Trump 2.0
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Lately, much of the attention of the Washington establishment, and the media ecosystem that feeds it, has been focused on debating (or diminishing) the electoral prospects of President Biden. There is no shortage of diving boards from which to plunge into the punditry.
One jumping-off point is a series of polls that show Biden in dire straits. These are accompanied by the predictable news reports that quote Democratic “elected officials,” “party leaders,” “campaign strategists,” or even “people close to Biden,” who decline to go on the record when they echo the prevailing wisdom that he is in trouble.
Then there is a rash of third-party candidates threatening to further splinter an already fractured electorate. For example, West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin’s decision not to seek reelection is being framed as both an omen of Biden’s weakness and a threat, because Manchin could represent yet another possible rival for the presidency. Meanwhile, the decisive victories of Democrats across multiple state elections last week have already disappeared in the news cycle’s rearview mirror.
At this point in the campaign season, it is typical for an incumbent president to face this level of scrutiny, second-guessing, and soul searching. Usually, the opposition party is far from deciding on a nominee, and horse race coverage of the current occupant of the Oval Office is catnip for pundits looking for things on which to opine. Furthermore, it is easier to judge an incumbent than a challenger, because we have a lot of data points for how the former would perform in the job of president of the United States — a role without parallel in the world.
But all of these conventions should be thrown out the door for 2024. For starters, while there is a pantomime of a primary campaign going on for the Republican nomination, it has about as much uncertainty as a Harlem Globetrotters game. There is a frontrunner so far ahead that he feels no need to even show up for the debates. And he has paid no price for skipping them. Furthermore, we don’t have to guess what it would be like to have him as president. We’ve already lived through that nightmare once.
But here is where things get even more grim. If Trump were to be reelected, it would be worse, much worse, than the first time. That’s not idle speculation or fantastical conjecture. Trump’s not hiding the truth that he would end American democracy.
We’ve already seen how lies about the 2020 election have become a litmus test for Republican elected officials — including the new speaker of the House. And a recent Washington Post report details how Trump and his allies plan to use the Department of Justice to go after his political rivals, in the kind of revenge politics one finds in dictatorships. Then, in an interview with the Spanish language news service Univision, Trump doubled down on weaponizing the DOJ to attack his opponents.
In a Veterans Day rant in New Hampshire, Trump called upon the authoritarian playbook of dehumanizing political opponents. He railed against “the radical left thugs that live like vermin within the confines of our country” and added, “The threat from outside forces is far less sinister, dangerous and grave than the threat from within.”
Of course, Trump has always been a master of projection. His eagerness to weaponize the DOJ stems from his misplaced sense of victimhood — his belief that he has been targeted with his numerous indictments. The legal jeopardy he faces stems from his attempts to tear down American democracy once. In his rage, he promises to escalate. That has been his playbook in business and politics.
Trump is who he is. And that means it is all the more important for the press not to normalize this election. Yes, there will be polls. And yes, there is a horse race. And yes, reporters can and should cover Biden and his policies with objectivity, to the extent humanly possible. But there should be no diminishing what the other candidate intends to do if he regains the White House. There should be no acceptance of the fact that large swaths of one of our two major political parties are denying the results of a free and fair election.
Recently, reporters are becoming bolder in demanding Republicans state that the 2020 election wasn’t stolen. That is a positive trend and should be followed up with questions about Trump’s attacks on democracy and the rule of law.
This is not simply an election between a Democrat and a Republican or an incumbent and a challenger. This is not primarily about weighing polls and voter enthusiasm in battleground states. This should not be reduced to comparing advertising dollars or voter registration numbers. This is about a vote that will decide the future of our nation in ways unlike any since the Civil War.
Trump isn’t hiding his intentions. There is no excuse for minimizing the threat he poses. What’s at stake in the upcoming election is the continuity of America’s precarious experiment in democracy.
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Trump 2.0
In the steaming crucible of Philadelphia's Independence Hall, where the ghosts of the Constitutional Convention still linger, a saga unfolds. Giants like George Washington, the stoic titan of war, Benjamin Franklin, the razor-sharp sage, Alexander Hamilton, the fierce federalist, and James Madison, the cerebral architect, huddled in this cauldron of revolution.
Madison, ablaze with a zeal to overhaul the feeble Articles of Confederation, masterminded this pivotal assembly. His iron-willed vision set the battleground for debates that would forge a nation. For four grueling months in 1787, these intellectual gladiators clashed, hammering out the U.S. Constitution through a maelstrom of debate and uneasy compromise.
Whispers of this monumental undertaking seeped out, fueling public discourse with shards of revelation. The Constitution, birthed by the era's elite, emerged as a manifesto for all, summoning leaders to protect and elevate the collective ethos of "We The People."
Now, with the fabric of these ideals under siege, a clarion call resounds. It's a siren song for the American spirit, snoozing in the lap of complacency as authoritarian shadows encroach.
The American Experiment teeters precariously. The antidote? A fiery resurgence of reason and critical thought to reignite public debate's flames. More than passive citizenship, this moment screams for engagement in the trenches of local politics, to counter the siren song of authoritarianism with unyielding truth and action.
Democracy’s decay is a silent stalker, prowling through apathy. The time to rise is now. We're beckoned to a revolution of mind and spirit, to awaken, see clearly, and stand defiant.
In today's convoluted America, independent thought and a quest for justice are acts of rebellion against historical amnesia, keeping democracy’s lifeboat afloat in turbulent seas.
Our democracy’s salvation demands sacrifice – sweat, tears, and even the almighty dollar. It calls for rallying behind leaders who mirror our founding ideals, echoing the struggles of our forefathers.
This is our charge: to uphold and invigorate the Constitution, the soul of our nation.
Let’s plunge into the heart of America’s flirtation with the seductive pull of fascism and democracy’s slow death. What's needed to jolt the slumbering beast of American consciousness?
We hover on the brink of oblivion, with the clock ticking like a bomb in a shaking room. The Great American Experiment gasps for air, while we’re entranced by screens, adrift in misinformation and trivial pursuits.
A renaissance of the mind, a blaze of enlightenment, is needed to cut through ignorance's fog. We must inject a potent mix of facts and critical thinking into the public’s bloodstream to awaken the dormant heart of discourse.
Action? It’s time to upend the political playground. Democracy is a bloodied, mud-splattered fight for our nation’s soul, not a spectator sport. We must delve into the dirt of local politics, where real wars are won and change’s seeds are planted.
But this battle is more than rallies and ballots. It's a war for the collective psyche, against authoritarianism’s allure and demagogues’ easy answers. We must confront our apathy and counter it with truth.
As democracy withers in indifference’s shadow, the time for action is now. We need a revolution of mind and soul. We must wake up, wise up, and rise up.
In today's twisted carnival of America, the ultimate rebellion is to think independently and fight for justice. That's how we keep democracy’s ship from sinking into the abyss of forgotten history.
In the swirling tempest of our current political climate, every individual's contribution to the American political system is vital. Engaging in the democratic process, whether through informed voting, participating in community discussions, or supporting the political causes and candidates that resonate with your values, is crucial.
This civic participation is the fuel that keeps the fire of democracy burning bright, ensuring that the voices of "We The People" continue to shape the future of our nation. Remember, in the grand tapestry of American democracy, every thread – every voice, every action – contributes to the strength and vibrancy of the whole.
He certainly should NOT be elected!!