The man who would be king
Donald Trump has decreed an end to congestion charges in New York City. Congestion charges, in case you don’t know, are surcharges on users of public goods that are in high demand at certain times of the day. For example, roads in Manhattan at rush hour are subject to extreme congestion. Charging motorists a fee for road usage during those times discourages driving and encourages use of public transportation instead. Obviously, it’s very good for the environment.
Trump just announced that he killed it. He posted on “Truth” Social, “CONGESTION PRICING IS DEAD. Manhattan, and all of New York, is SAVED.” What is most disturbing is what he added at the end of that rant. “LONG LIVE THE KING!”
Of course, neither Trump nor his Secretary of Transportation have the power to end congestion charges in New York. Justin Brannan, a New York City council member, put it this way: “Doesn’t matter what u think of congestion pricing, federal government doesn’t get to make this decision. NY State passed a law, USDOT approved it. No matter what corrupt deal Donald Trump made with the [corrupt NYC Mayor Eric Adams], he isn’t king. Only fools concede to false power. It’s an illusion.”
In a press conference, New York governor Kathy Hochul said, “New York hasn’t labored under a king in over 250 years. We sure as hell are not going to start now … In case you don’t know New Yorkers, we’re going to fight. We do not back down, not now, not ever.” Hochul added, ”I don’t care if you love congestion tax or hate it, this is an attack on our sovereign independence from Washington.” Her comments elicited enthusiastic cheers and applause from the audience.
Meanwhile, the White House had the gall to actually share Trump’s quote on social media. It was accompanied with a computer-generated image of Trump grinning on a fake Time magazine cover while wearing a golden crown, with the New York City skyline in the background. The magazine’s name had been replaced with “TRUMP.”
This is the new delusion of the president of the United States. He thinks he’s a king now, and presumably, if he’s able to annex Canada, Mexico, Greenland and the Gaza Strip, he’ll declare himself emperor.
Well, the “king” is rapidly losing power. Many in MAGAland aren’t just disillusioned, they are becoming downright terrified. Cuts in federal programs, loss of jobs, loss of caps on costs of medication are causing laughing emojis on articles about Trump’s rape of the nation to disappear. Trump’s wholly unnecessary flexes of delusional power are wiping the smug grins from MAGA faces across the nation. If it wasn’t also terrible for innocent people I would be laughing and celebrating.
One neighbour of a former MAGA fanatic noticed he removed his “Make Liberals Cry Again” flag after being summarily fired from his cushy federal job. I’d like to ask the idiot, “Who’s crying now.” It’s characteristic of MAGA goons that they don’t give a shit about anyone else’s pain but their own. Well here it comes, MAGA, pain for you. Lots and lots of pain. Compliments of your self-anointed “king.”
Robert Harrington is an American expat living in Britain. He is a portrait painter.