William K. Wolfrum's picture

    America may survive the Trump sickness, but can it beat its diseases?

    It is becoming more clear that America's first real experience with a populist demagogue is going to end in a historically satisfying way. Donald J. Trump's political career is about to look like this:

    2016: Loses popular vote by 3 million, wins Electoral College.

    2018: GOP loses 30+ House seats.

    2019: Impeached.

    2020: Loses popular vote by 6-8 million, loses Electoral College to Joe Biden to become a one-term President.

    Historically, the American people did pretty well with this challenge, though of course it remains to be seen how much damage Trump will do before he leaves. But Trump was never much more than a symbol. He is the symbol of the white nationalist movement in the United States of America. It is a movement big enough to elect a President, and it's a movement that needs to be crushed, lest the U.S. Be remembered solely for being a racist state. And he is the symbol for how America has lost its way in the eyes of the world.

    The mask has again slipped for the U.S., and a time of accountability is coming. The U.S. survived one Trump but may not survive the next one, especially if the next one has any level of competence. American citizens have stood tall this week, and will need to stay on their feet for the foreseeable future.

    But while there is much work to be done, and accountability to accept, now is a time for optimism. And here's the final optimistic point – maybe the U.S. isn't as completely divided as we think. Because Trump is about to lose by millions of votes and dozens of electoral votes and the GOP actually did quite well in all other facets of the election. This might sadden Democratic partisans, but the fact that 2020 wasn't a blue wave shows that a lot of Republican voters were eager for Trump to be gone.

    Americans, the war is far from over and there are a lot of hard issues left to face. But recognize that battles are being won and that the story of the United States of America hasn't been completely written yet.

     

    --WKW

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    William, it is good to see you here again.  I enjoyed and agree with your views on this even if I am not quite ready for whole sale optimism yet, but I would love to be.

    What are your thoughts on bringing these culprits to face the justice they deserve?  Biden seems very reluctant to add oxygen to trump's firey name, but I am hoping this is just to give him distance (rightly so) from the Justice Dept as he tries to heal wounds and lower the temperature everywhere.

    I do believe that letting the George W Bush criminals got away with their crimes paved the way for trump to realize no one was going to stop him no matter what he did.  It is unlikely that a McConnell-led Senate will allow truly meaningful reform that will allow accountability for a lawless president. 

    I also realize that the New York State AG is ready and willing to go after trump and his children, and that more of his crimes will likely come to light when he leaves office as well.  But his abuses of power, flouting subpoenas, retributions against whistle blowers (as well as simply competent, honest people doing their jobs), etc, etc, really should not simply be excused or ignored.  Even the many cowardly Senators who declined to remove him from office said that they agreed he was guilty but they didn't think it "rose to the level of removal from office, or even impeachment."  I just don't think that kind of stuff deserves a shrug. If trump isn't brought to account, somehow safeguards have to be agreed to and enacted as law for the future.  And the president has to be subject to it.

    I want to hear what you think.  I have heard (Republicans mainly, but also some Dems) say that if trump is indicted for his crimes, there will be an ever-growing pattern of tit for tat.  If that happens we are truly screwed.  However no president in history has ever been as maliciously rotten as trump, so that is not a huge worry for me.


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