Trump Marches On

President Donald Trump wants a military parade, just like the ones that have been held in Paris and other, less democratic world capitals.  He wants to show off America's military might on the streets of Washington (or failing that, New York) in front of flag-waving, adoring onlookers who aren't too concerned that this country is still involved in a war (see: Afghanistan) or that the President himself doesn't have a service background.  He'll get his parade, damn the cost and the appropriateness, because he can.

Whether Trump is aware of this or not, he's already the grand marshal of several parades that have been coming in and out of Washington since he took office.  Most of them are not the kind where he can cover himself in glory.

• The parade of staffers coming into and out of the White House, due to either incompetence or the need to save their own hides.  The latest is Rob Porter, who quit his job as a staff secretary after reports of alleged domestic violence surfaced.  Trump is defending him as much as he's defending his chief of staff John Kelly, who has offered to resign.  The President has been saying that only the best people would be working for him.  Those are hard to find anywhere, let alone the White House.
• The parade of debt the country owes that continues as we speak.  Even though Congress finally passed a compromise bill that will spare us any more government shutdown drama at least until next year, they now have to consider the President's request for more money to fund the military, the country's crumbling infrastructure and that wall of his along the U.S.-Mexico border.  Which leads us to what Trump hopes will be . . . 
• The parade of undocumented workers and their children across the border to go back to wherever they came from.  After several false starts, Congress is finally ready to discuss the merits of keeping DACA, also known as the so-called "dreamers" act, in place.  Trump wants to keep some elements of immigration reform that doesn't involve a one-way ticket out of the country, but that's only if he makes some kind deal that'll appease both Republicans and Democrats.  And the likelihood of that happening is . . . ?
• The parade of evidence against Trump and his aides in the 2016 Russian election scandal.  As much as the President wishes special prosecutor Robert Mueller would wrap up his investigation and let him get on with his life, the budget calls for more money to let Mueller continue his probe into 2019.  That gives Trump plenty of time to figure out new ways to discredit Mueller, including releasing the classified GOP-written memo claiming biases inside the FBI, but not releasing the Democrats' top-secret rebuttal.  And to always come this close to firing Mueller without the lawyers holding him back.
• The parade of supporters in and out of the Republican party who are deserting Trump, either by denouncing his actions or by not running for another term in Congress.  Granted, the parade is a mere trickle compared to the millions who still think Trump is the greatest thing since sliced bread.  As long as the President admires dictators who throw military parades to boost their own egos, as well as enabling men who've had histories of sexual violence and harassment against women (it takes one to know one), he can ride that support all the way to the 2020 presidential election while the GOP crumbles and the Democrats field a weak candidate.

By then, of course, President Trump won't need parades.  He'll sign executive orders declaring his birthday to be a national holiday, and to replace Benjamin Franklin on the $100 bill.  Because he can.