By Tom Burke
I want a Boy Scout or a Girl Scout, Cub Scout, Brownie, Daisey, Webelo, Gold Award winner, Explorer, Sea or Eagle Scout for my next president. Well, not an actual scout (they’re too young), but someone who’s grown up in a scouting environment.
Why, you ask.
Simple. Because part of the Scouting ethos is a moral framework teaching the kind of ethical discernment so clearly lacking in the current occupant of the White House. We desperately need a leader with a moral framework and a president with ethical discernment instead of a liar, cheat, liar, grifter, liar and fraud.
And to illustrate my point, lets examine the Boy Scout Law, their twelve-point code that sets the moral standard Scouts are encouraged to adopt, and see what kind of Scout Trump would be (he’s already a terrible president), via some free association, where I say the words and you say the first thing that pops into your mind. (And, as always, no What-About-ism…no comparing him to anyone else.) I’ll even give you my first thoughts; you fill in yours.
So, a Scout is, quoting from the Scout Handbook:
Trustworthy (Tell the truth and keep promises): 7,600-plus documented lies and distortions. “Former presidents told me to build the wall.” Trump University. “Mexico will pay.”
Loyal (Show that you care about your family, friends, Scout leaders, school, and country): Ivana Trump, Marla Maples Trump, Cohen, Tillerson, Sessions, Powell, Priebus, Bannon, Flynn, McMasters, Manafort, Mattis.
Helpful (Volunteer to help others without expecting a reward): Trump charity shuttered by New York for being totally bogus. Shuttering a quarter of the U.S. government in a fit of pique. Creating business-killing tariffs and stock market-killer trade wars.
Friendly (Be a friend to everyone, even people who are very different from you): S***house countries. Muslim ban. Migrant caravan full of mid-east terrorists, the diseased, and criminals. Mexicans are thieves, rapists, murderers. Allies (Canada, Germany, France, Great Britain) ain’t allies any more; but Russia, North Korea, and Saudi Arabia are our new bestest friends.
Courteous (Be polite to everyone and always use good manners): “If you see somebody getting rowdy, knock the crap out of them; I’ll pay the legal fees.” Crooked Hillary, Pocohantas, Crazy Maxine Waters, Cryin’ Chuck Schumer, Failing New York Times, Little Rocket Man, Lyin’ Ted, Fake News.
Kind (Treat others as you want to be treated): Government shutdown. Slam chain migration, the way your third wife’s parents entered the U.S. Diss John McCain’s capture. Separate families at the border and put little children in concentration camps.
Obedient (Obey the laws of your community and country): Tax evasion, emoluments clause, did nothing about Saudi killing of Khashoggi, withheld taxes, and hired an attorney who said, “The truth isn’t the truth.”
Cheerful (Look for the bright side of life. Try to help others be happy): Made Putin happy saying Russia didn’t meddle in elections; made neo-Nazis happy calling them “very fine people;” made United Nations members laugh at him saying he’d accomplished more than any administration in US history.
Thrifty (Work to pay your own way. Use time, food, supplies, and natural resources wisely): Daddy gave him $400+ million. His is the largest deficit in the country’s history. Bankrupt six times. Deny climate change and withdraw from Paris accords.
Brave (Face difficult situations even when you feel afraid): Cadet Bone Spurs.
Clean (Keep your body and mind fit): Stormy Daniels, Karen McDougal and “I can grab them by the genitals.” A not-so-clean mind?
Reverent (Be reverent toward God. Be faithful in your religious duties): Quickly checking how Trump measures up to the Ten Commandments, seems he misses on some; like Nos. 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10. (He hits on No. 4, “Honor your father and your mother,” revering his Mom and emulating his dad, Fred, by cheating on taxes, charities, tenants, and investors.
So there ya go. Trump’s no Boy Scout and would never make Eagle or win a Gold Award unless there were merit badges for grifting and lying.
(I don’t even think the Girl Scouts would let him sell their cookies; would you buy Thin Mints from Donald Trump? And recalling ancient history, back to 2017, when he embarrassed himself and angered Scout leaders and parents by delivering a vicious political screed in front of 35,000 Scouts at their national Jamboree, becoming a Scoutmaster is out of the question as well.)
So now we’d better adopt another part of the Boy Scout credo — “Be Prepared” — getting ready for Mueller’s report; House committee investigations; more indictments; and, finally, for President Pence.
Giving the President the last word, I believe him when he said, “This is a total waste of time. … Bye-bye.” But it’s our time he’s wasting and if only he’d say “Bye-bye” and really leave Pennsylvania Avenue.
Tom Burke’s email address is t.burke.column@gmail.com.
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