Sens. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio and Tommy Tuberville, R-Alabama, listen as former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the media at his trial for allegedly covering up hush money payments at Manhattan Criminal Court on May 13, 2024 in New York City. Trump was charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records last year, which prosecutors say was an effort to hide a potential sex scandal, both before and after the 2016 presidential election. Trump is the first former U.S. president to face trial on criminal charges. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
On June 22, 2018, the dean of conservative columnists, George Will, provided his advice to the nation in a Washington Post article titled, “Vote Against the GOP this November.” His thesis was simple: Donald Trump was a danger to the nation and to American democracy, and the Republican Congress was equally dangerous in their blind, shameless support of Trump. Together they constituted a “carnage of Republican misrule in Washington.”
Will stated that Trump needed to be “quarantined” and the nation protected from Republicans. The threat to the nation was far greater than his low opinion of Democrats.
The nation is again in this predicament. America faces a corrupt, would-be dictator with no respect for truth, the rule of law, democracy, or many of his fellow citizens, supported by a dysfunctional Republican Party. In a recent Time Magazine interview, Trump describes his views for – in the words of the interviewer – an “imperial presidency.” Choose your term: fascist, authoritarian, dictator, totalitarian, thug, strong man. Trump has made clear that he will work to destroy American democracy as we know it. Think of Victor Orban in Hungary and Recep Erdogan in Turkey.
The fact that someone of such low character – dishonest, vindictive, racist, self-centered, morally reprehensible – could be the nominee of a major political party is mind-boggling. But it is the undermining of our democracy that remains Trump’s greatest threat to the nation. He tried to influence a tight election in 2016 by hiding damaging information. He tried to overthrow the election of 2020 with violence and criminal behavior when he lost. He will not agree to accept the results of the 2024 election.
What more proof does the public need?
The Republican “carnage of misrule” has continued for six more years. Republicans who have spoken out against Trump are censured by their party, primaried, or leave Congress. Those remaining have done little good for America.
Republicans passed a tax break primarily for rich people. They acquitted Trump of abuse of power, with only Sen. Mitt Romney voting to convict. The Republican Senate completed the creation of a right-wing U.S. Supreme Court that has been eroding Americans’ rights ever since, including voting rights, women’s rights and public safety. More than 50% of congressional Republicans (147) voted, without merit, not to certify Joe Biden’s election, before acquitting Trump for his role in the January 6th insurrection.
Then, as in 2009, Republicans left it almost completely to Democrats to help the economy recover, avoid a recession, and to address issues like drug costs and climate change.
Congressional Republicans, Republican-led states, and MAGA continue to pursue extreme policies and serve as sycophants to Trump, operating almost like a cult. Trump’s vice-presidential hopefuls cannot afford to admit that Trump lost the 2020 election, an established fact. The chaos in the Republican-led House during the past two years is a matter of record.
George Will also observed that, “just as magnets attract iron filings, Trump attracts, and is attracted to, louts.” So far this has included over a dozen close associates who have been convicted of felonies, as well as numerous others who are under indictment at both the federal and state level. His supporters include white supremacists, Christian nationalists, conspiracy theorists, armed anti-government militias, neo-Nazis, election deniers, and a variety of other extremists.
The America we cherish is unlikely to survive an authoritarian president, advised and supported by anti-democratic extremists, matched with a do-nothing, dysfunctional Congress, and helped along by a far-right Republican Supreme Court.
David Darby held leadership positions in several U.S. agencies and Montana state government. He also served as a senior U.S. advisor to more than a dozen foreign governments. He is retired and lives in Billings.
The post America may not be able to survive another take-over attempt appeared first on Daily Montanan.