At this point, any loyal reader knows that I am both over the moon in optimism regarding the policies and charisma demonstrated by a number of Democratic candidates, while at the same time fearful of the ugly times facing us in the short term. I also worry that we spend too much time analyzing Trump, and not enough time analyzing the nation over which he currently presides. And then I write another column about Trump.
There is risk in concentrating too much, becoming obsessed with the latest outrage. I will take that into account … while I write my column here about the impending dangers brought forth by Trump in the campaign.
With me?
Okay.
Of late, we have seen a president who has – in the past – tied himself to the stock market. Trump used the market as near the sole measure of the economy, and gave himself credit. Naturally. He has given himself credit for every “good” he touched in fifty years.
Of course, the flip side is that he’s masterful at conjuring up any fantasy required to lay blame for bad news squarely at the feet of someone else. We know that too, but perhaps not why it means grave danger for the nation, should he start to implode.
We have seen tremors lately, foreboding tremors. He got upset with Fox News, based solely upon them publishing their poll with numbers he did not like, and then threatened them. During a recent “interview” under the “whomp-whomp” of helicopter blades – the only kind he does – he ranted. From Newscorpse at the mothership.
Fox is a lot different than it used to be, I can tell you that. […] Fox has changed. And my worst polls have always been from Fox. There’s something going on with Fox, I’ll tell you right now. And I’m not happy about it. I don’t know what’s happening with when they have a Juan Williams who’s never said a positive thing. And yet when I show up at the Fox building he’s out there, “Oh sir, can I have a picture with you? Can I have a picture? He’s 100 percent nice.
By “different than it used to be,” I suspect he means “two days ago, before they published that damned poll.” But, the implicit threat remains, “a lot different than they used to be …” It doesn’t take a rocket surgeon to figure out the threat: ‘Get in line or you’re about to become “fake news.'”
No one, no amount of previous “loyalty” survives a perceived slight, and anyone can become an “enemy,” no amount of past deeds, praise, loyalty, none, will spare you from blame if Trump feels threatened. That is actually quite terrifying.
The New York Times isn’t fooled, and noted that Trump’s latest claim is that the “fake news” media bears blame for a weakening economy, then set forth a short history for us:
The president’s broadsides follow a long pattern of conspiratorial thinking. He has claimed, without evidence, that undocumented immigrants cast millions of ballots, costing him the popular vote in the 2016 election. During the campaign, he predicted that the system might prove to be “rigged” if he did not win. He conjured up a “deep state” conspiracy within the government to thwart his election and, more recently, his agenda. And he has said reporters are trying to harm him with pictures of empty seats at his rallies.
These are damned powerful words: “Rigged?” “Trying to ‘harm’ him?” And, of course, Qanon and the “Deep State Conspiracy” against him? The above words would never have been uttered by a previous president, or presidential candidate. They are all threats.
You might say, “But that’s just how he talks, if that’s true, everything has been a threat since prior to the campaign.”
Yes. True.
HE has said such words. When has a president, with the imprimatur of legitimacy endowed ever said such words in the run-up to an election? Because we’re going back to a theme, the danger Trump symbolizes, presents, and works to enflame, going out to his most loyal followers in the MAGA crowd. Trump being president grants his words a gravitas that endows their furor with legitimacy.
In fact, the “president,” while speaking as “president,” has near called upon these same loyalists, the far right of the MAGA right, and warned the country about them, while granting them near permission to get tough. Remember this, from ABC News?
“I can tell you I have the support of the police, the support of the military, the support of the Bikers for Trump,” Trump said to Breitbart in an interview Monday after reportedly being asked about “how the left is fighting hard.”
“I have the tough people, but they don’t play it tough — until they go to a certain point, and then it would be very bad, very bad,” he said.
Now let’s put it all together. No matter how loyal a person or entity has been in the past, a perceived slight will be sufficient to join the conspiracy against him. Nothing is ever his fault, thus, literally anything that HE perceives as bad will be blamed on others. And finally, he knows exactly who to call upon to make things “very bad, very bad” for those who cause him trouble and it will be police, the military, and civilian toughs.
The people with guns, and the desire to use weapons with self-perceived legitimacy.
Sometimes I don’t think I write enough about the danger we face. It takes stringing things together as we did above, to see what we face if a campaign season and election don’t go as he planned. He is capable of conjuring any conspiracy, blaming literally anyone, then calling upon the most powerful to squelch it.
Picture this.
Trump loses the election by six states. Not a landslide, but not all that close, either. Trump comes out and says, “I don’t know what happened, but its very bad, it’s due to a conspiracy against me, a rigged vote, brought upon by my enemies in the deep state. And I can tell you, I see things getting very bad in the near term, the police, and the military won’t tolerate a rigged election. No, they won’t, they’re tough.”
Is it that fantastical? Or is it near in line with what you expect?
Does it really represent a danger? Depends on how you measure “danger.” Do I think it will lead to the police and the military overthrowing the U.S. government? No, I don’t. Our institutional strength is much stronger than that. Do I think that there could be mass-unrest in the capitol? Do I think that certain cities could be burning? Do I see some police standing and watching? Do I see guns and lots of gunfire? Yes. I do.
This column is getting long already, and you know I will follow-up on this theme – perhaps too often – and then again, maybe not … but it is something that A) Must be met square on, and B) Can only be met sufficiently if known and planned-for long ahead of time.
We will be covering “A” and B” … a lot, because there is real danger in not covering it enough.
****
Peace, y’all.
Jason
*I vow to answer all emails, but of late, it may take a day or two, you guys have been great, and I do like to communicate with you.
So if I understand you correctly, Jason, you’re thinking a replay of the urban riots of the 1960s only with white people? Yeah, that sounds credible…minus the part about cops standing by and letting it happen. I guarantee you that, personal feelings aside, there is not a single cop that wants their town to be the next Charlottesville.
Nor do I think it a coincidence that there’s been a recent wave of preemptive arrests in the wake of those shootings two weekends ago. I’m pretty sure that the LEOs are broadcasting a message to anybody with the fool idea to pull the play you’re talking about: do that nonsense and you’ll be buried UNDER the jail.
It is a good point. You’re right, most cops are dead professional and will not let innocent people or property be harmed under any banner. I probably should rely upon them more. But, it doesn’t take that many, sympathetic to the Trump/Proud Boy side to allow disproportionate danger. Recall in NYC, when the man assaulted by Proud Boy provocators? I don’t believe they were arrested that night. I think it took video and then an order for an arrest days after the fact (I will have to check that), but this is the type of thing that I worry about. I do not think they would let a person literally be run over by a car, but there are degrees of tolerance that are kind of scary.
Any cop fool enough to go that Proud Boy route is going to be looking at consequences just like the people they let off. May not mean jail time for them but it WILL mean an end to their career. Your NYC example is proof enough that the tolerance for this has limits.
I mean, I get it…enough bad things have happened these last three years to people who never deserved it to fear there’s more coming. And more probably IS coming. But that was nothing any of us didn’t expect going in. Getting out was always going to be the hard part.
I agree, Trump is likely going to try to rouse the rabble. The Trump supporters I know, however. aren’t the type to take to the streets. They may grumble, but they won’t rumble. I’m sure we’ll have the Proud Boys, and Patriot Prayer and other nazi types out there, and they may cause considerable trouble, but, I like to believe, won’t receive substantial support from our basically decent law enforcement.