Rick, I’ve read roughly 5 hours daily—news, political analysis, the usual—since the election. I’ve been privileged to read brilliant articles and essays. All I can say is that this piece stands head and shoulders above all the rest. I’m not sure I’ve read ANYTHING that approaches capturing my feelings about the East Wing. I read with tears in my eyes. Thank you more than I can ever convey.
Dear Rick, I echo all the appreciation and thanks for this eloquent tribute that captures not only what the East Wing held and represented, but also, the anguish of loss even those of us who never visited, can feel. A gut punch. The Imagine at the end is so important- we can't bring back the past, but we can create beauty, restore dignity and compassion as we rebuild our House--- I would love to see roses and other heritage flowers and plants, representing history, stories of all the peoples, the states etc, be used to create a beautiful People's garden, so hopefully, we don't ever forget what we had, again. I hadn't known that Teddy Roosevelt built the East Wing. His favorite rose was Duchesse de Brabant, that he liked to wear as a boutonniere. I will dream of getting to contribute her as a gift to that new garden. She grows in mine, and is one of my favorite's too. Now, I appreciate her in a whole new way.
“The Truman reconstruction taught us that a beautiful facade can hide a collapsing interior; he gutted the place and rebuilt it so the metaphor wouldn’t swallow the building whole. That’s what we need now, again, not gilt to cover Trump’s guilt, not a temple to his greed and ego, but the hard, unglamorous carpentry of a national restoration.”
Yes. It will take all of us working together. And, there are plenty of us here who are willing to put our shoulder to the task.
I echo what so many others have said. This is a beautifully written piece, full of soul and wisdom. I have needed a likeminded expression of the deep sadness I feel. But what I especially liked about this piece was the imagine part at the end. I, too, imagine tearing down the garish eyesore of the big ugly ballroom when he's gone and bringing back to life the East Wing. What a day of rejoicing that will be! Thank you for writing this.
I have a sneaky suspicion that the hasty destruction of the East Wing could have been done to avoid those nasty EPA guys who may have been worried about ASBESTOS in those walls they tore down. Now they are scattering the rubble on a public golf course.
I echo what so many before me have said: this is a beautiful piece, Rick. I share your optimism we will one day see a new East wing replace this monster’s tasteless dump, and replace it with a new East wing, and return dignity and honor to THE PEOPLE’S HOUSE.
Superb piece sir, it made me a subscriber. You describe a desecration of a piece of the American soul; it cuts deep. As disgusting as it is, it can be viewed as a great gift to those of us in opposition to this autocratic regime. Perhaps more than any other revolting action of this administration, the ongoing desecration of the People's House has the potential to unify the electorate against the cult of Trump. We must keep the images of this destruction in the public eye and welcome, as you have, the day when this disgrace can be erased and consecration can begin anew.
Your writing is excellent! It brings up images, emotions and thoughts. These are words that need to be heard by the masses who have only heard the dumb ramblings of the idiot dictator. Continue to speak and write. Thank you!
It is either revenge for the No Kings march success or Donald needs a throne room when he wears the French Crown Jewels. It breaks my heart and thank you so much for capturing the quiet elegance of that building. I could see it again and hear it and know it again. I used to meet with Barbara Bush's staff there with the ghosts of America's reason for being. I am sorry all Americans could not have experienced this lovely place, Our Place, before the demolition crew took it to the dirt. This, among so many other actions of this administration, is unforgivable.
I have called my Senator and Congressman and expressed my despair and anger at this. I also said they work for We the People, and should be holding Trump accountable.
People are very angry over this. I think Trump made a huge mistake.
Cheeto has become the Law and he asserts that he can do whatever he wants to including sending troops for any reason to any American city Now he’s cutting infrastructure programs like the much needed Hudson river train tunnel(constructed in 1910) because Democrats support it
But it’s much more that partisan politics as Cheeto likes to label his actions It’s more about the destruction of the country and hurting Americans, financially and physically, because he basically likes to hurt people He literally “gets off” on hurting people
So Cheeto and his Nazi regime with the help of his billionaires/oligarchs want to take over the government Billionaires are grifting off the government taxpayer money eg Musk, Theil, Karp, Antonio Gracias Protests are fine but the next step is to take on the greed and power mongering of the wealthy The answer is to knee cap these motherfuckers at the business level by exposing them for what they are after See https://acrecampaigns.org/ And onepa.org as a model
"Fascism is corporatism because it is a merger of state and corporate power". Benito Mussolini
I agree with much of what you say, but the Democrats have their own cross section of wealthy pigs that seek to eat at their trough as well. As long as it remains a bounce between one set of billionaire bottom feeders who fund campaigns, and another, we will be the oligarchy they want.
Rick, I’ve read roughly 5 hours daily—news, political analysis, the usual—since the election. I’ve been privileged to read brilliant articles and essays. All I can say is that this piece stands head and shoulders above all the rest. I’m not sure I’ve read ANYTHING that approaches capturing my feelings about the East Wing. I read with tears in my eyes. Thank you more than I can ever convey.
Dear Rick, I echo all the appreciation and thanks for this eloquent tribute that captures not only what the East Wing held and represented, but also, the anguish of loss even those of us who never visited, can feel. A gut punch. The Imagine at the end is so important- we can't bring back the past, but we can create beauty, restore dignity and compassion as we rebuild our House--- I would love to see roses and other heritage flowers and plants, representing history, stories of all the peoples, the states etc, be used to create a beautiful People's garden, so hopefully, we don't ever forget what we had, again. I hadn't known that Teddy Roosevelt built the East Wing. His favorite rose was Duchesse de Brabant, that he liked to wear as a boutonniere. I will dream of getting to contribute her as a gift to that new garden. She grows in mine, and is one of my favorite's too. Now, I appreciate her in a whole new way.
“The Truman reconstruction taught us that a beautiful facade can hide a collapsing interior; he gutted the place and rebuilt it so the metaphor wouldn’t swallow the building whole. That’s what we need now, again, not gilt to cover Trump’s guilt, not a temple to his greed and ego, but the hard, unglamorous carpentry of a national restoration.”
Yes. It will take all of us working together. And, there are plenty of us here who are willing to put our shoulder to the task.
End his term. Yesterday.
Thank you ,Rick, for this eloquent, elegiac column.
I echo what so many others have said. This is a beautifully written piece, full of soul and wisdom. I have needed a likeminded expression of the deep sadness I feel. But what I especially liked about this piece was the imagine part at the end. I, too, imagine tearing down the garish eyesore of the big ugly ballroom when he's gone and bringing back to life the East Wing. What a day of rejoicing that will be! Thank you for writing this.
I have a sneaky suspicion that the hasty destruction of the East Wing could have been done to avoid those nasty EPA guys who may have been worried about ASBESTOS in those walls they tore down. Now they are scattering the rubble on a public golf course.
I echo what so many before me have said: this is a beautiful piece, Rick. I share your optimism we will one day see a new East wing replace this monster’s tasteless dump, and replace it with a new East wing, and return dignity and honor to THE PEOPLE’S HOUSE.
Beautiful.
Superb piece sir, it made me a subscriber. You describe a desecration of a piece of the American soul; it cuts deep. As disgusting as it is, it can be viewed as a great gift to those of us in opposition to this autocratic regime. Perhaps more than any other revolting action of this administration, the ongoing desecration of the People's House has the potential to unify the electorate against the cult of Trump. We must keep the images of this destruction in the public eye and welcome, as you have, the day when this disgrace can be erased and consecration can begin anew.
Your writing is excellent! It brings up images, emotions and thoughts. These are words that need to be heard by the masses who have only heard the dumb ramblings of the idiot dictator. Continue to speak and write. Thank you!
Thank you.
Have you seen his plans for an Arc De Trump for the 250 year celebrations, https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy7e8lv176go
There is no end to tackiness of this man, I guess typical Dictator behaviour, nothing like a monument to yourself.
Very well written. Thank you, Rick.
It is either revenge for the No Kings march success or Donald needs a throne room when he wears the French Crown Jewels. It breaks my heart and thank you so much for capturing the quiet elegance of that building. I could see it again and hear it and know it again. I used to meet with Barbara Bush's staff there with the ghosts of America's reason for being. I am sorry all Americans could not have experienced this lovely place, Our Place, before the demolition crew took it to the dirt. This, among so many other actions of this administration, is unforgivable.
Wonderful as always, Rick.
I have called my Senator and Congressman and expressed my despair and anger at this. I also said they work for We the People, and should be holding Trump accountable.
People are very angry over this. I think Trump made a huge mistake.
Sure hope you are right, I hoping maybe it will be a trigger point for some Republicans. Magas you may as well forget, they a lost cause.
Cheeto And His Billionaire Buddies
Cheeto has become the Law and he asserts that he can do whatever he wants to including sending troops for any reason to any American city Now he’s cutting infrastructure programs like the much needed Hudson river train tunnel(constructed in 1910) because Democrats support it
But it’s much more that partisan politics as Cheeto likes to label his actions It’s more about the destruction of the country and hurting Americans, financially and physically, because he basically likes to hurt people He literally “gets off” on hurting people
So Cheeto and his Nazi regime with the help of his billionaires/oligarchs want to take over the government Billionaires are grifting off the government taxpayer money eg Musk, Theil, Karp, Antonio Gracias Protests are fine but the next step is to take on the greed and power mongering of the wealthy The answer is to knee cap these motherfuckers at the business level by exposing them for what they are after See https://acrecampaigns.org/ And onepa.org as a model
"Fascism is corporatism because it is a merger of state and corporate power". Benito Mussolini
I agree with much of what you say, but the Democrats have their own cross section of wealthy pigs that seek to eat at their trough as well. As long as it remains a bounce between one set of billionaire bottom feeders who fund campaigns, and another, we will be the oligarchy they want.
Agree it's just that the Cheeto oligarchs are signing up to destroy the governement and country