The true danger of Trumpism will be seen from the wave of nihilists running this election cycle. Obviously, if they were to be elected in large numbers, that itself would represent a crisis. Yet even if they are thoroughly trounced, as we hope and expect, how they react to defeat will determine the danger we face. Trumpism is not at all about ideas; there is nothing available in that department. It’s really about boundaries and behavior. Trump has provided a lurid example how to flaunt virtually every responsible thing about our electoral system. The degree to which his ugly group of toadies follow his playbook will surely determine how much we should worry as November nears.
Anybody who wants to lose their appetite should go to You Tube and pull up the West Virginia GOP Senate Primary Debate they had the other night. It’s a crowded field ranging from a convicted coal baron, directly responsible for 29 miner deaths, to a couple of off-the-streeters waging long shot bids, but they all share one thing in common: Trump can do no wrong. At about the hour mark the moderator actually asks them to each expound on their views of the President, and they each shoot for the brownest nose. One can only imagine what Blue Dog Joe Manchin will be saying to get re-elected. Now, this is West Virginia, fully conservative to be sure, but also not 50 Miles from DC. Arizona, Mississippi, Tennessee, Utah, Florida, all are auditioning Trumpies for national office, and the rhetoric is frightening because everybody is trying to outTrump their opponent. What that looks like in the general election is supposed to moderate, but Trumpism is at its core a brand of behavior not a political outlook. It is about how you do things not why. If an entire political class unbinds itself to decency and shame, look out.
While these wannabes are running their campaigns, Trump plans to be on the road holding rallies. He understands his office, if not physical freedom, hinges on November’s results. He will be loose and reckless, of that we can be sure. Should the writing on the wall of a tsunami election start getting clearer and clearer, it would be no surprise he reverts back to “the system is rigged” theme he obsessed on when he was certain he would lose in 2016. And that is when we will see how dangerous things can become. If Fox/AM, as it most surely will, starts parroting the corrupt process tripe, and Trumpie candidates, polishing their own nihilist brand come what may, fall in line with the shit river, things could get very very dicey.
The essence of Trumpism is a rejection of anything he defines as to blame for whatever grievance he decides he has that hour. Surely if it becomes clear that November will bring full and unmitigated disaster for his prospects, he will get out front on who and what he holds responsible. It’s not any stretch at all to expect that the process itself will fall right in the crosshairs of those beady eyes. Trump is Trump and, while ugly and wretched, it’s nothing new. Besides, flipping the Hill is our salvation, no? But where will that put us? A rabid Trump cornered and snarling, fully goaded and spun by the shit river, and imitated by a small army of candidates who have no other identity past his bona fides? We could end up in completely uncharted territory.
What’s the old adage? Careful what you wish for… you may get it. Trump has a noose around his neck. The tighter it gets the more reckless he will surely become. Does anybody think he will go quietly into that good night? Who he can enlist to circle the drain with him will determine how ugly his departure will be, and how long and how much we will have to pay for the pestilence of his ascent. BC
What specifically do we have to fear if toadies are elected? What does “uncharted territory” in this scenario mean? There has been little to no violent civil unrest despite Trump’s year-plus in office, peaceful demonstrations, but no violence to speak of that would threaten civil order. Our periodic mass shootings of course are a different issue, with many in Congress and average citizens focused on what the heck we can do about this. (Remember CT is home to the Sandy Hook massacre, five years ago, unspeakable event). As for BIGLY, would a November Trump Toady landslide bring about civil unrest? Trump supporters clashing with anti-trump people in the streets, police and military at the street level and in Washington protecting Trump as Congress, the people via mass demonstrators, demand his resignation? Just do not see this happening–civil unrest and a genuine Trump dictatorship–any indications this might be happening and you’ll see hundreds of thousands in the stress of the country fighting back; that would get interesting Our country– our institutions, the Constitution, any dignity anyone assigned to the Office of the President–has already been wounded from the Wretch and his Followers–should we be surprised the U.S. has millions of Deplorables?. We’ve been wounded but we’re fighting back daily — the press, the late night Colberts, SNL, average poor slobs all over this country of about 330 million people working with our legislators in Congress. The Deplorables REMAIN A MINORITY, they will be beaten back (e.g., to their sofas in Youngstwon as BC might put it; how about BC on the streets of Youngstown interviewing Deplorables? Now that would make great TV). know. BIGLY toadies candidates campaigning in a one-ups-manship display of Trump Fever is best responded to by satire—how can you take them seriously? The country will survive the Reign of the Wretch called Trump–still will wager BIGLY’s out before the end of his term, dispatched to Mar-A-Lago, where he wants to be anyway, yes? Look what the country has survived just since WW II. Bigly’s a freak of nature and in any country of our side you’ll have angry embittered people who will gravitate to demogogies, although could we have imagined the entire Republican part would be taken over by him, yes, that’s truly scary. But they are fractured now and will become dustbin of history fodder soon enough. Next stop, BC in Youngstown…