Trump Has Always Been Dictatorial
An Eminently Scrutable Man
Donald Trump has always been dictatorial. He’s never understood the U.S. Constitution, the law of the land, the defining document of liberty and freedom. For that basic reason, I’ve never voted for him and never supported him.
Tucker Carlson has been in the news because he’s apologized for supporting Trump. Here’s the lede from a New York Times article today:
Tucker Carlson Says He Is ‘Tormented’ by His Past Support for Trump
“I want to say I’m sorry for misleading people,” said the conservative commentator, who has broken sharply with the president over the war with Iran.
It’s a decade too late for that, Tucker.
I remember in March of 2016 watching Trump debate in the Republican primary on TV. This was when Trump declared U.S. troops would and should follow his orders regardless of their illegality. (The context here was torture of “terrorists” and perhaps even of family members related to the “terrorists.”) Right then, I knew Trump had disqualified himself. He’d shown his true colors: his preference for violence, his conceit that his word was the law, irrespective of the law of the land, the U.S. Constitution.
Yesterday, I went on “Judging Freedom” with Judge Napolitano, where this subject came up. I had little sympathy for Tucker’s mea culpa. Lots of observers in 2015 and 2016 noticed Trump’s conceit, his narcissism, but most of all his lawlessness. Yes, Trump said the Iraq War was a disaster, and I applauded him for that. Yes, he occasionally talks about peace, and he’ll even call out the military-industrial complex. But, as we all know, actions speak louder than words. Trump’s “peace” is a dictated one, even as he seeks to engorge the military-industrial complex with $1.5 trillion in FY 2027.
People tell themselves a lot of comforting stories and lies; we also all get fooled. Perhaps Trump fooled Tucker, but Trump is an eminently scrutable man, a skilled carnival barker and snake oil salesman with a fragile ego, a bully who expects others to serve him and to obey. Indeed, Trump’s definition of leadership is that he gives orders and other people obey them without question.
How did Tucker convince himself that Trump was presidential material? And how did so many other Americans seek to hitch a ride on the Trump MAGA train? Recall that Trump’s signature line back then was “You’re fired.” Who’d want him for a boss, let alone for president? Yes, I understand that Democratic alternatives weren’t exactly compelling and attractive, and that’s on the Democrats. But Trump—seriously? The man who boasted he’d order our troops to torture—he’s the man we wanted to put in charge of our country?
"But Trump—seriously?"
I've asked the same question. But one needs to check out Chris Hedges on this, I think in his "Death of the Liberal Class," also on his videos. He explains it that most of those who voted for Trump not because they found him basically appealing, that they represented their thinking and beliefs, that they had been betrayed by the liberal Democrats, notably Bill Clinton who sold them NAFTA, which resulted in 30 million of them losing their jobs. And then only to have that insult compounded by Hilary calling them "the horribles." It was a very understandable middle finger given to the whole bunch by the people who not only felt but were very much betrayed by the Democrats and the liberal establishment.
Of course this speaks to the larger issue, "the system." Hedges goes on further to say that every once in while, here or abroad, the system "vomits up" an Orban, an Erdogan, a Trump, and others, characters who proclaim they'll make things right - "MAGA"! - because the electorate want to believe that they can get their lives and livelihoods back. At some visceral level that comes out, with the anger being channeled to immigrants, for example, quite tangible examples of "the other" being the cause of the malaise. But otherwise they, and all of us, wind up getting further swindled.
I can understood someone of the working class - or middle class - who fell for Trump's lies in 2016. The election was a protest vote against the Iraq War, the financial collapse of 2008, and the destruction of people's lives and savings that resulted. Bernie Sanders spoke of many of the same themes as Trump (if the DNC wasn't so corrupt and in the bag for H. Clinton, the results may have been different.)
That was 2016 - the election of 2024 was not the same. Recall that at the RNC convention, there was a large Israeli flag behind the podium where the speaker proclaimed Israel was the top priority of the party. There was no excuse to vote for Trump, even for the down trodden. (And that doesn't mean anyone should have voted for the reprehensible Kamala Harris).
But Carlson? Give me a break. He has given up his bow tie and preppy clothing for a wool shirt and a rustic environment, but he's been part of the ruling class his whole life. He was at Trump's summit with the oil company executives earlier this year - why would a podcast host be there - unless he was a member or tool of the owners?
If I had to guess, there is a quiet but well conceived plan for Carlson 2028 (or 2032) - particularly now that Charlie Kirk met his unfortunate end.