Just how close did we come to a fascist-type dictatorship? I certainly don’t have all the answers but believe wholeheartedly that we should look at this sooner rather than later because there is way too much at stake to take chances.
At the dawn
of a New Year is a good time to ask ourselves just how close we came to allowing
ourselves to drift from our democratic moorings? Let us look at the last four (maybe longer)
years in a little different manner by asking what is most important about living
in a functioning government structure?
Once again, Pew Research comes to the
rescue. In a 2015 survey, they found
that 58% of Americans agreed that ““voting gives people like me some say about
how government runs things” (while fewer (39%) say “voting by people like me
doesn’t really affect how government runs things.”).
(1) Let us start by asking just what happened to
“voting” over the last four years?
1. Russian intervention in our 2016
election; no sanctions against Russia from this president (in fact, support for
Putin is near treasonous proportions – see my Blog of 7/20/2017)
2. Purging voters from state election
rolls, especially in GOP-controlled states like Georgia, Florida, and Texas
3. Passage of state laws to limit voting
by certain groups that favor Democratic Party:
a. voter ID requirements passed in at least 21 states
b. changes in number and location of
polling places, usually at the last minute.
c. closure of polling places in
predominantly Black and Latino communities. Texas and Georgia, both previously
subject to federal preclearance, led the way
d. dissemination of misinformation
e. shortage of poll workers and voting
machines causing long lines and long waiting periods before voters could vote
f. voter registration made complicated
and difficult by restricting hours and locations for registering
g. opposition to voter reforms, such as
allowing felons the vote after completing their sentences
h. requiring people convicted of a
felony to pay all associated court fines and
fees (Florida a
prime example) before their voting rights are restored
i. felony disenfranchisement is the law
in every state except Maine, Vermont and Washington, D.C., and as of 2016
it prevented more than 6 million adults
from voting (publicintegrity.org)
4. restricting vote-by-mail and ballot
drop boxes was the latest incarnation for disenfranchising voters in 2020
5. states denying resources to Black and
Latino community election officials
6. Trump would not sign a bill that
helped expand voting
7. Closing of early voting centers in
Black and Latino communities
8. rules that local officials have no
obligation to notify voters that their ballot was rejected
9. “President Trump and his allies have
long claimed, without evidence, that different aspects of our elections are
infected with voter fraud. Before mail voting, they pushed similar false
narratives about noncitizen voting, voter impersonation, and double voting in
order to enact laws that reduce turnout and discredit adverse election
results.”(publicintegrity.org)
10. In 2020, it’s illegal in Arizona and some other states to help people cast absentee
ballots.
11. In Tennessee, you can be convicted of a felony
and lose your right to vote by protesting for voting rights
12. packing the federal court system with Trump
loyalists and then mounting a nationwide effort to have those courts limit
voting rights because of made-up fraud charges, backed by rich industrialists
like Koch and others
13. The coup in terms of the Trump attack
on voting rights has been a campaign to mislead voters and the general public into
believing that their votes were part of a fraudulent “fixing” scheme to prevent
a second term for him. In so doing,
Trump has attempted to disenfranchise tens of thousands of voters by court
orders. Fortunately, the courts have
made it plain that made up stories and conspiracy theories do not have a place
in jurisprudence. Rather, evidence as proof
of allegations is required! That basic
standard of courts has prevented Trump and his minions from carrying out the
planned override of citizen votes.
Let us take just a moment to suggest
what most needs to happen to reverse these despotic actions taken against our
right to vote and to have a free and unfettered hand to elect our leaders as we
see fit. Without at least these four
actions, we cannot expect much change in current abuses of this right.
1)
Our
Constitution says little about the inviolable nature of this fundamental
right. Amendment XV grants that
right to certain groups but fails to make a clear statement of its fundamental
necessity and the responsibility we all have to guard and protect that
right. We need such a statement, and it
needs to incorporate an equal rights amendment within it.
2) Next, the process of voter
registration needs to become automatic and universal enrollment, not burdensome
and not a self-initiated sign-up. We do not
have to register to engage in free speech,
worship freely, or to protest.
Rights should be seen as given, not as dependent on a correctly filled-out
form (see my Blogs on voting and elections for a fuller discussion)
3) There need to be strict laws and
regulations that make any attempts to erect obstructions to
voting actionable in court and punishable by large fines or jail time. Every public office holder must be held accountable for actions that diminish this
right in any way. Current sanctions are
totally inadequate.
4) Finally, Section IV of the Voting
Rights Act must be restored so that states with some history of voter abuse can
again be held to account before general elections take place. Chief Justice Roberts entirely missed the
point when he declared that the need for such examination of state practices is
no longer necessary – the Black lives Matter protests clearly indicated that
Jim Crow, police brutality, and institutional racism are very much alive and
prevalent in our times.
The Gallup organization indicates
that there are issues
that transcend factionalized disagreements, arguments, and bitter divisions --
issues on which the majority of the public agrees. While these are things Americans expect of
their representatives, I am approaching them from the viewpoint of the TRUMP administration’s attempts to ‘de-construct’ government
(democracy) and to build authoritarian government in its place.
(2) The way the government is
run.
Gallup indicates that “Americans tell
us that dysfunctional government is the most important problem facing the
nation -- as it has been, with a few exceptions, for years.” Why did fixing
this not happen under Trump, who ran on a populist notion that the “swamp
needed to be Drained (cleared) and that he would place the absolute best people
to head-up government agencies? What
happened? The Gallup article suggests
that instead of looking for win-win solutions, the current officials were much
happier with a ”win-lose” mentality. I
claim further that their mentality and their values were much worse because
they sought control by malevolent means which
the following actions demonstrate:
1. A dedication to right-wing ideology
rather than democratic equality, with an emphasis on “absolutes” of the
presidency rather than absolute responsibility to people
2. Rather than using government to
promote well-being of the many, Trump (and Mitch McConnell) sought favors for
the few
a. Huge permanent tax breaks for wealthy
individuals and corporations
b. Justices and judges who would make
their rulings based on ultra conservative ideology (most of which favored
unfettered business practices)
c. Support of appointees from Wall
Street or “Easy Street” who were committed to Trump and who were pledged to
“change the mission” of their respective Departments to better serve their
wealthiest benefactors and sponsors, e.g., at DoE, emphasized support of private
schools while virtually ignoring support for better public education
d. Blocking of any reform or social welfare
legislation especially those already passed by a Democratic’-controlled House
(HR#1 for example)
e. Reduction of regulations that put
controls on business or investing; simultaneous reduction of consumer advisory boards
3. Use of government to make money for
Trump and his family
a. Charging exorbitant prices to foreign
nations whose diplomats stayed at Trump properties
b. Imposing stays at Trump properties
for U.S. troops and diplomats and exacting payment from our own tax
dollars
c. Selling-off federal lands to private
entities (kickbacks, anyone?)
d. Allowing family members to sit-in on meetings with
foreign dignitaries with special access to them provided for business purposes,
e.g., Ivanka meeting with such dignitaries to sell her products or to plant
seeds for future access
e. Buying and selling real estate for
foreign governments, e.g., one property in Florida garnered $50k profit
f. Deals made (or attempted) for
building Trump properties in other nations such as Russia, North Korea
4. The destruction of oversight powers
of the Congress, e.g.
a. blunting of the subpoena power of
Congress by refusal to appear on grounds of executive privilege
b. contentious, irrelevant, and
ideological rantings from GOP congressmembers to dull or distract from
testimony given to congressional committees
c. personal attacks on the integrity and
motivation of Democrats on various investigative committees
d. the refusal of GOP Senators to call
for additional witnesses during the Senate impeachment trial based on
presidential attorneys’ presentations
5. Blame others when things go wrong, i.e.,
scapegoating
a. State governors when PPEs and
ventilators don’t materialize or when vaccine distribution is much slower than
promised
b. CDC when health instructions don’t
agree with Trump ideology or misinformation
c. Vaccine producers when not enough is
being distributed by Trump administration
d. Individuals like Dr. Fauci when they
don’t follow the Trump line
e. HHS when nursing home deaths from
COVID spike at such facilities
6. Demonstrate diversionary strength to
hide weakness and failure
a. Build a southern wall to discourage
‘illegal’ immigration
b. Use scare tactics to discourage
others from criticizing or challenging Trump doctrine or action
i. Separation of children from parents
at southern border
ii. Threaten issuance of licenses to
media outlets or de-funding of projects in states
iii. Threaten to withhold funds from
certain states
iv. Use Twitter to denigrate
personalities
v. Threaten to “primary” a Senator or
congressman
vi. Threaten (or act) to fire someone who
disagrees
vii. Fake having COVID and recovering
faster than most; public display of “back at work”
7. Re-negotiate trade deals; withdraw
from ‘unfair to US” accords
8. Undermine and denigrate federalism by
making states pick up federal functions and then blaming Governors for failure
or slowness in managing the pandemic and blaming him
9. Denigrate and undermine protest
demonstrations by scaring people about
a. Socialism
b. Looting and destruction of property
c. Inviting “Proud Boys” and other hate
groups to participate in open intimidation of protestors
d. Implying revolution and violence in
the streets if Biden is declared the winner by Congress on January 6th
e. A ‘coup’ by which Trump attempts to
stay in office
10. Use government resources and powers
to secure advantages for oneself and others
a. Insider information
b. Quid pro quo from other nations
(Ukraine) to promote Trump reelection
c. Fund-raising in relation to COVID but
usable for private advantage
d. ‘bully pulpit’ for spreading
conspiracy theories, lies, propaganda, misinformation, racist stereotypes
e. Budget cutbacks and elimination of
programs of some excellence especially in education
f. Tax breaks
Again, what must change to correct this drift toward an
authoritarian – perhaps fascist -- form of government? Suggestions here are brief but other more
in-depth thoughts occur at www.rubamboozled.blogspot.com).
v A drastic reform in basic philosophy
of government Purpose and functions is needed (see Blogs of 1/18/2020; 1/10/2016; 3/10/2012; 11/19/2012)
v A dedication to democratic principles
and values (See Blog on 4/15/2017).
v Return of Senate majority to
Democrats is essential (two Senate seats in Georgia run-off election)
v Shake-up in leadership of Democratic
Party is looming larger
v Justice system must change (see
latest essay on Blog); begin by setting basic national standards for police –
much like Peel reforms in 1800s England (see Blog of 8/17/2014)
v Raise the qualifications for public
office; disqualify anyone who advocates overthrow or takeover of elected government
( 07/26/2017; 05/08/2019; 05/18/2020)
v Upgrade computer system(s) throughout
government and facilitate interaction between governments at all levels
v Provide for greater systemic direct
input from ordinary citizens into government at all levels; Town Halls are not
enough (See Blogs on 4/22/2016; 1/25/2015)
(3)
The first two attributes of this man and his administration only point to the
main compelling steps in a march toward an authoritarian takeover
of our experiment in democracy. The very
core of this movement is tied-up in the search for ”absolute power” that this
man graves. It is that unquenchable
thirst that both his former lawyer and fixit man, Michael Cohen, and his niece,
Mary Trump, tried to warn us about. This
man is obsessed with winning and the annihilation of losers. He is dedicated to accumulating power that
enables him to call all the shots. It is
his desire to be like Kim Jong Un, whose people fill stadiums just to cheer
their leader and to hang on every word he speaks.
That is Trump’s desire – to be worshipped as the ultimate
leader. He has over and over told us
that he has absolute power to:
· refuse to let his people testify
before Congress;
· build a wall with whatever money is
available without having to ask anyone’s permission;
· pardon himself preemptively for any
acts he may have committed outside the law;
· pardon anyone he chooses;
· be able to mount a defense against
impeachment charges even before those charges get to the Senate for trial;
· hire and fire anybody he wants to and
that there are no checks on that power;
· dictate to the Attorney General of
the United States who and what to pursue as cases for investigation and
prosecution;
· overturn an election if he believes
that fraud or cheating took place even though evidence of such is never
produced;
· determine foreign policy no matter what Congress has to say.
To
cement that power, he has worked to take over the Republican Party, the Congress,
and the Supreme Court (and lesser courts) in addition to his capture of the
presidency. Through threats, tweets that
sting, and assumptions that others have bought into, he has gained a power
close to that of a despot, but that is not enough for him. It is his one desire to overturn millions of
popular votes and the votes of the Electoral College so that he can claim a
second term which he has clearly been denied by the people. In his mind, such a loss is not possible and
so he has attempted to use his control of fawning congressional sycophants to urge
them through certain marionettes (Rep. Louie Gohmert of Texas and Senator Joshua
Hawley of Missouri) to vote against the
Electoral College results from battle-ground states. However,
the only duty imposed is on the Vice President which is to open
and count all the certified votes of the Electoral College and to announce the results of that count before a
joint session of Congress. The concept of voting against those certified
results of certain battleground states is not an option provided by the Constitution in Article 2, Section 1. It simply states that the “person having the
greatest number of votes shall be the President, if the number be a majority of
the whole number of electors appointed…” Since passage of the Electoral Count
Act in 1887, “Members of Congress can object to any state's vote count, provided
that the objection is supported by at least one member of each house of
Congress. A successful objection will be followed by separate debate and votes
on the objection in each chamber of Congress. The successful vote by
both chambers is required to toss out that state's vote count. Objections have enjoyed rare success”
(Wikipedia). Mass media has been irresponsible
in not breaking the full details of this procedure.
But Donald J. Trump does not believe that the Law is more
important than absolute
power in his hands, as the one person he believes holds the keys to what is
best for this nation and its people (but mostly for himself). He has even told us as much in plain English
and still there are those who do not understand the meaning of “absolute power”
or “I know more than anyone else,” including the generals and the
scientists. Thus, our dilemma is
great.
We have mindless backers of this would-be despot lining up to
“stand ready” to defend him and his absolute claims with loaded guns and
weapons of mass destruction, like home-made bombs. There is nothing quite as terror-filling as self-styled
‘patriots’ with loaded guns ready to protect and support a despotic
leader. It is the epitome of an anti-democratic
movement toward dictatorship reminiscent of many similar movements in the late
1950s, 1970s and 1980s that overturned former democratic states.
This subversive threat from men (mostly) who put themselves
above the law is what remains to us from this Trump era, for much of the same
or similar mind-set is left-over in the Congress and the courts, and amongst
hate groups dedicated to white nationalism and ready to let loose another
barrage of anti-democratic propaganda and violent protest as soon as the next
opportunity presents itself.
Such mob-rule action could take place in 2024 when Trump has
suggested another run at the presidency. OR: it could happen
on January 6, 2021 when Trump’s invited Alt Right groups protest in front
of the Capitol and the results of the Electors’ votes for Joe Biden are announced. One dare not speculate, but we must be prepared for armed rebellion
from Trump’s militia because that is their stock-in-trade and their only hope. It will be Trump’s last-ditch effort to
overturn the results of our Electoral system and to claim the absolute power he
so desperately seeks. It will also mark
him forever as the anti-democratic tyrant he has been aiming to become.
While I believe our D.C. police and (perhaps) the U.S
military will quickly take care of a rebellious Trump militia, our job is to finally accept the close call we have
had with a slide into dictatorship and its inevitable negative consequences for
all Americans, especially those of vulnerable groups. Our major tasks will then become:
1.
Rooting
out of government the remnants of Trump appointments
2.
Setting
stricter qualifications for public offices
3.
Denying
access to public office for all comers who advocate absolute power for one
leader, hatred toward minorities or
other groups, or violence toward government or government officials (as was
done in the case of Michigan’s Governor).
There can be no access to public office for those who cannot pledge to preserve
and defend our Constitution and reputable laws because they avow and practice
anti-democratic actions.
4.
Pass
laws with heavy penalties for any attempted violation of rights and freedoms,
such as denial of the right to vote. The
era of compromises to pass namby-pamby meaningless legislation that ends up
allowing subversion of those laws without major penalties or sanctions is a
total waste of time and effort. We
cannot continue to allow anti-democratic legislators to clear the path for
oligarchs or despots who aim to gut the ideals and values of our democracy so
they can dictate how we shall live, work, and pursue happiness.
5.
This
government is a government of laws, not of men or women despots. This government is meant to serve the
greatest number with the greatest good, not to punish people or abandon the
pursuit of their General Welfare when the task of service, safety and
well-being becomes a larger-than-expected challenge (such as the COVID19 pandemic
which lacked a national plan of attack and now epitomizes the largest failure
of the Trump administration).
6.
The
preservation of our democracy is an on-going responsibility and
obligation. We cannot afford more Trumps
or Trump followers working to undermine that solid foundation.
7. We must expose and reject them both at
the polls and in our institutions.
According to one writer: “What is called for is a philosophical
shift. Elected representatives need to recognize, or be instructed, that they
are sent to Washington not to force through their viewpoints at all costs but
to seek solutions by working with others who have differing perspectives.” We might just start by having individuals or
ad hoc committees relentlessly checking up on them every step of their elective
or appointed terms-in-office. We cannot
and must not ever again ignore or underestimate their ignoble purposes.
8. Coming up with meaningless
compromises is not a viable answer. To work out real solutions for carefully defined problems is
what we must insist upon. Those who fail to do so, should never be returned to
public office without a thorough vetting of their philosophy and commitments by
a non-partisan commission.
9.
This
is serious business because wannabe despots are just itching to try again by taking aim at our weakest
long-running flaws and faults, such as not adequately protecting our right to
vote and to have that vote counted. Or,
not adequately protecting and keeping safe from harm those who are most
vulnerable to unchecked and unbridled assaults upon their vulnerabilities, such
as racial minorities, the frail elderly, persons with disabilities, or persons
living in poverty.
We have
come dangerously close to losing our democracy and the uniqueness of its design
of representation and its pattern of checks and balances because one man and
his cultish followers have been allowed to de-construct our unique form of governance. And still, we are not totally willing to take
bold steps to guard against this happening again.
We are
too easily bamboozled (see my Blog post of 8/23/2015 ) and manipulated by propaganda,
lies, misinformation, and learned biases, topped off by conspiracy theories of
every stripe. It is time to respond boldly
and act decisively to expose and diminish the false but dangerous rhetoric and
actions of the Radical Right who remain scattered throughout our government and
our institutions. Extremism backed by
violence in any form is not the result we want. Government of, by and for the
people is still our creed and our never-ending goal. Keeping it viable, effective and true to its
ideals is not a Spectator Sport!
