It was never sufficiently observed that Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders ran remarkably similar campaigns in 2016, Trump as a populist from the right and Sanders as one from the left. The difference was that Sanders was serious about what he said, and Trump is serious only about himself. The Democratic establishment made sure that Sanders did not run in 2016 and 2020, and we’ll never know what sort of president he might have made. Trump won in a crowded primary field where no one took him seriously enough to unite against him until it was too late, governed as a demagogue, and fed Republicans their red meat after filling the plate with his own. Joe Biden let him get away with the treason of January 6. Bread and circuses worked in ancient Rome and may now, if you don’t mind sawdust in the bread and a monkey as master of ceremonies.
I’d argue that every woman in America— many of whom likely voted for Trump— will be immediately and directly impacted when it comes to their reproductive health care options as they navigate building a family, unable to find care for their miscarriages, their access to IVF, their birth control.
I’d argue every child who’s trying to get an education from the public school system will be directly and immediately impacted as they dismantle the Departent of Education, ban books, and reinsert school prayer.
And literally everyone who breathes air as they dismantle the EPA.
This is not Trump from the first administration. This is far far worse and will impact all those, even those who think privilege or whiteness will save them.
It’s certainly a time to keep fighting and keep speaking out.
I am sure that most Americans have no idea that most of this country’s founding fathers were opposed to democracy, as were so many other thoughtful folks throughout history, like Edmund Burke and Plato, precisely because of what happened Tuesday. Ignorant folks who know almost nothing except possibly the price of peanut butter and are therefore so easily swayed by demagogues will be choosing those who make all the rules. Even Hitler and Putin were (sort of) elected.
Having read Len Lear's comment, the country's founding fathers were racists and misogynists. It would be great if only people who have a clue about history, context, and actual, rather than alternative, facts could vote, but the criteria for determining that would be unwieldy. The net result would be government for and by cisgender, straight, mostly Christian white men--hmm. That's almost what we've got now. But in the scenario mentioned, the rules would be written to make sure the "right" people were given the vote. Hmm...sort of like gerrymandering and voter suppression laws now. Regardless, very few people with brown skin would be voting. Maybe Vivek and Byron and Candace and Clarence, but those who disagree with them would be disqualified in large numbers.
I exaggerate a little. As for having nothing to fear, if Trump makes stop and frisk mandatory and indemnifies police brutality, SOME of us will have something to fear, even more than SOME of us do right now. The "A" at the end of MAGA doesn't matter to some of you, but it matters to the people who had very few rights in the 1950's.
From reader Robert Zaller:
It was never sufficiently observed that Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders ran remarkably similar campaigns in 2016, Trump as a populist from the right and Sanders as one from the left. The difference was that Sanders was serious about what he said, and Trump is serious only about himself. The Democratic establishment made sure that Sanders did not run in 2016 and 2020, and we’ll never know what sort of president he might have made. Trump won in a crowded primary field where no one took him seriously enough to unite against him until it was too late, governed as a demagogue, and fed Republicans their red meat after filling the plate with his own. Joe Biden let him get away with the treason of January 6. Bread and circuses worked in ancient Rome and may now, if you don’t mind sawdust in the bread and a monkey as master of ceremonies.
From reader Michael Zuckerman:
I wish there were more, but you’ve nailed about as much consolation as there is.
From reader Emily Newman:
I’d argue that every woman in America— many of whom likely voted for Trump— will be immediately and directly impacted when it comes to their reproductive health care options as they navigate building a family, unable to find care for their miscarriages, their access to IVF, their birth control.
I’d argue every child who’s trying to get an education from the public school system will be directly and immediately impacted as they dismantle the Departent of Education, ban books, and reinsert school prayer.
And literally everyone who breathes air as they dismantle the EPA.
This is not Trump from the first administration. This is far far worse and will impact all those, even those who think privilege or whiteness will save them.
It’s certainly a time to keep fighting and keep speaking out.
From reader Dan Coren:
Your quote from the Talmud is profound. It made me think of Camus’s judgement that Sysyphus was basically a happy man.
From reader Len Lear:
I am sure that most Americans have no idea that most of this country’s founding fathers were opposed to democracy, as were so many other thoughtful folks throughout history, like Edmund Burke and Plato, precisely because of what happened Tuesday. Ignorant folks who know almost nothing except possibly the price of peanut butter and are therefore so easily swayed by demagogues will be choosing those who make all the rules. Even Hitler and Putin were (sort of) elected.
Having read Len Lear's comment, the country's founding fathers were racists and misogynists. It would be great if only people who have a clue about history, context, and actual, rather than alternative, facts could vote, but the criteria for determining that would be unwieldy. The net result would be government for and by cisgender, straight, mostly Christian white men--hmm. That's almost what we've got now. But in the scenario mentioned, the rules would be written to make sure the "right" people were given the vote. Hmm...sort of like gerrymandering and voter suppression laws now. Regardless, very few people with brown skin would be voting. Maybe Vivek and Byron and Candace and Clarence, but those who disagree with them would be disqualified in large numbers.
I exaggerate a little. As for having nothing to fear, if Trump makes stop and frisk mandatory and indemnifies police brutality, SOME of us will have something to fear, even more than SOME of us do right now. The "A" at the end of MAGA doesn't matter to some of you, but it matters to the people who had very few rights in the 1950's.
Great column, Dan. It gives me hope.
Good one, Dan.
A joy to read