Objectivity Rules: Chaos bites the King
Chaos served Trump well his first 30 days. Now, it's hurting him
Objectivity Rules, March 14, 2025.
Note: There will be no Objectivity Rules newsletter next week. It will return on March 27.
Time sure has a funny way of evening things out.
In the first month of his presidency, Donald Trump proved to be the Chaos King, signing several executive orders, frenetically firing government employees, taking away funds from various organizations, and imposing and then removing tariffs, to remake the world order into —- we’re still not sure.
The Chaos served him well. It kept opponents on their heels since the pronouncements came with the ferocity of Mike Tyson bludgeoning opponents into submission.
Then, Chaos bit the King.
In a week of self-inflicted economic wounds, the President of the United States said he couldn’t promise the country wouldn’t fall into recession and Americans may have to experience economic pain.
He might as well said he was getting rid of Social Security and Medicare.
The markets tanked because markets don’t like uncertainty. Trump’s meandering economic policies have hurt market and consumer confidence, which is at its lowest level in three years.
Worse, his plan(?) hurts the working-class people who voted for him. This isn’t a partisan issue. Republicans, Democrats, and Independents are all asking, what in the hell is this guy doing?
Patience is already wearing thin
Trump loves to talk about his “beautiful” approval numbers that are the “best in history.” He did have terrific ratings in his first weeks as president, but now, not so much.
Voters disapprove of how he’s handled tariffs, his vow to dismantle the Department of Education, and most importantly, the economy. Voters even give him bad marks on immigration, according to the Quinnipiac University poll.
Polls are a snapshot in time. If Trump stops the tariff merry-go-round and the stock market improves, his ratings will improve, too.
He and his team have shown no signs of moderating policies that are now beginning to hit the working class —- the people who believe in his presidency. Let’s see how long they stick with him,
U.S. criticized for civil liberties approach
This is something. For decades, the United States has been the world’s human rights conscious. Presidents from both parties were quick to condemn abuses in countries like Russia, Turkey, and Somalia.
Now, the United States has been added to the CIVICUS Monitor Watchlist, which monitors threats to freedom and civil liberties.
“The Trump Administration seems hellbent on dismantling the system of checks and balances which are the pillars of a democratic society,” said Mandeep Tiwana, Interim Co-Secretary General of CIVICUS, in a press release. “Restrictive Executive Orders, unjustifiable institutional cutbacks, and intimidation tactics through threatening pronouncements by senior officials in the Administration are creating an atmosphere to chill democratic dissent, a cherished American ideal.”
There hasn’t been a lot of coverage about this, and there should be. The world becomes a more dangerous place when it loses its moral center. The U.S. isn’t in any position to discuss civil rights and abuses of democratic norms with anyone. More worrisome, there’s no other country that can step up and fill that void.
The behavior of the American administration won’t change over the next four years, which begs the question —- will America still have any credibility on the moral stage?
A letter that dies in the darkness
That headline’s a play on the Washington Post’s slogan, “Democracy dies in the darkness” which doesn’t seem as sincere as it once was.
On Monday, the respected Washington Post opinion columnist Ruth Marcus resigned. She wrote a column criticizing the newspaper’s editorial direction mandated by owner Jeff Bezos, and the company CEO killed it without explanation. (REFER BACK TO EARLIER NEWSLETTER). I send this into the Post as a letter to the editor, understanding it will never see the light of day
When it comes to fracturing press freedoms, many people train their fire on Donald Trump. While he deserves blame, Jeff Bezos and other billionaire newspaper owners play an outsized role in the destruction of a great American institution. Bezos treats the Washington Post as his personal think tank, dictating what his opinion columnists can and can't write. It's so overbearing that the long-time and respected columnist Ruth Marcus resigned after the Post's CEO killed her column questioning the direction of the op-ed pages. The Post used to be a place where ideas came to flourish, and it's now a place where they come to die. Among journalists like me, the Post was once a beacon of journalistic integrity, but it's degraded itself because its owner is more interested in dictating what he thinks without debate, It's a sad day for the Post, for journalism, and for people who care about a free press that operates without interference.
ODDS AND ENDS
The case against Mahmoud Khalil isn’t as easy as it appears. ICE arrested and detained the Syrian native with a green card for leading pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University. On one hand, he has the right to freedom of speech. On the other, he can’t support a terrorist organization and the government is making the case that his support of Palestine is a defacto support of Hamas. A judge will decide which side is right. Clearly, the Trump administration wants to make an example of him … The U.S. Supreme Court will determine whether Trump can end birthright citizenship, which is guaranteed in the Constitution … Duke suffered a blow when phenom Cooper Flagg badly injured his ankle, and is out for the rest of the ACC tournament. A diminished Flagg hurts the Blue Devils’ championship hopes … Progressives are livid that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer will help Republicans pass a CR to stop a government shutdown. Coupled with Hakeem Jefferies's unable to keep his House caucus in line, there are whispers about whether either man can keep his leadership position … Trump could have a month’s worth of bad news, but Democrats will figure out a way to make themselves look worse.
My other writing
If you didn’t see it, please check out my column from
who penned a masterful look at how a transgender woman feels about DEI … USAToday published my column on the need for groups that represent Black and Latino peoples to put aside their historical differences and collaborate to push for change. A combined force would be powerful … In this Sunday’s Dayton Daily News, I’m writing about the Trump administration’s culture of fear and how it impacts so many aspects of society … On March 23 in the Dayton Daily News, I’ll write about how the economy impacts a single, church-going mom ….Until next time …..
Ray Marcano has more than 40 years of experience as a reporter, editor, executive, and leader. He’s worked for some of the country’s biggest brands, including CNN, ESPN’s Andcape, and USAToday. His award-winning column appears each Sunday in the Dayton (OH) Daily News, and he’s a frequent contributor to the Columbus (OH) Dispatch. He’s the former national president of the Society of Professional Journalists, a two-time Pulitzer juror, and a Fulbright Fellow. He also writes the free, monthly Bourbon Resource with the latest bourbon news and reviews.
On Judicial appointments. The media almost always (documents who appointed each Judge)
when it reports on judicial decisions.
HI Ray, do you think judges who run for office as here in Wisconsin compromise an objective bench more than judges who would be appointed as,say, here in Massachusetts? May no matter,though. What do you think? Thanks, Bobby Vilinsky