Smithsonian Institution

Donald Trump’s Massive Destruction Of LBJ’s “Great Society”!

Ronald 48 Comments

America is witnessing under Donald Trump in his second term Presidency a goal that the extreme right wing MAGA Movement and “Project 2025” has been working toward for decades—the massive destruction of all of the good work of President Lyndon B. Johnson and his “Great Society” in the mid 1960s.

All of the major actions of the Johnson Presidency in domestic affairs, and also of the Supreme Court led by Chief Justice Earl Warren, is being reversed in a heartless, callous, cruel manner by both Donald Trump and the extreme right wing majority of the John Roberts Supreme Court.

Among these actions of massive destruction have been the following:

Civil Rights Act of 1964
Voting Rights Act of 1965
Medicare and Medicaid
Federal Aid to Education
Immigration and Nationality Act 1965
Environmental and Consumer Legislation
Housing and Labor Reforms
Eliminating Government Funding for National Public Radio (NPR) and PBS
War On Poverty Programs, including Job Corps, Project Head Start, and Food Stamps (SNAP)
National Endowment For The Arts and National Endowment For The Humanities

Trump has attacked educational programs and cultural institutions, including the Kennedy Center, the National Museum of American History, all other museums connected with the Smithsonian Institution, and News Media.

Trump has also worked to destroy domestic initiatives of presidents after LBJ, including in particular:

Richard Nixon
Jimmy Carter
Bill Clinton
Barack Obama
Joe Biden

Once Donald Trump is out of office, and assuming that Democrats can retake the White House and Capitol Hill, it will take a massive effort to reverse the horrendous damage, and it will be more than a one or two year effort to bring back progress domestically.

Self Enrichment, Self Glorification, Retribution: Sum Total Of Second Trump Presidency!

Ronald 26 Comments

The Donald Trump Second Term Presidency, after 18 months can be summarized by three terms:

Self Enrichment

Self Glorification

Retribution And Revenge

Donald Trump has violated the Emoluments Clause of the Constitution, enriching himself in this past year and a half by a few billion dollars, and yet, nothing is done to combat it.

Donald Trump has promoted every imaginable tactic to glorify himself and change Washington DC, so that he insures that he will never be forgotten after his passing.

This includes:

Proposed United States Triumphal Arch
Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool
Lincoln Memorial Promenade
White House East Wing Ballroom
White House Rose Garden Renovation
Gilding of Oval Office and Lincoln Bedroom Gold and Marble Renovation
Lafayette Park Renovation
East Potomac Golf Links Renovation
The Kennedy Center
Ultimate Fighting Championship Arena on the South Lawn
Commemorative $250 Bill
Commemorative Trump Passports
White House Helipad
Proposed National Guard of American Heroes
Proposed Renaming of Dulles Airport in Virginia
Intervention In Operation Of Smithsonian Institution And National Historical Sites

And this inconclusive list does not include naming of other locations after Donald Trump, such as Palm Beach Florida International Airport, newly renamed Donald J. Trump International Airport in July 2026.

Finally, Retribution, including harassment and prosecutions against all critics and perceived “enemies” of Donald Trump, including those involved in court cases and legislative actions designed to prosecute and hold accountable Donald Trump, his family, and his supporters. Many of these cases have failed, but the pursuit of “enemies” is continuing.

Also, federal judges and state officials have been threatened, and corporations, law firms, universities, and journalists have been intimidated by actions brought by the Justice Department, the FBI, and other government agencies that are catering to the whims of Donald Trump.

Trump Attack On Smithsonian Institution And National Museum Of American History MUST Be Resisted With Fervor!

Ronald 112 Comments

Donald Trump has declared war on truth and facts, regarding American history, and is attempting to interfere with, and dictate what the Smithsonian Institution, and specifically, the National Museum of American History, portrays to those who visit.

This is seen as a clarion call for action by this lifetime historian of American history, government, and politics, a career of 53 years of classroom teaching; the author of two published books; a presenter of hundreds of adult group lectures; the author of many thousands of published articles; and engaged in this ProgressiveProfessor blog for nearly 18 years.

As a lifetime member of the American Historical Association, and the Organization of American Historians, all those who are scholars or the general public, who care about reporting the whole story of the American past–the good, the bad, and the ugly–must unite in vehement opposition to the attempt to distort and destroy the reality of the American story!

A sanitized version of the American past, which dilutes the role of women, people of color, immigrants, and the entire truth about American government and its leadership and policies–positive and negative–is totally outrageous and is designed to propagandize and promote a white male Christian supremacist version, which must be vigorously opposed with total fervor!

The Wiping Out Of History By Donald Trump: Museums And The White House! :(

Ronald Leave a comment

President Donald Trump has declared war on History, attacking various museums and their exhibits, and destroying the East Wing of the White House without any input, consultation, or authorization by any agency or organization.

For someone like this historian and scholar, this is a very depressing situation!

Interference with museum exhibits at the National African American Museum and National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, DC, along with the National Museum of American History, National Gallery of Art, and all other Smithsonian Museums is an attempt to wipe out truth, and distort the reality of the American past.

The same situation affects all National Parks and Monuments, with “sanitizing” of the reality of these sites.

Additionally, interference with the Library Of Congress, and cultural institutions, such as the Kennedy Center For The Perfoming Arts, is infuriating!

Declaring war on “DEI”, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, is trying to repeal the 20th Century Civil Rights Movement, and reforms moving forward on race and gender, and instead working to impose white male dominance of all cultural institutions!

Trump Interference With Smithsonian Museums An Attack On Historical Truth!

Ronald 36 Comments

This author, scholar, and blogger has been communicating to students and adults for more than a half century “the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth” about the American historical experience, along with discussion of world events and foreign policy.

To have Donald Trump and his followers set out to declare war on the truth and the facts of the American past is a challenge that cannot be allowed to be lost!

For Trump to interfere with exhibits at the various Smithsonian Institution Museums is totally beyond the pale, and must be vehemently opposed with every fiber of the being of scholars and authors!

The truth of Civil Rights Museums cannot be allowed to disappear!

The challenge to teachers and professors is to refuse to teach and spread lies and mistruths.

That is very difficult for teachers and librarians who depend on state and local governments for their livelihoods.

But the reality of the American past must not be compromised, and lawsuits and action by decent people, parents and those who care about proper education, must lead to resistance.

The American Historical Association, the Organization of American Historians, the American Political Science Association, and reputable news media and scholars in the nation and around the world must unite to guarantee that “the truth shall set us free!”

Ten Days Away, Coming Back To New Controversies Surrounding Donald Trump! :(

Ronald 19 Comments

This author and blogger took a vacation, visiting my old “haunts” in New York City, where he lived until 1989.

While it was great getting back to “my origins”, for only the third time in the past 36 years, new controversies erupted around Donald Trump and his administration while I was away.

At least ten areas of crisis grew while this author and blogger was away on vacation.

The earlier decision of CBS to cancel Stephen Colbert, occurring days before this author and blogger took a break, just to gain the ability to merge with new ownership accepted by Donald Trump, was just the beginning. And Trump celebrating Colbert’s show ending next May was a moment of total disgust!

Trump fired the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics because she revealed a report of weak employment growth in July, and massive revision downward of May and June figures, numbers she had no control over adjusting.

Trump’s tariffs, which will raise the cost of living dramatically in future months, are due to take place on August 7, with some nations being “punished” more than others, including Canada and Brazil, and all Americans paying the price for this insanity, as tariffs cause economic collapses historically!

Ghislane Maxwell, in prison for 20 years for sexual abuse of young girls, connected with the Jeffrey Epstein Scandal, was moved to a minimum security prison, after being interviewed by Trump’s Deputy Attorney General. This is seen as an attempt to move to pardon her, and avoid revelations of whether Donald Trump was involved in the sexual abuse, another sign of a coverup to protect Trump.

Texas is attempting to use the abuses of gerrymandering to insure possibly five more House seats to go to the Republican Party, an effort to insure Republican control of the House of Representatives, with the support of Donald Trump. Democrats have left the state, to try to avoid such abuses from occurring.

The National Museum of American History, connected with the Smithsonian Institution, temporarly removed an exhibit showing Trump’s two impeachments, although it now claims it will be restored in the future.

The number of ICE arrests is multiplying, including at immigration hearings, when people show up at their required appointments, gain a new court date, but then are grabbed by multiple ICE agents wearing masks, acting like the Nazi Gestapo!

The number of government workers are being decimated, which makes a future set of shortcomings that will affect Americans in many areas of government involvement, most notably the National Weather Serivce and the upcoming hurricane season, as well as air traffic control, which delayed this author and blogger’s flight to New York City by a TEN hour delay! 🙁

Trump has moved nuclear submarines closer to Russia, as relations between Trump and Vladimir Putin worsen, and as the Russian war against Ukraine continues unabated.

The mass starvation of Gaza residents by Israel continues, and Trump’s inability or lack of concern about what is seen by many as a growing Holocaust.

So trying to “escape” from the news really is not truly possible, as the nightmare of Donald Trump continues! 🙁

The Attempted “Whitewashing” Of American History Will NOT Survive In The Future!

Ronald 26 Comments

As a veteran of the college and university classroom, and having just retired after 53 years of teaching American history, government, and politics, I want to make clear that the attempted “white washing” of American history by the Trump Administration, will NOT succeed in the long run!

The truth and facts and reality of American history–the good, the bad, and the ugly–cannot be eliminated just because the present national government sets out to destroy the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian Institution and its multitude of museums, and the many other historical sites and memorials.

Short term, we are seeing the attempt to reverse reality of the past, and it is a long hard struggle that will be waged over the years in the future, but the truth will win out in the long run!

We are not going to go back to a purely white Christian version of American history, as we will keep the faith on the truth of African American history; Latino American history; American Women’s history; Asian American history; Native American history; Gay and Lesbian American history; and Jewish American history!

All areas of American history will continue to be spoken about, taught to students, and scholarly works published!

“Red” state governors and legislatures, most notably in Florida and Texas, will continue to attempt to wipe out the reality of the historical record, and short term, they may be triumphing, but the battle to retain and preserve the past in an accurate manner, will return in the future.

And “Blue” state governors and their legislatures, and city mayors and city councils around urban America, will fight the good fight to keep alive the historical record as it is, explaining to future generations the positives and negatives of American history, and hold the federal, state, and local governments accountable for their actions!

Anything worth preserving requires dedication and commitment, and all scholars of American history, including this author and blogger, will NEVER give up the fight for the truth and reality!

Trump Attack On The Smithsonian Institution, Library Of Congress, Copyright Office, Kennedy Center: An Attack On Truth And Facts Of American History And Culture!

Ronald 10 Comments

Donald Trump has unleashed an attack on the Smithsonian Institution and its various museums, including the National African American Museum, the National Museum of the American Indian, the proposed National Women’s History Museum, and the proposed National Latino Museum in particular; on the Library of Congress, on the US Copyright Office; and on the Kennedy Center For Performing Arts.

This is endangering the quest for facts and truth regarding the American historical past, and on American culture at large.

It is also interfering with the separation of powers, with agencies that the Executive Branch should have no power over, and should not be able to fire their leadership, but Trump has gone ahead and done so, anyway! This is Executive Branch overreach to the extreme!

The nation is in a crisis over so many issues, but interference with these institutions is something that Congress MUST stop in its tracks, for the safety and survival of these crucial organizations!

Donald Trump, The Disruptor In Chief!

Ronald 59 Comments

Donald Trump is the Disruptor in Chief.

He has declared the Gulf of Mexico is the Gulf of America.

He wants Veterans Day (November 11) and V E Day (May 8) to be renamed.

He wants Alcatraz, an infamous prison off of San Francisco, closed six decades ago and a much visited national park since then, to be renovated and reopened for the “worst of the worst” criminals.

He has no shame, and portrays himself as a potential Pope before the Catholic Church conclave to select the successor to Pope Francis.

He also shares the image of Darth Vader on “Star Wars Day”, May 4, as a muscular image of himself.

He wants to put tariffs on foreign produced films.

He wants to purge the Smithsonian Institution and its various museums of any references to race and gender.

He has mounted an attack on higher education at the top Ivy League universities.

He wonders if he must obey the Consitution that he swore the oath to enforce both in 2017 and 2025.

He wants anyone opposed to him and his actions in the past and present to be prosecuted by a Justice Department that is his personal fiefdom.

He has taken action against corporations, law firms, and media organizations to force them into compliance or face the consequences.

He refuses to make sure the laws are faithfully executed, even from federal courts, and doubts about the veracity of “due process”.

He lies incessantly without a sense of shame or guilt, and no one can trust anything he says.

There has never been a President anything like him, not even Richard Nixon at his worst!

Donald Trump’s Promotion Of Return Of Racial Segregation!

Ronald 13 Comments

It is unfathomable how Donald Trump, 70 years after the unanimous Brown V Board of Education Supreme Court decision (1954) outlawed racial segregation, which promoted the Civil Rights Movement and transformed the nation, is working earnestly to reverse all of that progress, and promote the return of segregation.

In the 1960s, Alabama Governor George Wallace became a threat as a third party nominee with the same aim as Donald Trump, but he could not win the Presidency, thank goodness.

But now Trump is going full scale ahead to wipe out all of the racial progress, advocating discrimination returning as official policy, thrilling white supremacists, Ku Klux Klan and American Nazi Party supporters.

Trump is going beyond just race, but also gender, wishing to set back the vast progress of women in American life since the 1960s.

Trump has, by an extensive number of executive orders, promoted all end of DEI initiatives at all levels, including higher education institutions, corporations, federal government agencies, and cultural institutions, including the Smithsonian Institution museums in Washington DC and across the nation.

Trump is working to destroy all civil rights litigation, and causing growing fear that police and law enforcement will return to the era of abuse toward racial and ethnic minorities.

All references to notable African Americans, Latinos, native Americans, women, and gay, lesbian and transgender people are being scrubbed from government websites.

And Trump is trying to totally close down the Department of Education created under President Jimmy Carter in 1979, to promote equal educational opportunity and funding for low income and marginalized students.

His aim is to promote White Male Supremacy and dominance, what people who would agree with him would consider “The Good Old Days” before the 1950s and since!

All decent, fairminded people must work to resist and overcome this clearcut racism, nativism, and misogyny of Donald Trump!