Yesterday, Donald Trump used military officers to clear a path for him -- a path to a church, where he stood -- flanked by members of his administration, a Bible in his hand. Trump is no Christian. But he is a fascist. And the United States now stands on the brink. Paul Krugman writes:
I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that America as we know it is on the brink.
How did we get here? The core story of U.S. politics over the past four decades is that wealthy elites weaponized white racism to gain political power, which they used to pursue policies that enriched the already wealthy at workers’ expense.
Until Trump’s rise it was possible — barely — for people to deny this reality with a straight face. At this point, however, it requires willful blindness not to see what’s going on.
The original sin of American democracy has never been cleansed from the body politic. And now -- in the person of Trump -- it appears naked and unapologetic:
I still see occasional news reports that describe Trump as a “populist.” But Trump’s economic policies have been the opposite of populist: They have been relentlessly plutocratic, centered largely on a successful effort to ram through huge tax cuts for corporations and the rich, and a so far unsuccessful attempt to take health insurance away from poor and working-class families.
Nor have Trump’s trade wars brought back the good jobs of yore. Even before the coronavirus plunged us into depression, Trump had failed to deliver major employment growth in coal mining or manufacturing. And farmers, who supported Trump by large margins in 2016, have suffered huge losses thanks to his trade wars.
So what has Trump really offered to the white working class that makes up most of his base? Basically, he has provided affirmation and cover for racial hostility.
And nowhere is this clearer than in his relationship with the police.
Krugman is clear: Most police officers are not on Trump's side of the race war. But that's what this is. And it soon could become a new civil war -- with Christian Fascists leading the charge.
Image: PRI
18 comments:
It doesn't matter that most cops aren't on Trump's side of the race war, and, frankly, I don't see the evidence for that. All that matters is that those who aren't on Trump's side protect those who are. The blue wall is very real. As the saying goes, "one bad apple spoils the barrel."
Cap
And the only solution is to remove the rotten apple, Cap.
Abraham Lincoln said, "A house divided against itself cannot stand." Never have those words been truer than now, Owen.
.. thanks for that.. great perspective Owen. Lately I've been thinking how much we need such scathing reportage, observation, vision.. and how sadly.. we are suffering a dearth of the great authors who could paint with words. Twain level, Tom Wolfe, Hunter S Thompson or Elmore Leonard.. John Steinbeck.. of course.. Grapes of Wrath comes to mind.. but I treasure Travels With Charley in his camper pickup combo Rocinante, crossing America. Who is writing today of the Not Very Brave New World of Sean Hannity - Donald Trump - Jason Kenney, Faith Goldy - Boris or Putin ? Who is goring them so badly they are deservedly HUMILIATED for all to see ?
It seems as if 'tabloid virtue' - waving a bible, or an AR15 is the rage.. the new 'eat cake' gawd on our side fascist reality .. (Gawd made me do it!) instead of Davy Crockett or Daniel Boone they got wonderscum Mitch McConnell & Leslie Graham. Instead of The Alamo they have a diseased jackass swindler pimping a WALL.. Perhaps now we will see what happens when the US Military is faced with self styled 'patriots' gunning down peaceful protesters because Trump 'gave the signal'. Who is fighting who? And for what ? Is it some sort of CRUSADE ? Or a CLUSTERFLUCK ? Or both all a twonce ?
Buckle up Canada eh ! Get yer thug on.. we're all dancing in the dark.. & the last to know what way the wind blows
We'll see if the house can continue to stand, Lorne. As a friend of mine says, Trump is a Weapon of Mass Destruction.
John A. Macdonald understood how difficult it was to live next to a nation that was tearing itself apart, sal. We should heed the lessons of history.
No, Owen, by the time you remove the rotten apple, the barrel is already spoiled. That's what the saying tells us. Police culture in the US is rotten and racist from the top down. The biggest looters are the corporate captains who swiped $500 billion in Covid-19 bailout funds while everyone else got $1,200 cheques. Are the police overturning gated white communities looking for the perps? Did the police kneel on the necks of any of the rich white bankers whose systematic fraud destroyed the world economy in 2008?
No, rich white people never see the cops unless they're calling them to complain about a Harvard-educated black bird-watcher in the park. And that's the problem. White communities would never stand for the militarized overpolicing typical in black communities. It's part of the school to prison pipeline designed to ruin the lives of African-Americans.
Policing needs to be torn to the ground and reimagined. The barrel is entirely rotten. All the apples need to be thrown out and new ones picked more carefully. That's the only way to address a systematic problem of bad organizational culture.
Cap
Thank you for making the distinction that Trump is not a Christian, anyone can lay claim to being a follower of Jesus Christ of course, I do as well, but that does not mean that I want anything to do with DJT.
Jesus taught his disciples to be humble and to seek 'the lower seat' (LK 14:11) which is something I don't think Trump has ever done. A pandemic, now rioting and mayhem in the streets.....I'm afraid to ask what's next.
In his latest WaPo column, George Will, says tossing Trump won't be enough. He wants every Republican in Congress cast into the flames of Hell, incinerated. Will says the party he was so intensely loyal to all these decades is irredeemable. It must be destroyed, expunged to cleanse Congress of its corruption.
I knew he didn't like Trump but I never expected Will to go this far.
That's no easy job, Cap. And, unfortunately, there's a phalanx of opposition to it.
Trump has ghostwriters write books in his name, Gordie. But he's rarely cracked one -- and I'm certain the Bible is one he's never read.
I, too, am surprised by Will's conclusion, Mound. But any organization can reach the point where it's beyond redemption. What is truly surprising is that it took so long for Will to see the light.
"... wealthy elites weaponized white racism to gain political power …"
So that's how we got the point where imbeciles from the anti-immigrant crowd are now calling themselves "libertarians".
(I'm not suggesting that there's anything intrinsically wrong with taking a deliberative approach to the immigration question.)
For any of you who missed it Juan Cole has an interesting and well written satire piece comparing the Madison defence of the White House 1812 to the present day farce. If this wss not such dangerous times one could almost laugh.
https://www.juancole.com/2020/06/second-madison-defense.html
The keyword is "deliberative, " John. Deliberative and Trump are mutually exclusive terms.
Thanks for the link, zoombats. This time around, the Americans could well burn down their own House.
Yes, thanks for the link, zoombats. Didn't strike me as satire, but a properly sarcastic snide and dismissive takedown of Trump and his Repuglican swarm of racist replicants. And very well-written indeed.
BM
On the Mound of Sound's recommendation, I read George Will's column, BM. Will is right. Not only does Trump have to go. The entire Republican membership in Congress has to go with him.
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