I guess I really didn’t expect things to go downhill toward authoritarianism quite so quickly, even after Nixon, Reagan, Bush the Elder, Bush the Younger. Somehow I misread the signs and didn’t take into account some of the things that now seem so obvious: They all lied about something either to further their own agenda or for their own economic gain. They made people afraid; afraid of “the other”, afraid of the rest of the world, and especially afraid of people who are not straight, white Christians. And they all somehow made people believe them.
And then came Trump, who was better at it than anybody, having been a con-man his whole life, a P.T. Barnum double. “He…proved to be a genius at coming up with unbelievable cons…[and he] knew better than anyone how to give audiences the mix of glitz, craziness, and ghoulishness they craved…” [article in The Daily Mail online]. The quote is about P.T. Barnum, although it certainly made me think of Trump. The article went on to explain how Barnum lied about everything and when criticized he would laugh it off and call it “showmanship”. Trump calls the lies “jokes”. Either way, calling dangerous or offensive remarks other than what they are is the coward’s way out. There is no desire to clarify anything, let alone admit to being wrong!
Yet it seems like every Republican is joining the fantasy in which Trump lives. They refuse to denounce the very few people screaming from the far right who seem to control the direction of the Party. And now we have a Speaker of the House who is to the right of Atilla The Hun. The rise of fascism in our country is downright palpable. It is upsetting every day.
“Fascism: an authoritarian and nationalistic system of government with intolerant views or practice and with belief in the supremacy of one national or ethnic group; authoritarianism has contempt for democracy and obedience to a powerful leader.” The Republican Party may as well rename itself the Fascist or Far-Right Party. Robert Reich said, “Under Republican authoritarianism, power is its own justification.” There are really no principles. Remember that when Trump ran again in 2020, the Party put forward no new platform. There seem to be no values other than maintaining power and stifling anything the Party (or Trump) does not like.
Trump wants to be President again. Make no mistake: He has no plan to ever leave if he is elected. There are many on his side now. Every coward in the Republican Party who refused to step up in the election of a Speaker of the House and pick somebody who could also relate to Democrats and moderates in their party has contributed to the increasing fascism in our nation. They don’t care about bringing people together. After all, Trump was only President for the people who supported him. He paid no attention to the majority of people who voted against him.
It’s hard to know what to say about all of this.
There is one thing, however: work to get out the vote for Democrats. Vote for Biden in 2024 even if you think he is too old and vote for Harris even if you don’t like her! It doesn’t matter. Trump cannot be allowed to be President again. With any luck, he’ll be in jail by then. But don’t count on it. So get out the vote to keep the country a democratic republic. Turn away from the cliff.
Last week I heard a conservative pundit call the republican party a cult.
I agree. Though Cornel West is a wonderful guy, it’s important to prevent Trump from winning.
But it does seem that, in this two-party system, there is always some Republican so disgusting that voting for the Democrat seems the only way, even if that Democrat still buys into a mainstream agenda that’s damaging to those who aren’t wealthy, corporate, or in the financial industries.
Things being as they are, though, that’s a fight for the long term. In the short term, Biden is much better than Trump.
Given that Trump stands a chance of winning I suggest doing 2 things. Make a plan to escape. Either to a place in the mountains or completely out of amerika. Secondly, hope that Trump behaves like Stalin and eliminates anyone in his own sphere who may threaten his power. Any Republican who hasn’t kissed the ring already included.
Agreed! May at least the generation still apprised of history, and literature coming up to vote, see the writing on the wall and vote like their lives, and lifestyles are in jeopardy. From the Tea Party to now the erosion of trust, be it media and/or government has been extreme! We can not be silent! Pamela