\n<\/p>\n
Simon Jenkins is perhaps a little overoptimistic in arguing for what is essentially a waiting game about the politics of Donald Trump and his administration (To a world at a loss as to how to handle Trump, I say this: the only answer may be to wait him out, 2 April<\/a>). Trump and those alongside him have effectively diminished or abolished central tenets of the legal and civic structure of the US. Not least to have disappeared in this bonfire is that political cliche about the checks and balances over political power. That basic tenet of every political handbook about the US has proved to be a vain hope.<\/p>\n Waiting for the downfall of one individual surely suggests that we should ask two questions. First, will others, perhaps less personally flawed but nevertheless of the same\u00a0politics, simply take his place? Second, if the country (and a\u00a0lot of the rest of the world) wishes to go in another direction, when can we see the plan?<\/p>\n It is perhaps worth remembering that, however much many of us might have wished for some redirection after the Margaret Thatcher\/David Cameron years, what is changed cannot always be either abolished or replaced. I have huge respect for Simon Jenkins, and most of the points he makes about waiting Donald Trump<\/a> out are depressing but true. But I think his faith in the November midterm elections is too sanguine. We are already seeing a variety of moves from Trump and his administration preparing to undermine them. He isn\u2019t going to allow himself to lose, is he? Never mind what the world can do about Donald Trump \u2013 what can the Guardian do? Puncture his pride and cast doubt on his legacy. Keep a running count of the death toll of civilians\/children\/aid workers\/journalists killed since his presidency began. Publish a book of the Guardian\u2019s excellent cartoons, with context alongside, under the title of Shelley\u2019s \u201cLook on my works, ye mighty, and despair\u201d. To the excellent commentary in Saturday\u2019s letters (Trump\u2019s Iran war is now beyond rhyme or reason, 3 April<\/a>), I would add an urgent call to get all US bases out of Britain. I greatly enjoyed Simon Tisdall\u2019s analysis of religion and our current situation (As Team Trump wage unceasing war on Iran, evangelical nationalists are destroying any moral world order we once had, 4 April<\/a>). The parallel is not exact, but I compare the problems of our current world with those pertaining to the fall of the Roman empire, in which Emperor Nero was a significant contributor.<\/p>\n To add to the instability, Rome was being attacked from the east, causing the withdrawal of troops from outlying places such as Britain. Even so, Rome\u2019s political structure collapsed, taking with it that of much of Europe. It took several centuries to develop an ordered structure, and we may well be facing a similar calamity. Onward, Christian Soldiers, the combative old song mentioned by Simon Tisdall, was binned by the Church of England years ago. Hymns Old and New, the official hymnbook, instead offers the faithful the milquetoast war cry Onward, Christian Pilgrims. For Donald Trump to send a threatening message on Easter Day, citing sex, hell, Allah and committing war crimes, suggests his Christian faith falls somewhat short of the real deal (Trump warns Iran to reopen strait of Hormuz by Tuesday or face \u2018hell\u2019, 5 April<\/a>).
Mary Evans<\/strong>
Patrixbourne, Kent<\/em><\/p>\n
Aidan Walker<\/strong>
Hurstpierpoint, West Sussex<\/em><\/p>\n
Ruth Baker<\/strong>
Matfield, Kent<\/em><\/p>\n
Diana Francis<\/strong>
Bath<\/em><\/p>\n
Phoebe Merrick<\/strong>
Romsey, Hampshire<\/em><\/p>\n
John Spencer<\/strong>
London<\/em><\/p>\n
Rev Canon John Longuet-Higgins<\/strong>
Hartpury, Gloucestershire<\/em><\/p>\n