Will The End Justify The Means?

No matter how the first hundred days of the current administration are spun, the reality is clear. These days have been characterized by confusion, uncertainty, and chaos on an unprecedented scale. The previously growing economy is now declining due to a poorly conceived tariff strategy that not only affects the US but is also creating economic turmoil worldwide. While the cause of the economic slowdown is evident, the administration continues to blame the previous administration instead of their own irrational tariff war and other economic policies. During the campaign, they promised they would "bring down prices fast" and make America affordable again, but now they admit this will take longer than they thought and urge patience for their inconsistent policies to take effect. In other words, false bravado meets harsh reality. The claim to end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours was yet another example of false bravado, confronted by the reality that Russia is uninterested in peace talks. This is despite the so-called great deal maker's attempts to negotiate away Ukraine's sovereignty. The idea of turning the Gaza Strip into a luxury resort is as impractical as it sounds, with the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas showing no signs of resolution and the administration has no strategy or plan to help end the conflict. The mass deportation of illegal immigrants has indeed deterred asylum seekers in the US (as I have said before, why come here for more of the same of what they are trying to escape), but increasingly seems like an indiscriminate effort to expel those who disagree with the administration and its policies. The Department of Defense and the Intelligence community are struggling under unqualified leadership, with leaks of highly classified information on unsecured platforms, not by subordinates but by the leadership itself. Meanwhile, the Republican-led Congress has blocked any attempts to hold the administration accountable for this blatant disregard for established protocols concerning classified information. The deterioration of relationships with key allies, including our most loyal ally and neighbor Canada, has caused irreparable damage to our standing in the international community. The Department of Health is demonstrating its inability to manage a potential measles outbreak, a disease that was eradicated decades ago due to an effective vaccine. Additionally, the head of the department has consistently criticized proven life-saving vaccines while promoting his unfounded theories for years. The billionaire in chief's effort to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse in federal bureaucracy is driving out much of the experience needed for efficient government operation, with repercussions that will be felt across the board in the future. Furthermore, the claimed savings figures are difficult to verify with any degree of certainty and will do little to decrease the national debt. And by the way, he claims his job is done wrecking the government and he is returning to wrecking his own companies.

During a recent vacation to Mexico, I met a Canadian couple who mentioned they had canceled planned trips to the US due to the disrespect shown to their country by the administration. Like most Canadians, they have no desire to become the 51st State and see the idea as a direct threat to their sovereignty. I also noticed that the most popular t-shirt on the island read "Canada and Mexico Are Not For Sale"! A segment on 60 Minutes highlighted how Greenlanders feel about being annexed by the US, and as expected, they are not interested and find talk of annexation absurd and unacceptable. They are determined to resist any attempts by the US to annex or take control of Greenland. Yet, the administration continues to express imperialistic rhetoric, claiming Greenland is crucial to American national security.

Will the ends justify the means if the administration persists with policies that favor a select few over the majority? Are we genuinely better off with policies that alienate the US from the international community and our neighbors? Are we comfortable with imperialistic rhetoric that aims to "expand our empire" under the pretense of national security?

How much of our future are we prepared to risk on the false narratives the administration continues to promote—such as the tariffs being effective, the notion that everything in the US is broken and only I can fix it, and that all our institutions are anti-American and must be dismantled to align with my vision for the US? How many more manufactured crises can we endure before recognizing the real threat to our democracy?

In just 100 days, it has become abundantly clear that we are facing a prolonged and tumultuous period with the current administration. Fortunately and finally, the Judicial branch is demonstrating resilience and fulfilling its constitutional role by checking the executive's powers. They are resisting and challenging actions related to deportations, birthright citizenship, punitive measures against law firms, and the attack on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. Even a few, though not enough, moderate Republicans are voicing concerns over the administration's blatant disregard for constitutional powers through Executive orders that bypass their role in governance. These small signs of sanity give me hope that our democracy can and will withstand the direct assault by the current administration and will eventually become stronger and better.