Personal Reflections of a Middle-Aged Man

If anyone out there is holding their breath right now, you should probably let it go as we’ve been down this road before. What road you might be asking? It’s the Trump road. The road the press and other talking heads take us down every once in a while to get us to click on their links. So far it has all been click bait.

Most recent rumblings and excitement pertains to the Southern District of New York (SDNY) District Court about to indict Trump. This case, because there seems to be so many out there, is about the Stormy Daniels affair. More specifically the hush money paid to Ms. Daniels right before the 2016 presidential election. This is where Trump’s fixer, Michael Cohen allegedly paid bribe funds to Ms. Daniels to keep her quiet about being paid by Trump to have sex with him, which may have included some fetish play.

All of this wouldn’t really have been all that big of a deal since the tabloids have been talking about Trump and his personal life for decades. What they did together also is a bit of a ho-hum moment as it wasn’t even all that weird of a sex act in the grander scheme of things. No, what makes this one of interest, and possibly a crime, is the timing and the request of the funds provided to Ms. Daniels. The hush money part of it, the timing, how the news may have affected the outcome of the election (most likely not), and the overall sequence of events is what makes it most likely criminal.

If Trump is actually indicted, actually arrested, and gasp, maybe even convicted, it would be a major milestone for Trump himself, and for the country. It would show that Trump isn’t invincible, that he isn’t above the law after all, and there are people of courage and possessing ethics and morals out there still. An indictment might also be the first brick to crumble on Trump’s astoundingly good luck over his lifetime and give others across the country the backbone and grit to indict for all of the other crimes of which Trump has been accused.

The first indictment is always the hardest, but it can and must be done. An indictment, and hopefully a conviction would go a long way towards beginning the healing of the country. It would start to put those around Trump, and his followers, on notice that we’re mad as hell and not going to take it anymore. It would go a long way to bring trust in our institutions back for the American people, and the global community. All of us will be all the better if these people were charged with the crimes of which they have been accused.

We’ll have to wait and see as we’ve been doing for years now. With many big name and inside people testifying before grand juries, maybe this will finally be the time law and order is on the side of the common people, to show us we are all equal under the law.

Call me a pessimist, Debbie Downer, or gadfly if you’d like. Because of how these hopes and headlines have gone before, I hope you’ll excuse me from holding my breath. With how these stories have played out, I don’t see the status quo of Trump and his inner circle being out there spreading lies and propaganda, or of them working tirelessly to bring about the downfall of our democracy and those around the world, or remaining above the fray. Personally I’m tired of having hope in this area and having it dashed yet again by powerful cowards. If it all unfolds for the good of the country and indictments are handed down, I’ll join in the mini-celebrations, but will save the big celebration for the time he actually is before a judge, in a court room, being sentenced to actual hard time.

Until then, I’m just going to keep breathing.