I’m no AOC fan but Donald Trump should apologise – Jim Duffy

I’m no fan of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s politics – which seem to be from the Jeremy Corbyn school of economics – but Donald Trump has gone too far this time, writes Jim Duffy.

Gerard Butler and co battle to save the US President from external enemies in the film Olympus Has Fallen

Our very own Gerard Butler stars in the Hollywood hit movie, Olympus Has Fallen. Alongside the great Morgan Freeman and few other secret service personnel, they do pretty well against some awful baddies. Gerard Butler, aka Mike Banning, is that one brave man who is not afraid to mix it up with bad people and give it right back to them where it hurts. I won’t tell you the full plot in case you go to watch it online, but suffice to say, it is as good, if not better, than any Bruce Willis Die Hard movie. But, the title of the movie made me think deeper about the White House.

Olympus is the term given to the White House, no doubt at some point by the American Secret Service to identify it. It is a specific handle that makes the building and all that it represents stand out as a big deal.

And I guess we may all agree that the White House is a “big deal”. What it signifies as a signifier to the world is freedom, integrity, virtue, discretion and democracy.

It is the pinnacle of power and honour in the West. This was why it was no doubt targeted in the 9/11 planning and execution.

But, I’m afraid not even Gerard Butler could save the current White House from a new baddie. One that lurks within. No, Donald Trump is single-handedly bringing down the White House with his behaviour.

I’m afraid to say it, but Olympus has fallen.

How ironic that the threat to the White House has not come from outside its gates and walls. The secret service agents guard it day in and day out, 24/7, but they have their sights trained on external events that may harm those inside those hallowed grounds. The guard dogs and their handlers are alert to what may be going on at the perimeter fences all around the building as tourists shuffle on the pavements taking selfies and more. But, as they guard the inhabitants inside, the threat has grown there in a place where dignity and professionalism were once watchwords for all. It seems to me and many that Donald Trump is the enemy within.

But let me give some perspective to be fair to the 45th President of the United States. I do not particularly care for the policies and mantras of his adversaries, Nancy Pelosi or Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC).

Ocasio-Cortez feels to me to be very much from the Jeremy Corbyn school of economics. Almost the antithesis of Donald Trumponomics.

But, this immensely smart and articulate young Democrat who serves as the US Representative for New York’s 14th congressional district is a rising star who is afraid of nothing. She wants to redistribute wealth in the USA like Bernie Sanders.

Many see her policies as fiscally naive. But, if one were to think about some of her and her associates’ ideas, one may think – hold on a minute, that ain’t half bad. For example, why has America got so many billionaires? Do they really need all that wealth? And if one took the cash from billionaires, still leaving them plenty, it could build a better health system and so on...

One of her policy advisors, Dan Riffle, has as his handle on Twitter – “Every Billionaire is a Policy Failure”. Says it all and paints a vivid picture of where AOC’s economics come from. But, that does not mean she should be abused.

President Trump singled her and three of her colleagues out this week. You can read it everywhere. He has been duly chastised and his comments categorised as “racist”. I’m not 100 per cent convinced that he truly meant them to be racist. The media reported heavily on him suggesting the four women could go back to where they came from, but failed on several occasions, to mention that Mr Trump wanted them to to come back.

Nonetheless when you screw about with Twitter in a world of fake news, be prepared for what comes your way. To even suggest something like this, especially in the USA which prides itself on the exploits of its immigrants, hard work and the American dream, is political suicide. Or at least it should be.

I didn’t care for Barack Obama. He seems more like a Harvard professor than a President. But, under his leadership and stewardship, I don’t think we have ever had such a more dignified, respectful and professionally run White House. And we know now and probably guessed at the time, that he had a wonderful lady in his wife Michelle, guiding him and helping him live up to his values. Does anyone have any idea what Melanie Trump is saying to Donald just now? I’m not hopeful here that she will be chastising him or directing him. No, she is no Michelle Obama. Mr Obama, all that you did in finessing the image of the White House is being systematically and brutishly dismantled. It is time you got back to politics and forgot the after-dinner speaking – for now.

Olympus has fallen – hard. The good grace and political prowess of the likes of Obama has been shattered by the thuggish and “racist” outbursts of Trump. Politicians will have views, debates and policies that are diametrically opposed to their adversaries on many occasions. This is plain to see when we look at the Tories and Labour in the UK. But, when senior politicians start the debate about their foe’s race, ethnicity and country of birth, then we are on very unsafe ground. Mr Trump should apologise. His ratings would rocket. But that ain’t gonna happen. We will all look back in ten or 20 years at this time when the White House and all it stood for was attacked – from within.