Democracy’s Threat
Trump will, very likely, be elected in November due in no small part to the antiquated electoral college, a highly conservative reflex among a large block of cultish or cult-like Republicans, an inept commercialized journalistic media, and the way our systems for voter information are so poorly organized—that is to say almost exclusively organized on commercial obeisance to the marketing demands of egregiously profitable corporations. Accordingly, WE—the people—are faced with the potential threats this flawed and incompetent individual actually poses to democracy’s many facets. We must now ask: What of those facets will remain constitutionally intact throughout a potential generation or more of Trumpian, lawless, authoritarian rule of America by a small group of oligarchs? What are the institutions that will survive and what are those that will not?
The chief oligarch, Senator Mitch McConell and Trump are meeting now. Soon enough and often enough—to perhaps drive new wedges into our body politic. What is McConnell likely to demand of Trump? Or, will he threaten Trump with withdrawing some traditional Republican support—ideological and financial support? McConnell likely still has that power and came very close to using it in the days following January 6th, 2021. McConnell is not anywhere a lame duck. And, Republicans owe him in a big way for the current state of the Supreme Court.
It may be time for every progressive to look upon this as an opportunity to reshape American democracy and continue the experiment that began with American declaration of independence from the English Monarchy. That we have lost our way (as in the Buddhist Way) is all too evident in all of the scary directions that a Trumpian oligarchy, aristocracy, or authoritarian, conservative dominated (think filibuster) government is now, and has been for nearly four decades, taking America.
A course correction is now an essential task of progressives, free thiinkers, skeptics and humanists. While the later may be misguided as an ideology it is, in fact, a highly pragmatic consideration that can preserve and protect the life, liberty and pursuit of happiness our declaration promised all Americans—women, ethnic groups, the economically enslaved, and the oppressed masses yearning for emancipation from an impoverished existence physically, intellectually, emotionally and spiritually.
It is time to look at American institutions beyond contemporary Constitutional bounds to examine the impact of schools, media, religions, economics in its myriad forms, as well as our worst angels—our existence with human systems that have decimated the life support systems of our only home—planet earth. This is no time to insist on business as usual.
Donald J. Trump is an odious, incorrigibly bad actor and so too is Mitch McConnell, Speaker Mike Johnson and a host of people who are seemingly incapable of thinking critically, freely, creatively or any other way that is outside the usual and customary constraints we call “the box;” the walls of which are thick but can be and must be broken to create windows and doors; our essential portals for preservation of democracy and fostering human development. In my cognitive world, there is no God to save us … humanity needs our metaphorical better angels now more than ever in this slice of human history. Trump is only an opportunistic player co-opted by an unholy array of constitutional democracy’s antagonistic forces that have a dark vision for not only democracy but for the future of all humanity and for our vital—life sustaining—ecosystems. To be sustainable in an acceptable form, stewards of the human ecosystem must step forward with the only real tool we possess—an an unquenchable freedom and profound responsibility to vote our conscious. That is our heritage and, our real exceptionalism, and now our national obligation.