The Inner Workings of a Broken Clock

There is a saying that even a broken clock is right at least twice a day. With that in mind, Donald Trump can make a right decision once in a while. But even when doing the very rare right thing, even then Li’l Donnie’s motives are still subject to scrutiny. 

On Thursday, Trump declared the opioid crisis Thursday a national emergency.

Nearly 35,000 people across America died of heroin or opioid overdoses in 2015, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. But a new University of Virginia study released on Monday concluded the mortality rates were 24 percent higher for opioids and 22 percent higher for heroin than had been previously reported.

So yeah, this is a problem. Nice of Trump to say so and actually do something.  Calling the opioid crisis a “national emergency” is not mere semantics. Such a declaration allows  the executive branch to direct funds towards expanding treatment facilities and supplying police officers with the anti-overdose remedy naloxone. It would also allow the administration to waive some federal rules, including one that restricts where Medicaid recipients can get addiction treatment.

This is a very rare trump action that that both Republicans and Democrats could agree on.

But what prompted Trump’s statement on Thursday?

Trump is such a dumb as fuck lying bastard, one can't help but question motivations behind even a rare correct decision.   

Two days earlier, at a conference to address the opioid crisis, Trump dismissed the recommendation of experts to declare a national emergency to address rampant abuse of opioids. Instead, he asserted that the crsis could be addressed through a vigorous law and order approach. Li’l Donie also fell back on his old emphasis on border security to block the flow of illegal drugs into the United States. 

Which betrayed a distressing lack of understanding of the opioid crisis. Yes, some opioids are illegal drugs, like heroin. And heroin comes from other countries. But heroin and other illegal opioids are only a part of the problem. The reason opioid abuse is so widespread a problem is that most opioids are obtained legally through prescriptions. Unlike heroin, the actual possession and use of prescription pain meds is not inherently illegal. A law and order approach can only go so far when most of the drugs and most of the users are not illegal.  A law and order approach can only come into play when opioid addicts get so far gone they start committing crimes and violent acts to gt their next fix or turning to illegal drugs when the prescriptions run out.  

Two days later and Trump sees the light? Why?

The answer to why Trump does anything is… what does Li’l Donnie himself get out of it? 

At the opioid conference, Trump’s most attention getting statement had nothing to do with opioids. Instaed, he chose the venue to declare that if North Korea continued to be a threat, they would face “fire and fury like the world has never seen.”  Trump was in tough guy mode and had a chance to act tough with a world leader instead of a bunch of punk ass drug users who could just deal with the cops for all he cared. So the initial statement was Trump’s ego feeding his desire to be a hard ass take charge kind of guy. It fit his narrative.

Also Trump has an aversion to doing what anyone else says (except maybe Putin?). His committee suggests declaring a national emergency? Wait a couple of day and now its HIS idea.  Here’s what Li’l Donnie said on Thursday:  "The opioid crisis is an emergency, and I’m saying officially, right now, it is an emergency.”

Note the emphasis: "The opioid crisis is an emergency, and I’m saying officially, right now, it is an emergency.” Earlier, he would have to accept the recommendation of the presidential opioid commission.


Nope! Wait a few days and it’s “I’m saying… it is an emergency”.  

But what prompted Trump’s statement on Thursday? He had waited long enough to make it all about him, looking tough, taking charge.  

So declaring the opioid crisis a national emergency was one of those times when the broken clock that isDonald Trump got it right. And even them, his motives are likely selfish.  

And there lots of minutes in the hours in between Man-Baby Trump to get things wrong. Stupidly wrong.  

Trump on Thursday thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin for expelling American diplomats from Russia on the grounds that “we’re going to save a lot of money,” prompting dismay among some of the rank-and-file at the State Department.

“I want to thank him because we’re trying to cut down our payroll, and as far as I’m concerned I’m very thankful that he let go of a large number of people because now we have a smaller payroll." 

AND.....

Trump said he could have used even stronger language this week toward North Korea and issued a new warning to dictator Kim Jong Un over his threat to strike the U.S. territory of Guam.

Trump said he might not have been "tough enough" when he threatened earlier this week to bring "fire and fury like the world has never seen" down on North Korea if it continued provocations.  “Let’s see what he does with Guam. He does something in Guam, it will be an event, the likes of which nobody’s seen before, what will happen in North Korea,” Trump said of Kim. 

“Let’s see what he does with Guam"? I'm sure the people who live on Guam are comforted by that.   

ALSO....

Trump defended his  ban on transgender troops serving in the military. "As you know, it's been a very complicated issue for the military. It's been a very confusing issue for the military, and I think I'm doing the military a great favor."

Pentagon officials have said they would not implement the change until receiving clearer instructions from the White House.  

So much time in the day, so many dumb ass things to say.