Remember, Remember the 5th of November

Like Guy Fawkes, Donald Trump is trying to blow up a political system, unlike Guy who failed, Trump is within a handful of votes of trying to turn the US into an illiberal democracy at best, or at worst an authoritarian state in the image of Trump’s political mentor, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin. This will be partly assisted by a bunch of self-serving sycophants whose heads are either in the sand or up his ass, where nuance has been removed as part of any moral or political discourse. Then, there are those on the extreme right who see this empty head of a Republican presidential candidate as a Trojan horse, through which they can Stalinise the US in accordance with their new bible, Project 25. These Heritage Foundation alumni, unlike in 2016 are ready to act on day one of a Trump victory, to create a new “Gilead” and a Hayekian economic model on steroids. This means unfettered laissez-faire flowing up economics where “We” is diminished, and “I” is elevated, leaving the state as a passive observer. The new “Commanders” will impose a type of biblical social conservatism that will take the US back decades in terms of equity, social inclusion, and social cohesion, in addition to undermining minority and women’s rights.

 On the economy, Trump is a two-trick pony, simply put, tariffs and tax cuts for the wealthy. Trump supporters are economically ignorant, Biden did not cause inflation, it was the post-pandemic increase in demand, disrupted supply chains, tight labour markets in the US, increased energy costs because of Russia’s illegal war on Ukraine and corporate greedflation. The belief that Trump could have stopped the war in Ukraine is simply a fairytale. Biden created 16 million jobs that is twice as many than under Trump’s first term. This was partly due to the American Rescue plan and the Inflation Reduction Act which included $500 million for a green energy transition, in total this amounted to $1.5 trillion of Federal investment. Biden added $4.5 trillion to the national debt, Trump, $8.5 trillion. Today, America’s economy is the envy of the world, with GDP growing at 2.7%, inflation at 2.4% and wage growth reported by Statistica was 4.6%

The most dystopian possibility is that the ultra-conservative and corrupt, politically appointed judges that have hijacked the Supreme Court, have given the potential Trump presidency carte blanche to act with impunity to redesign the state and suppress any dissent, and I mean any. A Trump presidency will want to undermine the Department of Justice’s historic independence by bringing it under the control of the executive branch, as well as clip the wings of the FBI and other Federal agencies.

Well, if the average Trump supporter and those who are still sitting on the fence, cannot see this well-broadcasted agenda to undermine democracy, they are either blind, deaf, politically illiterate, members of the white evangelical God squad, easily led or lack critical thinking skills. Trump’s celebrity endorsements include, self-serving Elon Musk, NFL footballer and Gilead Catholic Harrison Butker, Putin fan Tucker Carlson, demented and rambling RFK Jr who is simply trying to get a job in any future Trump cabinet, Russell Brand who was accused of rape and sexual assault,50 cent, vest ripper Hulk Hogan and a bunch of weird B list African American celebrities such as Sexyy Red and DaBaby, to name a few.

 Let us not forget the bunch of “no moral compass “senators such as Graham, Cruz, Meadows, Hawley, white supremacist Tuberville and many others, all bought and paid for by far right-wing lobby groups. These include the National Rifle Association, Society for American Civic Renewal and Conservative Partnership Institute and a variety of under the radar mega donors. Trump is also supported by a range of deranged, neo Nazis, white supremacists, white Christian nationalists, anti-feminist, and anti-Semitic groups. Then there are the likes of Taylor Green, Gatz and Boebert in the House who propagate conspiracy theories such as the Great Replacement. Finally, let us not forget the other self-serving slime balls such as Steve Miller, Steve Bannon and Jason “Goebbels” Miller, Trump’s communications director.

There is also a surprising list of Jewish mega-donors such as Charles Kushner and Miriam Adelson and Super Pac the Republican Jewish Coalition. These guys seem to have forgotten Charlottesville where Nazi protesters shouted, Jews will not replace us and Trump’s response, there are good people on both sides. It is as obvious as the nose on your face that Trump has an authoritarian streak, and you do not have to believe me. General Mark Millie, former Joint Chief of Staff in Trump’s first term, reportedly called Trump a “Total Fascist.” It was reported in the Atlantic that Trump said to John Kelly his former Chief of Staff, that he wanted his generals to be compliant, like Hitler’s generals and wait for it, Trump also told John Kelly that Hitler did some good things too.

The other thing that baffles me is that African American Republican legislators like Tim Scott and Byron Donalds support Trump even though Trump calls prominent white supremacist and Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes a friend and sees white supremacist groups such as the Proud Boys as his Pretorian Guard. Donald Trump also declared that Black voters are drawn to him because of his criminal indictments and mugshot and let us not forget Haitians stealing and eating next-door’s pets. Trump whose only God is money, and whose religious faith is steeped in his own vanity and narcissism, is also supported by a list of Black pastors seemingly because he reprinted a Trump (made in China) bible, a book that Trump would not know the first verse of.

Mike “I’m a fundamentalist evangelical Christian” Johnson, republican leader of the house, like others of his ilk will bend over backwards to excuse Trump for his profanities, his misogyny, his lack of any morals, his lack of any principles, and his narcissism. On State of the Union with Jake Tapper, Johnson refused to condemn and then obfuscated over Trump’s 12 min rant at a rally, about the size of golfing legend Arnold Palmer’s penis. Well, I suppose if you cannot call out Trump for his “pussy grabbing,” it is only fair of Johnson to think that it is reasonable for Trump to wax about penis size. It has also been reported and not denied that the hierarchy of the Catholic Church is supporting Trump’s re-election and the Pope, the man allegedly full of pearls of wisdom, has advised his congregation, otherwise known as the sheep “choose the lesser evil.” What you can assert from this Papal waxing is clear, is vote Trump, he overturned Roe v Wade. This assertion was further reinforced when Francis compared Harris’s stance on abortion with an assassination.

 The fear on the global stage is that Trump will undermine Ukraine’s sovereignty, embolden the butcher Netanyahu, and cosy up to other dictators. This will lead to the weakening of democratic alliances such as NATO, in economic forums such as the G7 and the G20 and undermine institutions such as the UN and the World Bank. It will set the climate change agenda back decades, great for the Saudis, and bad for the human race. In effect, it means, the US withdrawing itself from its position as leader of the free world. The new republican party untethered will signal to the free world under the mantra of” America First” its path towards US isolationism. This process will not just be a retrograde step for the US but will also embolden those regimes that despise democracy.

 In China’s case, Xi Jinping’s desire to take back Taiwan and Putin’s desire to grow his influence and create a greater Russia. In addition, a Trump victory will encourage Putin to accelerate his other goal, which is to undermine Western European Democracies. In this endeavour, Putin already has proxies such as Hungary’s Victor Orban and Slovakia’s new president and an array of new populist parties such as the AFD in Germany and the Freedom Party in Austria, both rooted in Nazi ideology.

Trump has surrounded himself with the likes of Mike Johnson and many other sycophants and pseudo-intellectuals who believe that Making America Great Again means, making it more misogynistic, more racist, more of the Great Replacement narrative, more insular, more unequal, more Christian, more selfish, more guns, and less free thinking. The MAGA and Project 25 Republicans are getting millions of Americans to medicate by swallowing the famous Matrix red pill,” You take the red pill – you stay in Wonderland, and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes”. A large part of the US electorate needs a” woke” moment and not walk blindly into a future where democracy is redesigned to hold on to power and fulfil the whims of an autocrat.

If Harris wins this battle, it is not over, be prepared for 2028 and election denier JD Vance who once referred to Trump as America’s Hitler and morally reprehensible, is likely to be top of the Republican ticket, anointed by tech billionaire Peter Theil, who believes freedom and democracy are incompatible. If Harris loses (and she would not have been my first choice in an open primary) the fault firmly lies at the feet of Joe, his wife Jill, Ron Klain, and other members of Biden’s inner circle of advisors who could not see the woods for the trees. This is a trajectory towards America’s very own two-state solution, and we all know what happened last time.

Finally, for all the times that both sides have invoked the strapline “God Bless America,” I reckon even he or she is nervously waiting for the result. Read an earlier blog, Mr President. Cltl and click     https://grumpyoldbastard870122708.wordpress.com/2022/11/21/mr-president/

Talk to you after 5^th November!

Suneil Sharma

26^th October 2024