Two years ago, on the eve of an historic election, there was a palpable sense of dread - a foreboding of a completely shocking turn of events: The possibility that Trump, despite bucking every bit of conventional wisdom in politics and being spectacularly unqualified for the job, could actually win. Perhaps in a bid to pacify myself, I predicted that Hillary would win. But I was wrong and the reverberations of that unexpected result continue to rumble through America and indeed, the world. I tried to achieve some level of catharsis with this post after the elections, but perhaps I was even being too sanguine then.
After almost two years of overheated rhetoric and divisive politics from a President that seems to stumble from one scandal and indictment to another scandal and indictment, I must admit that I am looking ahead to another election exactly 6 years from today - Nov 5, 2024, when I can be reasonably sure that Trump will not be on the ballot. If Trump has won a second term, he likely spent a lot of time on the campaign trail making that election also all about him, but at least after Nov 6th, 2024, he will truly be yesterday's news.
But, we have to get past tomorrow first and yes, I am trying not to think about it as much as I can. I am already preparing myself for the potential for another painful election night and steeling myself to wait it out for two more years. But sometimes all the self control in the world cannot help and you just want to scream. How blatant can you get? The biggest existential threat to the mighty United States is a ragtag group of impoverished migrants almost 800 miles from our Southern border? And wait, it gets better - they are walking here! THAT IS SCARY!!! Of course we have to deploy the military. Yesterday the military was laying down barbed wire across the border and today our President comments, "Barbed wire, properly used can be a beautiful sight." Now, that is presidential. Shall we festoon the Statue of Liberty in barbed wire too? Maybe tear down the museum on Ellis Island and put in a golf course. A shame to waste the beautiful views of the NY skyline to memorialize such a destructive part of our history - immigration.
Trump is not even bothering to hide his racism anymore - Andrew Gillum and Stacey Abrams, candidates for FL and GA governorships, respectively, are "unqualified for the job." which of course is a dog whistle for, "Hey look, they are black." Trump is such a narcissist that he has openly stated that he is making a special effort to defeat the Democratic Senator from Montana, Jon Tester - simply because Senator Tester had the gall to point out the ethical and moral deficiencies of Trump's White House physician, Ronnie Jackson, for the post of VA Administrator. Forget the fact that Dr Jackson had absolutely no experience in running anything, let alone a vast bureaucracy like the VA, but how do you ignore the voluminous allegations against him of repeatedly being intoxicated while on the job? But never mind, Trump lost that fight and so Jon Tester has to pay.
I am obviously just venting here, but then I have held back for almost two years now and something had to give. :-) Let me close out with a few, somewhat more germane musings about the midterms.
Most indications (& I say this with some trepidation) are that the GOP will lose the House, but keep the Senate and may even increase their majority there. Some commentators have been wondering why Trump is barely doing anything to avoid loses in the House and instead, is focusing almost entirely on the races for Governor and the Senate. To me, the logic is not so inscrutable. Trump cares about the Governorships because they control redistricting efforts and that's one way the parties have been holding on to power. He cares about the Senate because the Senate has to approve all his appointments including the judiciary, with potentially another Supreme Court seat (Ginsburg) coming open during his tenure. And since all that matters to Trump is Trump himself, he needs the Senate to be controlled by the GOP should a Democratic House ever see fit to impeach him.
As for the House, in a perverse way, Trump may believe that a Democratic controlled House may
actually be better for him. They are likely to of course oppose most of his legislative priorities and he can safely blame them for any lack of progress. And he will have somebody to run against in the 2020 elections. On the other hand, if he has had 4 years of complete control of all branches of the government, then who is is going to rail and rant against? For, if there is one thing we know for sure about Trump, it is that he prefers the politics of blame and hate.
Despite that sobering logic, I still want the House to change hands. If that happens, be prepared for a spate of congressional investigations and gridlock for the next two years. Trump reduced to impotent babbling will be a wonderful sight to behold. Could the pollsters be wrong and the Senate also fall out of GOP control? One can but hope.
After almost two years of overheated rhetoric and divisive politics from a President that seems to stumble from one scandal and indictment to another scandal and indictment, I must admit that I am looking ahead to another election exactly 6 years from today - Nov 5, 2024, when I can be reasonably sure that Trump will not be on the ballot. If Trump has won a second term, he likely spent a lot of time on the campaign trail making that election also all about him, but at least after Nov 6th, 2024, he will truly be yesterday's news.
But, we have to get past tomorrow first and yes, I am trying not to think about it as much as I can. I am already preparing myself for the potential for another painful election night and steeling myself to wait it out for two more years. But sometimes all the self control in the world cannot help and you just want to scream. How blatant can you get? The biggest existential threat to the mighty United States is a ragtag group of impoverished migrants almost 800 miles from our Southern border? And wait, it gets better - they are walking here! THAT IS SCARY!!! Of course we have to deploy the military. Yesterday the military was laying down barbed wire across the border and today our President comments, "Barbed wire, properly used can be a beautiful sight." Now, that is presidential. Shall we festoon the Statue of Liberty in barbed wire too? Maybe tear down the museum on Ellis Island and put in a golf course. A shame to waste the beautiful views of the NY skyline to memorialize such a destructive part of our history - immigration.
Trump is not even bothering to hide his racism anymore - Andrew Gillum and Stacey Abrams, candidates for FL and GA governorships, respectively, are "unqualified for the job." which of course is a dog whistle for, "Hey look, they are black." Trump is such a narcissist that he has openly stated that he is making a special effort to defeat the Democratic Senator from Montana, Jon Tester - simply because Senator Tester had the gall to point out the ethical and moral deficiencies of Trump's White House physician, Ronnie Jackson, for the post of VA Administrator. Forget the fact that Dr Jackson had absolutely no experience in running anything, let alone a vast bureaucracy like the VA, but how do you ignore the voluminous allegations against him of repeatedly being intoxicated while on the job? But never mind, Trump lost that fight and so Jon Tester has to pay.
I am obviously just venting here, but then I have held back for almost two years now and something had to give. :-) Let me close out with a few, somewhat more germane musings about the midterms.
Most indications (& I say this with some trepidation) are that the GOP will lose the House, but keep the Senate and may even increase their majority there. Some commentators have been wondering why Trump is barely doing anything to avoid loses in the House and instead, is focusing almost entirely on the races for Governor and the Senate. To me, the logic is not so inscrutable. Trump cares about the Governorships because they control redistricting efforts and that's one way the parties have been holding on to power. He cares about the Senate because the Senate has to approve all his appointments including the judiciary, with potentially another Supreme Court seat (Ginsburg) coming open during his tenure. And since all that matters to Trump is Trump himself, he needs the Senate to be controlled by the GOP should a Democratic House ever see fit to impeach him.
As for the House, in a perverse way, Trump may believe that a Democratic controlled House may
actually be better for him. They are likely to of course oppose most of his legislative priorities and he can safely blame them for any lack of progress. And he will have somebody to run against in the 2020 elections. On the other hand, if he has had 4 years of complete control of all branches of the government, then who is is going to rail and rant against? For, if there is one thing we know for sure about Trump, it is that he prefers the politics of blame and hate.
Despite that sobering logic, I still want the House to change hands. If that happens, be prepared for a spate of congressional investigations and gridlock for the next two years. Trump reduced to impotent babbling will be a wonderful sight to behold. Could the pollsters be wrong and the Senate also fall out of GOP control? One can but hope.
1 comment:
As usual, you hit the mark. I think living thru the 2016 election has left many of us with some damage, like PTSD - I feel like hiding under a rock until the midterms are over. One nice outlet this year: I participated in the March For Science down in San Diego. Good for the mental health to do *something*. best regards, Charlie Wallace
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