Take This Job and Shove It

Another Friday, another news dump. While we were still learning about the resignation of Rob Porter, Trump's Staff Secretary (accused of beating his two ex-wives), Friday night brought news of two more departures from the White House. Rachel Brand, who served nine months as the 3rd top-ranking official at the Department of Justice, resigned that position in order to take a better-paying job with . . . wait for it . . . Walmart! When leaving a position with the United States Department of Justice to work for Walmart is a step up, you know we're in trouble. I have to say, I cannot fault Brand for getting the hell out of there. If her superior, Rod Rosenstein, was to be fired (a strong possibility), Brand would be stepping into a hornet's nest of moral and ethical decision-making.

Also, last night we learned that David Sorensen, a speechwriter in this administration, abruptly resigned due to charges of domestic abuse which included the accusation that he burned his wife's hand with a cigarette. Do you remember someone saying that, if elected President, he would hire "only the best people?" Although it is difficult to keep up with the numbers, as of today, 39 of those "best people" have been fired or resigned, in several cases, under pressure.

You know the names, among them Scaramucci, Flynn, McFarland, Priebus, Bannon, Gorka, Price, Porter, Spicer . . . and let's not forget Omarosa, known better by her first name than her last. Rumor has it that Chief of Staff John Kelly has said he is "willing to resign" as a result of the Porter resignation. Apparently, Porter never had a security clearance due to the abuse charges. This is a man who had access to every paper that landed on the desk in the Oval Office, including Top Secret classified documents. (Of course, since pictures of the man occupying the Oval Office show a desk completely cleared of any paperwork, maybe we needn't be worried.) If McGahn and Kelly and Trump knew that Porter had no clearance, which seems to be the case, and allowed him access anyway, what has happened to the rules and protocol of our democracy?

Most of us have probably had a "take this job and shove it" moment or two. I can recall a couple of waitressing jobs that I abandoned in my youth. (I suck at waiting tables.) Firings and resignations are often necessary, but the sheer number of workers who are no longer employed by the White House, not to mention positions that have yet to be filled over a year later, should frighten us all. A house with no foundation or stability is bound to suffer structural damage. Or fall completely.

And maybe all it will take is a little shove.