Unhinged

I've written here before about how when a conservative or Republican speaks out against Donald Trump, that in particularly is someone to whom we should pay attention. You don't get more bedrock Republican than Michael Gerson, George W. Bush's first presidential speech writer, who has been writing some really strong pieces against the President lately.

Gerson penned a powerful op-ed yesterday (link here) in The Washington Post with the title "How to handle an unhinged president."

He starts by noting how some Trump critics say to ignore his Twitter feed because he's just using that to distract attention from something else. Gerson disagrees with this idea. "It is necessary to focus on Trump’s tweets precisely because they shed light on the mind that is doing the deciding on North Korea," he writes.

And what they expose is deeply disturbing: "Trump’s tweets reveal a leader who is compulsive, abusive and easily triggered," says Gerson.

He then points out that, while psychiatrists should refrain from diagnosing Trump at a distance, ordinary citizens must not be constrained by that. If Trump seems like he's going over the edge, we need to speak out.

That's because "Trump holds a job that requires, above all else, the ability to unite and steady the nation in a time of crisis," Gerson notes. "There is no reason to believe he can play that role."

I urge you to read Gerson's entire piece. It's not long. Read it and share it. This is not a trivial matter to be ignored and hoped away.