Chuck Miller

We’re numb, right? He gets a pass for his latest round of craziness because most of what he says is crazy.

That’s the only reason I can think of for why we’d all shrug our shoulders and not say a word about how weird and scary it is that our President is talking openly about taking back Panama, how the Canadian border is just a meaningless line, or how he’ll convince Greenland to sell one way or another.

Our collective complacency makes sense. There’s no reason to get all worked up. Even if he really would run roughshod over sovereign borders, we have checks on abuses of power that will never let it happen.

Besides, I’m trying harder these days to think before I speak and measure my words carefully to avoid walking anything back later. Determined not to spout off about every little thing that presses my buttons—and there are lots of them—I’ve been practicing self-restraint and biting my tongue. It’s a standard of decency we expect of our children but not our President. 

My reasonable era was going pretty well, that is, until I first heard his expansionist agenda a couple of weeks ago and my jaw dropped agape in disbelief. Since then, I’ve stewed on it and then stewed some more, until I finally decided this seems like a war that might be worth waging—before he crazy-talks us into a real one.

His imperialist statements are irresponsible and dangerous. Even if we’ve grown so accustomed to the lunacy that we take it in stride and dismiss it, that doesn’t mean the rest of the world will. When the leader of the planet’s most powerful country seems unhinged, there’s good reason for everyone outside our shifting borders to be on edge and distrusting of our government.

What contingencies might they be secretly planning? It’s worth considering, as many of them lack the safeguards to prevent overreaction that we have.

Don’t spin on doomsday scenarios for long, though. A more likely outcome is that one of these places he covets eventually comes around and takes “the deal” he so loves to broker. 

Wouldn’t going along with his plan legitimize it? Perhaps, but if you believe what Greenland’s prime minister said initially, they’re vehemently opposed.

Whatever transpires afterward is probably motivated more out of fear of the repercussions of refusing than genuine interest. In other words, they’d be bowing to the bully to avoid a more vicious blow, nothing more.

If he succeeds, then who’ll be next? Who else is strategically located for defense or has large mineral deposits? Maybe we’ll never go down that “slippery slope,” but by even suggesting that the U.S. might be in a conquering mood, he could be inciting the rest of the world to tailspin into this kind of panicked scenario planning.

We’d do well to remember how lucky we are compared to many other places that are constantly warring over borders. Although we’re a large country, our map has been settled for a long time, and nobody has tried to secede since the Civil War. Rather than expanding and potentially fighting to hold it together, we should be grateful for what we have and focus on remaining strong and unified.

To that end, seeking strategic alliances in an ever-changing world where real and dangerous adversaries are positioning their chess pieces around the board is a prudent goal. Why not formulate sensible plans behind closed doors and then have civil conversations with allies and potential allies? 

That would be a more reasonable and effective way to get a good outcome than conducting a social media soap opera of half-baked brain dumps that only serve to stir the pot. Of course, it also wouldn’t stroke his outsized ego or garner the adulation of sycophants that he so desperately craves.

Global instability. However this all plays out, that’s the harm that might come from just sitting back and letting him spout whatever he wants without calling him out.

So I’m doing it—little old me—one concerned citizen speaking his mind. I’m urging you to speak yours, too.

Sure, pick your battles, but if something really doesn’t sit well with you, like this doesn’t with me, then there’s probably a good reason. Listen to your gut and say what you need to say, consequences be damned.

But if I go missing next week, forget all that and keep your mouth shut!