Déjà vu! Here we go again. Joe Biden v. Donald Trump in what will be an even more pivotal moment for the United States in the upcoming election than occurred in 2020. One path, led by octogenarian Joe Biden, will continue to help build out the middle class, focus on improving the lives of most Americans, fight to protect women’s and minority rights, and work to preserve and strengthen our international alliances. The other path, led by Trump, already determined by courts to be guilty of sexual assault and fraud and under indictments for 91 felonies in 4 different jurisdictions, will focus on personal revenge, mass deportations and internment camps, slashing taxes for the wealthy, and dismantling the international alliances that have helped to keep this country safe for decades. One must ask, “Is this the best America can do?”
The choice seems clear to me, but I continue to be astounded by the number of people who just seem to look past all the Trump detritus and continue to support him. However, it all begins to make sense if you come to grips with the fact that many of Trump supporters just view Trump as a means to an end. Various interest groups view Trump kind of like a shell corporation. The shell corporation doesn’t really have assets or a comprehensive vision statement but it provides a vehicle for wealthy people, for evangelicals, for American’s adversaries, and for those just craving power a vehicle to accomplish their individual objectives.
Trump is addicted to power, adulation, and money. People or groups that can provide those things to Trump will be able to pull his puppet strings and get him to do their bidding. Putin wants Trump in the White House, so he will have a free reign in Ukraine and other former Soviet satellite republics. The evangelicals want Trump in the White House so they can continue to push their biblical world view and work to curb the freedoms and rights of those who don’t believe as they do. Many of the wealthy want Trump in the White House because they know Trump will slash their taxes which will result in more money their pockets, i.e., greed! And then there are those who just want to be near the levers of power like Senator Lindsay Graham.
And speaking of déjà vu, what will happen if Trump loses again? Will we have another January 6th coup attempt? Will Speaker Mike Johnson do the right thing like Mike Pence did or will he refuse to certify the election? If that happens will the Supreme Court weight in like in the Bush v. Gore contest and hand the election to Trump? No doubt, it’s going to be a bumpy road ahead. Strap in and hope that America emerges in 2025 as a democracy rather than a plutocratic authoritarian theocracy.
