It isn't easy being green

Kermit the frog was a cheerful character on Sesame Street. Frogs like lily pads and clean water. We had a frog in our pool doing laps one day. We scooped him out after his workout. He went on his merry way.

We have had pools since 1984. The instructions come on the side of the chlorine bottle. Test water to see how much chlorine is needed to disperse algae. Add chlorine. Test water again. Add algaecide as needed. Test water frequently. Rising Sun is our best friend.

People who have pools know how quickly algae blooms grow. When the pool is covered in off-season the pool turns green. Every spring it takes a few weeks to get water swimmable and safe. Test. Test. Test.

Donald Trump, who has multiple pools at Mar-a-Lago and his other hotels, has likely never been the one testing the water.

The darker a pool liner is, the more a bright sun will heat it. Bad combination. Dark pool liner. Bad filtration system to circulate the water.

Did he ask how the painting of the Reflection Pool would go?  My guess is not. Donald has very little impulse control. He is a toddler balling his fists, whining on the floor.

What a fine predicament this is.

The paint is peeling up in chunks from the floor of the Reflection Pool. The pool is green with algae. July fourth, the 250th Birthday of America, is just around the corner. 

We have a president prone to making bad decisions – like starting a war with Iran and demolishing the East Wing of the White House. Dare we mention the Claw, a wrestling cage set on the South lawn. How tacky can we get? We are in trouble.

Trump’s erratic behavior and poor judgment are becoming more dangerous. His appearance at the G-7 Conference was downright embarrassing.

If he had any real friends, they would stop him from the constant mockery of critics and late-night comedians.

He might have power to silence CBS, but ABC is on air standing up to him and urging viewers to let the FCC know they object to his threats to the First Amendment.  And he cannot shut down every podcaster or Instagram user. Criticism is coming from a lot of quarters Trump cannot silence.

For a person who likes to win all the time – even if he lies about winning - criticism and mockery are surely irritating him. He is a great foil for a comic. So much that is laughable. The pool is the latest snafu.

Can he continue serving as president for two more years? Will his dozens of doctors be able to keep him going? The most generous and gracious thing he could do for the American people is resign. He could say he is moving on to more interesting work, like building golf clubs in Albania.

He might want to stay because there are so many legal binds he is in. Lawyers will be coming for him when he is out of office. It might be worth offering a pardon just to get rid of him. (I can’t believe I just said that. He is exactly the person who ought to be in jail!)

He is grifting and making millions through insider trading. He is part of the Epstein Files. There are too many witnesses and pictures for the story of Epstein Island to be squelched forever.

Trump’s story will not end in a bang, but a whimper. He is a failed president. His decisions are getting more dangerous and more costly.

Mary Oliver wrote A Summer Day. At the end of her poem there is the question “What will you do with your one wild and wonderful life?”

It is sad and pathetic that Donald Trump has not done enough introspection to answer that question?

Socrates offers wisdom for the ages, “Know Thyself.” Donald likely has not have read Socrates.

Ignorance blesses no one. Complicity of MAGA Republicans who ignore the danger and ignorance of a president will go down in history as a sad commentary on how lust for power and/or fear of retribution stains those who have stood by in silence. We know who they are.

For a person who does not like losing, Donald Trump is losing on many fronts. A green reflecting pool is the latest.

Sing on, Kermit!

Lib Campbell is a retired Methodist pastor, retreat leader, columnist and host of the blogsite Avirtualchurch.com