent must also respond to the demands of all the other constituencies and interest groups in the district: teachers, students, parents, staff, advocates, and the community at large. She or he must consider how to use the financial and human resources of the district in order to achieve the best results. While being mindful of competing demands, a great superintendent will be guided by what is best for all students.

That’s pretty much what we expect from the President of the United States, right?

So, say we have some disgruntled constituents of a particular school district.  They think their taxes are too high and being used for quiche and arugula in the school cafeteria, art classes, drama clubs, and other non-necessities.  They don’t think they should pay for school nurses and gym equipment.  They’ve had enough.  They’re putting their feet down.  They are going to vote out the school board and get a new school district superintendent.

Most folks are sure that a certain female superintendent will be elected, so many don’t vote.  Also, the school district has been gerrymandered to represent only certain views on education.  A new, and surprising, leader is coming to the fore.  While campaigning, the disgruntled residents of the school district learn that this man does not want “undesirables’ to move into his district and attend his schools. He incites violence against them during campaign meetings.  He promises to build a wall around the school and have another school district pay for it.  His followers chant, “build the wall.”  He also has been overheard talking about grabbing the genitals of female students.  Once he stated he could shoot a kid in the middle of the school cafeteria and he would still be elected.  He makes fun of the special-ed teacher and her students.  He comments on the size of his genitals while speaking during a school assembly.

Sure enough, this man becomes school superintendent.   He vows to remove mulch and rubber padding on the playgrounds and pave all play areas with asphalt.  The schools’  boilers are all old and belch out toxic fumes.  None of the schools’ windows open so the rooms get hotter and hotter.  Crayons melt.  All of the school pets die.  He doesn’t feel there is a problem, even though the equipment can be fixed.  Bullying has been encouraged, and the school counselors have been fired so the children have no one to help them.  He appoints school principals that are racists.  Female students are rated on a scale of 1-10 and are ignored if they report they are groped.  The new superintendent might even sue these girls over their complaints.  Subsidized tampon dispensers are removed from all girls’ restrooms.  The school nurse has been fired.  He praises the leader of Russian schools even though he is known for horrible human rights abuses.

Would you want this man as leader of your child’s school?

Then why would you want him as leader of your country?