If Trump Wins, Resist Him!
Because Democracy
These are strange times in America. Today the New York Times is telling me there’s already a movement afoot to resist Donald Trump if he wins the election, in the cause of defending democracy, naturally. Here’s the blurb:
Top News
The Resistance to a New Trump Administration Has Already Started
Now, as I’ve said on numerous occasions, I won’t be voting for Trump or Biden. I’m not a Trump supporter and I hope he loses. Yet, assuming the election isn’t “rigged,” as Trump likes to say whenever he loses, I’m prepared to accept the result as an expression of democracy, or at least as much “democracy” as the electoral college in America permits us to express.
I’m glad an “emerging coalition” is planning something, apparently, to curb the worst excesses of Trump and the Republicans. I hope this coalition will act to end Israel’s genocide in Gaza, pursue diplomacy to end the Russia-Ukraine War, pursue peace wherever and whenever possible, lower the threat of nuclear war on the planet, and cut the Pentagon budget while rebuilding America. How about fighting for America’s workers, raising the minimum wage, providing affordable health care for all that’s untied to employment, and similar steps that put the health and welfare of people first.
Or, is this “emerging coalition” motivated purely by animus against Trump and his followers? Is it still going to fully fund the Pentagon and wage war across the globe? In which case I’m not so excited.
Again, I come back to this question: If an “emerging coalition” is so worried about a Trump victory, why not put forward a candidate more fit to beat Trump than Joe Biden? Don’t “resist” Trump after he’s already won again—defeat him at the polls by putting forth a dynamic candidate with a populist worker-first platform.
I’m with James Madison that the biggest threat to liberty and freedom in America is perpetual war. War breeds authoritarianism and weapons built in the name of war represent, as Dwight D. Eisenhower famously said in 1953, a theft from the people. Weapons do not represent an “investment”; quite the reverse. And incessant preparations for war are not a recipe for peace.
If you truly want to defend democracy, resist war and the authoritarianism it breeds. Make major cuts to the Pentagon budget and invest in education and health rather than death and destruction. That’s the “emerging coalition” I’d like to see.
The essay raises some serious issues in my subjective observation of America’s political climate. The observation of a “resistance” movement forming to a potential re-election of Trump as reported by the NYT troubles me. Does this mean a repeat of the phony attacks leveled against Trump after his election in 2016? The simple fact is that almost all the accusations against Trump, most importantly the Russia collusion hoax, undermined Trump’s bumbling administration. He was legally elected and delegitimizing his presidency was relentless and definitely unfair if not bordering on illegality. There is for me another issue and that revolves around the actions and behavior of the current administration. Is the continuous attack on dissent through silencing by personal attacks on various individuals more benign than the behavior of Trump? The Department of State’s sponsoring Ukrainian “enemy or death lists” that includes Americans of various political views is more worrying than anything I have seen in my lifetime. The suppression of the information on Hunter Biden’s laptop by claiming it was Russian disinformation and confirmed as such by over fifty “security” experts should raise a red flag for anyone who is concerned about election procedures as well as the influence of the security establishment. They played a key role during the Russia Gate accusations. I could refer to a few other concerns that question the “democratic” credentials of the Democrats and the possible formation of an anti Trump coalition. I can’t see any successful alternative to the current Democrat or Republican candidates. PLEASE, do not interpret my argument as an endorsement of Trump! I don’t like the man and my political position is deeply rooted in the once proud Social Democrat position of Europe which unfortunately has been almost completely obliterated. For me the choice of the American people is between two bad choices and not just the “lesser of two evils.”
Good one, Bill, but then again, you have to consider the source. I don't put too much credit on anything the NY Slime says. Linking today @https://nothingnewunderthesun2016.com/