I’m still recovering. I don’t know if I ever will, nor do I think the country ever will. I’m terrified for my three grandchildren, who will likely live under a dictatorship.
As time went on, however, I began to see things more clearly. After Mitt Romney lost in 2012 I predicted that the next candidate they nominated would be a whackjob. While the Republican Party had, with the assistance of Fox, steadily propagandized a racist, homophobic base while harping on issues like abortion, the thinking among them then was that they could put those votes in the bank but still nominate people who were somewhat reasonable. People like John McCain and Mitt Romney. Their thinking was they could then appeal to people in the ever elusive middle But it was clear to me that the base was rapidly losing patience with people like that, and they would eventually demand a candidate that would cater to them in deed and not just in words. They got that person with Donald Trump, who cares nothing about issues but only cares about himself. Being a racist himself, he was perfectly happy to cater to them and give them what they wanted, so long as they gave him what he wanted: adulation and power. He would have been happy to advance a left wing agenda if that could have gotten him the power and adulation he craved, but those on the left are not as brainwashed as those on the right, so that was never a real possibility.
If memory serves, I first started blogging sometime in 2005, shortly after George W was reelected after, among other things, getting us into a war we had no need to be in, and slandering his war hero opponent when he himself had used his connections to dodge any chance he’d go to war. It was clear to me then that the Republican Party had no way of winning elections on the merits, so they had to appeal to fears and manufactured grievances. The party that had once had some members that put country over party was rapidly shedding such people. I could remember a day when while I differed with them on issues, I could at least respect people like Lowell Weicker, Howard Baker and the other Republican members of the House and Senate who made it clear to Nixon that he’d be impeached and convicted if he didn’t step aside.
Still, when I started doing this, I had no fear that the Republican Party would soon destroy the Republic and bring on fascism, nor did I ever think that the majority of voters in this country would vote in a fascist, particularly one who stood convicted of multiple criminal acts, was clearly suffering from dementia, and had never told the truth in his life.
I remember watching a video of David Brooks in 2016 insisting that Marco Rubio, a perceived “moderate” would certainly get the nomination rather than Trump. Given Brooks record of always being wrong, this was practically a prediction that Trump would win, but it is also emblematic of the Republican establishment’s own ignorance about the monster it had created. We on the left took no time in concluding that Trump had it locked.
Because Trump has no real principles, other than his need for adoration, he is fine with taking direction from those around him. As time has gone on, those around him have become ever more far right, as those who might be called “moderate” were cast aside as they failed to give him the approval he needed or, in some cases, recognized him for the fascist he is. His retinue is now completely fascist, as their Project 2025 blueprint makes clear.
Ever since the election I have avoided reading my blogs or, especially, the New York Times, which did so much to legitimize this monster. But I think I can safely predict some future developments.
There will never be another presidential election the outcome of which is not predetermined. Our elections will become much like those in Russia. They do have elections there, but everyone knows who’s going to win.
Especially if the Republicans take the House, Congress will become a rubber stamp for Trump. It is telling that Mitch McConnell, who I understand actually hates Trump, has insisted that the filibuster will survive. My guess is that he figures they can then propose all manner of terrible things to make the base happy and then blame the Democrats for their failure to pass them. Stuff like a national abortion ban, for instance. But if the filibuster stands in the way of Trump getting what he wants he will demand that it be ended and the Republicans in the Senate, including McConnell, will fall into line. Again, it’s not that Trump really cares about something like a national abortion ban, but if it’s something his people have gotten him to back then he will demand it because he has the mentality of a dictator and dictator’s get what they want.
The courts, already infested with vermin he appointed during his first term, will get even worse. Again, he had nothing to do with actually picking the judges he nominated in his first term. The Federalist Society did that for him, and he was simply invested in getting them confirmed because how dare anyone oppose him. This time around he may actually be involved with some of the appointments. My guess is he’ll reward Aileen Cannon with a Supreme Court appointment and give that joker down in Texas a promotion. But for the most part the far right wil tell him who to nominate, and he’ll go along. After all, actually vetting these people is a lot of work.
Quite likely the older Supreme Court justices will retire, either voluntarily or under pressure, so he can stack the court with young fascists that will be perfectly willing to decide that the constitution says whatever the Republican Party wants it to say. I would be totally unsurprised, for instance, if the Supreme Court were to declare that it made a big mistake back in the 1930’s, and the National Labor Relations Act is totally unconstitutional. And you can bet that states rights go down the toilet if Congress votes to make abortion illegal nationwide.
It’s quite likely that Trump will not serve out his term. I really think that JD will eventually invoke the 25th Amendment on the grounds that Trump is demented. But JD is now a committed fascist, so that won’t change anything. It could make it far worse, as JD is far more intelligent than Trump. On the other hand, he totally lacks charisma, which is a good thing. I wouldn’t call what Trump has charisma, but he emits something that hooks his followers, and I don’t think JD can emit something similar.
Ever since I have been writing this blog I’ve posted the closing scene from The Life of Brian on Good Friday, endorsing the view that one should always look on the bright side. I don’t see a bright side right now. I sincerely hope I’m wrong.
Afterword: I’ve categorized this under “Creeping Totalitarianism” but just to be clear, it isn’t creeping anymore.