Probably the most important quality, and the rarest, of people I know and respect is the ability to not only admit when theyāre wrong, but volunteer it without even asking.
Iāve been wrong a lot in my life, in fact, pretty much every day. So Iāve had a lot of practice āfessing up my mistakes.
Besides being the self-proclaimed king of the United States, Donald Trump is also the king of never admitting his mistakes, nor his lies, nor his shortcomings, nor…well, you get the picture. We all do.
Psychiatrists agree that the inability to admit even simple mistakes is generally linked to poor self-esteem or a heightened perception of being vulnerable.
Maybe. Often, as is the case with Trump, itās a classic symptom and case of Narcisstic Personality Disorder. Itās a thing, and itās not pretty.
Which brings us to leaning in to everyone you know who supports Trump, voted for Trump or couldnāt be bothered to find out whether he really was the guy in the White House we have there today.
For all those people, the line to say, āBoy, was I ever wrong about voting for Trump,ā starts here.
You know who you are, or you know who they are.
These are your friends, relatives and neighbors who for years have been slurping up the FoxNews Kool-Aid like it was real news for far too long. Youāre the ones who agreed with Fox and Friends that Trumpās many, many, many opponents and critics, many of them Republicans, or now former Republicans, who said the hype against Trump was just mainstream-media hysteria.
No one I know who voted for Trump or supports Trump believed the endless warnings about His Highness sucking up to Putin and Russia.
That was before he came right out last week, and this week, and lied about Russia not starting the war with Ukraine. That was before he forced his beholden cabinet sycophants to back him up on that hair-raising deception.
Trump forced his brand-new-out-of-the-box ambassador to the United Nations to join the league of terrorist states this week in voting with Russia and against every free, honorable and democratic nation on the planet determined to push the undisputed truth onto the world stage.
Granted, if youāre not among the handful of Ukrainian refugees and immigrants living in the Aurora metro area right now, the urgency of Trumpās newest Big Lie may not seem so pressing. Itās far more so if you have friends or relatives still living in any of the nations surrounding Ukraine that live in constant fear of what the ruthless dictator of Russia might do to their homeland next.
It may be months, years or even generations before we know why a narcissistic populist like Trump, who craves the worship of his friends and and ignores the indifference or disdain of his detractors, would cave to Putin and risk mass-rejection from his, once, adoring, fans.
But some day, soon I hope, that mystery will be solved.
Until then, however, Trump has dragged the United States into the global cesspool with a man who poisoned his political opponents and claimed that as king, he would Make Russia Great Again.
The reason all this matters so very much here in Aurora is, if Trump would lie and sell out his friends and admirers for this, what else will he lie about?
Even more important, with Trump and his supporters desperately and constantly trying to undermine and outright destroy real journalism across the nation, and right here in Aurora, how will anyone know anything close to the truth?
If youāre trying to persuade yourself that the ālame-stream-mediaā are the liars, I can point you to thousands of undisputed fact checks, made with real facts you can even check for yourself.
Just last week, the man who lies nearly as much as Trump, Elon Musk, told his massive audience on Twitter that hundreds of millions of dead people far past the age of 100 are illegally collecting Social Security payments.
If you were among the many of his minions who believed him, including Trump, you can no doubt expect a series of emails and calls from people in South Africa or Bangladesh desperate to share tens of thousands of dollars with you, just by providing your bank information so they can deposit it.
Muskās lie was debunked in hours.
So, too, have been the lies about already finding hundreds of billions of dollars in waste that have been suddenly reversed into positive U.S. budget cashflow. Pro Publica investigative journalists and others canāt find even close to what Musk and Trump are clearly falsely claiming.
This goes beyond the fact that Musk is trying to cut the money out of everything from desperately needed veterans benefits right here in Aurora to money for critical scientists and others who keep our medicines, food and even surgical devices safe.
No, no one voted for that.
And you wouldnāt know about any of this, or any of the other growing piles of lies and worries if you got your information from FoxNews or any of the other Trump propaganda organs that donāt even bother with some half-assed version of he-said-she-said ājournalism.ā
People in China and Russia can only find out whatās really going on inside and outside of their countries by depending on real journalism from free countries.
Itās pretty easy how that starts. Someone in power, like the president, or in Trumpās case, the king, makes an edict, because he can. Say, naming the Gulf of Mexico, the āGulf of America.ā
And anyone who doesnāt do the kingās bidding, gets cut out of seeing and hearing for themselves, what the king does. By upending the First Amendment, we would no longer be clear from what destroyed freedom of information in China and Russia.
That actually happened to the Associated Press last week. Itās pretty much the largest real-news organization on the planet, which scrupulously strives for all the facts, all the time.
For most Americans, maybe all, the whole thing is just silly. Who cares what Trump calls the gulf of anywhere or his favorite poo-poo paper, or ketchup?
But everyone should care that Trump would go to great lengths to keep the worldās largest, American source of White House news from finding out what heās up to.
If youāre not too far gone, you know you have to ask yourself, if Trump would lie about these kinds of things, if he would go to his much trouble over seeming trivialities, what would he do to lie, or cover up really serious gaffes, which we all know he would never admit to, and he would be compelled to hide?
No doubt, if you voted for Trump, you primarily voted for cheaper gas, fewer immigrants and better interest rates.
But did you vote to promote the party of Putin? Did you vote for someone like Elon Musk to decide what government services you need, want or will get? Did you vote for RFK Jr. to turn the entire nation into a measles-infested hell-hole like the one festering in Texas?
I didnāt think so.
Time to man-up, or woman-up, and admit the mistake. Itās not too late.
And if Iām the one whoās wrong, and gas hits $1.25, mortgage rates go to 3% and I can afford to buy lamb chops again? Youāll read my mea culpa right here.
In the meantime, if you want to know the facts and real details about what goes on in Washington, the Capitol in Denver and Auroraās city hall, invest in real journalism today. Itās the only real way to know whoās right and whoās wrong. Just ask the Russians.
Follow @EditorDavePerry on BlueSky, Threads, Mastodon, Twitter and Facebook or reach him at 303-750-7555 or dperry@SentinelColorado.com
Good column, Mr. Perry! This administration has misperceived its mandate exponentially. With two narcissists at the helm of a country they view as their toy to play with, we are quickly spinning out of control. Today, federal employees are worried about their lives. Tomorrow when government services that we depend upon are cut or stalled, we will feel their pain. Today the Washington Post had an article detailing much of the government aid Musk has received from states and the feds. The amount they could confidently report was $38BB. This total doesn’t include the assistance from classified work. Early on, government assistance was critical to his company’s survival, but now he has his, so he wants to cut subsidies. He admitted that it would hurt his sales temporarily, but be devastating for his competitors. I’d say the fox is guarding the hen house and he’s looking mighty fat lately!
LOL, like Perry is actually friendly with anyone who isn’t on his political team.
Tell us another one.
The Orphan is laughing out loud again. It’s his/her usual MAGA line. It’s a simplistic Trump twaddle thing with Orphan. Must be some psychological hangup from the Orphan’s adolescence. Tell us another one Orphan. Laugh out loud for us.
If we could find real journalism, we could try investing in it. Many people, myself included, had to hold our noses and vote for Trump. Both parties continually lie to us. We know that Trump has huge flaws. Unfortunately, the Democratic Party is full of serious delusions and was destroying our country with its intentional open immigration policy. We need an independent party or a serious return to some type of accountability and common sense. Both parties are like children who simply try to tear each other down to keep power. The needs of the people don’t matter. Here in Colorado, the radical Democratic legislature has done irreparable damage to law enforcement and the public safety. Barely a peep out of the media. Journalists, like those employed by the Sentinel, are not taking an honest and objective stand. Journalists, and cable news stations are now just politically aligned and push only one side for any argument. Law enforcement, which was always supposed to be above politics and a bastion of fairness and facts, has been politicized by the politicians who should have kept politics out of it. Both sides are using their law enforcement tools to attack each other. We can only hope that the courts and those who are left in law enforcement refuse to allow the abuses to continue by both sides. The media and journalists are not helping to keep us on an even and fair keel. Trump is right in some cases. He is a childish, narcissistic buffoon in many cases. We need a media that recognizes the difference and fairly covers the two extremes. Each side now simply looks at only their political media to praise them. If all of the media began to fairly report, the politicians wouldn’t have a place to hide. As it is, the Sentinel gives radical politicians a place to hide. So, fess up, Dave.
you said it yourself…holding your nose…..and THAT’s the issue. You didn’t vote for the country you voted for hate. We can see in your posts constantly. Hopefully some will see this and agree before it too is censored. And yes: Law enforcement, which was always supposed to be above politics and a bastion of fairness and facts, has been politicized by the politicians who should have kept politics out of it. Both sides are using their law enforcement tools to attack each other.: exactly what trump is doing right now. How does the DOJ look into a state prosecuted crime where it has no jurisdiction except in trumps tiny mind.
So sorry for your inability to see Truth, sir.
Mr. Perry is obviously very environmentally conscious. He continues to recycle the same old tired spew again and again. Perhaps his commitment to recycling ought to be publicly recognized. Perhaps there could be a Dave Perry plaque put up out at the DADS landfill.
My. What cleverness by fake Publius. There should be an award for fake Publius same old same old MAGA sewage. Well done Sir.
Hey Kane, ready to admit you don’t live in Aurora, yet?
For being 70 years old, I’d suspect you would have much more knowledge than you show in your comments. Maybe being raised in Iowa gave you a slow start. Maybe it was working for the government most of your life didn’t give you the knowledge most of us have acquired. Maybe you just think all conservatives are just ignorant.
Mr. Perry’s column isn’t good as you state. It’s just passing his hatred onto many citizens, like yourself, that just don’t get what makes a workable society. And the secret is much less government control at every level especially at the highest level, the USA. Think, self responsibility instead of government assistance. That’s a simple first step to bring you back to understanding.
Goodness Dick! I’m amazed. You claim to know “what makes a workable society.” Not many of us have your amazing insights. Less government control, self responsibility and less government assistance. Holy cow Dick. You’ve shown us the way. Hallelujah! Let’s hear it for Dick for “bringing us back to understanding.” Simply amazing Dick!
I’m with you Jim J: ‘simplyamazingdick’
So many people think Trump is normal as his antics playout over decades. Afraid to say it but he is a trait carrier infected with sociopathy.
You be the judge on the below traits that fit Trump from his actions, posts,press conferences to rallies. AI gathered 20 years of his actions,comment rallies and social posts.
Over the past two decades, Donald Trump has exhibited numerous traits commonly associated with sociopathy, including:
Manipulativeness: Trump has consistently demonstrated manipulative behavior to exploit and control others for personal gain.
THETOPTENS
Narcissism: He exhibits extreme self-admiration and grandiosity, often prioritizing his own interests over others.
JEUNE SEPAYNE
Lack of Empathy: Trump has been described as lacking empathy, showing little regard for the feelings or suffering of others.
NEWSWEEK.COM
Deceitfulness: He has a documented history of lying and deceit to achieve his objectives.
THEGUARDIAN.COM
Impulsivity: Trump often acts on impulse without considering the consequences, reflecting poor behavioral controls.
THEGUARDIAN.COM
Aggressiveness: He has exhibited aggressive behavior and hostility towards those he perceives as weaker or opposing him.
THEGUARDIAN.COM
Irresponsibility: Trump frequently shirks responsibility, blaming others for his failures and refusing to accept accountability.
THEATLANTIC.COM
Lack of Remorse: He shows little to no remorse for his actions, regardless of the harm they cause.
THEGUARDIAN.COM
These behaviors align with the characteristics of antisocial personality disorder, commonly associated with sociopathy.
You’re talking to the choir…but just wait….theamazingdick will be commenting shortly