Slowly, the mariner and his wife begin to peek at the political news. Like small fishes in the coral reef, quickly we dart away. The similarities between the Hitler takeover of Germany and Donald’s takeover of the United States are eerie. In both elections, neither won the popular vote; large numbers of citizens were ignored by the establishment for years and therefore wanted a leader who was good at kicking down sand castles and toy block bridges; a leader who didn’t understand what the word egalitarian meant or was capable of implementing egalitarian policies that would right the wrongs of a recently defeated Germany or a recently destroyed US democracy.

Hitler filled his administration with people who did not fit well with complicated, nuanced organizations; the appointees possessed extremist attitudes and opportunistic ethics; Donald is doing precisely the same. Against a background of political incompetence in the elected government, both administrations, despite D-league leaders, were (are) quickly capable of installing a white nationalist nation, permit horribly abusive punishment on citizens who dared to disagree with the administration; and further utilize mafia-like tactics and confiscation techniques to take possession of property, financial opportunities and remove worker rights from government contracts; finally, appointing only cronies and those each felt he could trust regardless of instruction or circumstances.

Henry Kissinger thinks Donald is manageable. With all due respect, mariner disagrees. Donald is a hard core narcissist raised in a manner where he cannot, even in the face of absolute evidence, admit he lost or is wrong or even that someone else contributed. “If people think you never lose, you can do anything” (Donald). Further, Congress is too incompetent to steer Donald – only take advantage of his presence. Sadly, two wrongs don’t make a right.

Finally – though there is more – instead of engaging democratic allies to assist Germany in its economic crisis, Hitler turned to another autocratic dictatorship: Mussolini’s Italy. One cannot help but notice Donald’s preference to solve “the world’s problems” by associating with Putin’s Russia – an autocratic dictatorship.

Chicken Little, to use his colloquial style, is running about shouting “The sky is falling! The sky is falling!”

And very important to the personal sense of things represented by this post, a woman who is the best friend of the mariner’s daughter and equally a friend of the mariner and his wife has written a poignant accounting of the recent election. Please, please go to http://www.refinery29.com/2016/11/130338/trump-womens-health-care-social-security . It says a lot about the intellectual demands and knowledge required of the electorate to manage a democratic republic founded on freedom.

From a different angle, at least two major futurists see this moment as the end of world polity and the associated economic model – the end of a global culture in place since World War One. This perception may be wise, even hopeful. However, the Antichrist enjoys meddling in times of great change. What can be said that is positive? Hitler and Mussolini invented the V2 rocket and made trains run on time. What will Donald and Putin do?

Ancient Mariner