Facing the Facts

As this is written, the cabinet that will implement the orange guy elect’s policies is beginning to take shape. We are beginning to see what the incoming government will look like.

So far, they include a fascist propagandist:

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/15/us/politics/stephen-bannon-breitbart-words.html?_r=0

See also:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Goebbels

An old school racist and homophobe:

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/19/us/politics/jeff-sessions-donald-trump-attorney-general.html

An islamophobe and apologist and lobbyist for nice folks like Putin and Erodogon

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/18/us/politics/michael-flynn-national-security-adviser-donald-trump.html

…and a Tea-bagger said to be a big supporter of domestic surveillance and “enhanced interrogation” …

http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/18/politics/trump-asks-rep-mike-pompeo-to-be-cia-director-sources-say/index.html

If you were thinking the orange guy is a pragmatic businessman who won’t do anything too crazy, you were mistaken, evidently…

I view this growing assemblage of thugs and bigots with substantial alarm. I work in history and heritage, and I’m familiar with lots of examples of what happens when minority governments undertake coups. I am also hopeful and confidant that following a great deal of damage, we can overcome this and build a better country and future.

Understand this: I think the orange guy has autocratic and despotic tendencies. He likes power and wants to keep it. His business record is a clear indication of the kinds of measures he is prepared to resort to. His rise to power in this country is in no sense a normal transfer of government from one democratically elected government to another. It is an attempt by the extreme right to seize power, in no way substantially different from the rise of fascist governments in mid-20th century Germany and Italy, or the modern Philippines. I would assume that this crop of goons will try to manufacture a crisis or take advantage of one (think the Nazi’s burning down the Reichstag) and then try to use it to seize more power. American institutions including the police, military and legal system will be taxed to and perhaps beyond the breaking point. There will be an attempt to silence any dissent or opposition. The heavily armed mob of True Believers will be called out to help shut up and punish the opposition. At least one dangerous ideologue will be seated on the US Supreme Court. There will be a big infrastructure bill coming out of the legislature, something the country desperately needs, but it will be laced with poisonous tax and environmental provisions that greatly enrich the top earners in this country at the expense of middle class and poor folks, and exacerbate global climate change, further pollute the air and water, damage our historical and cultural heritage, and help make us an international pariah. All regulation of the cheerful folks on Wall Street will be removed, and the crowd that brought you 2008 (remember 2008??) will be running the economic show unfettered. There will be a well-funded attempt to make conceal carry permits transferrable between states, thus empowering the armed mob of True Believers even further than it is right now. Muslim, African-American, Hispanic, LGBT and other minority communities will see and feel real persecution. We will be torturing people.

I’ll re-post this next November, and we’ll see if I was incorrect.

Now I’m sorry to be so dark here, but as noted in my last post, I’m interested in fixing things. Like the orange guy, I want to make America great again. The first step in addressing a festering wound is to rip the bandage off, and get a good look at it. So there it is…take it all in.

Now, take a deep breath.

I believe this is a time of existential crisis for this nation. I believe we are all called on to do our part to help overturn this dangerous minority government. The lives and futures of our kids and the planet are at stake. This is a time for real Americans, real patriots, to stand up and defend our country and our way of life. This is a time to speak and to act. If you are filled with disquiet, anger and fear, the only way to make those emotions dissipate is to channel them in positive and transformational directions. Like my parent’s generation who were forced to confront a depression and a fascist alliance, we’re about to find out what courage means.

Fortunately, there are lots of paths forward. There are lots of tools at hand. More than there have ever been. I’ll discuss some of them in my next post.