Declining mental ability in older adults is a delicate issue. I address it in this post with a great deal of caution. As years go by, I acknowledge that my mind is not as sharp as it used to be. Mental decline affects Democrats and Republicans alike. Last year, I raised questions about Joe Biden’s mental acuity long before he decided not to run for re-election. It is only fair that I raise similar concerns about President Donald Trump.
Some of the most common expressions of mental decline are loss of memory, mispronunciation or misuse of words, and the fossilization of ideas. Biden’s and Trump’s verbal gaffes are common and have been ridiculed by late night comedians (especially by Stephen Colbert). These can be funny, but are usually not very serious. The fossilization of ideas is much more significant, especially in those who are in positions of authority. It is observed when people are apparently stuck in a mental rut. They are seemingly unable to break free from their old ways of thinking. This mental decline is colloquially captured in the phrases “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks” and “we’ve always done it this way”. On at least two issues, Trump exemplifies this problem: Canada and tariffs. During his meeting with the newly elected Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Monday, his fossilized thinking on these two topics was clearly evident.
Canada: Our 51st State?
For several months, Trump has referred to Canada as our 51st state. This might have been seemed to him as “funny” or “cute”, but it is not. (This was reinforced by his referring to the previous Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as “Governor”.} There is no positive effect to calling Canada our 51st state. He repeated the phrase and belabored it at length in his meeting with Carney. The phrase is demeaning. It is bullying. It implies that Canada is not a true nation. It suggests that our northern neighbor is worth less than 2% of the United States. In their recent election, Canadians rallied around the Liberal candidate Carney as the “Anti-Trump”, and as a result, they voted Carney into power over his Conservative opponent.
Trump’s advisors have told him to stop using the phrase “the 51st state”. It is damaging to our relationship with our long-standing neighbor and friend. It shows the moral poverty of our president… or his mental decline.
Tariffs
Trump has been fascinated (obsessed?) with the “positive” benefits of tariffs for over three decades. Somewhere along the way, he heard that tariffs were good. In the best-case scenario, a precise tariff might be useful to protect a country’s weak industry (ex. Car production). Let us be clear. Tariffs are taxes paid by importers, and then passed on to consumers. Economists are nearly unanimous in affirming that Trump’s tariffs will cause a sharp increase in inflation. 75% of U.S. citizens (including Trump supporters) believe they will increase the price of goods. CEOs of the large retail chains have warned Trump of higher prices and empty store shelves. The Dow Jones Index does not like tariffs and it shows. Trump’s Liberation Day brought a huge slide in the stock exchange.
Can Trump overcome his failing obsessions? I hope old dogs can learn new tricks.
Lindy Scott 