In a certain way, Donald J. Trump is the most honest American politician of today. As he reaffirmed for the umpteenth time in the Trump/Harris debate, he recognizes only his own voice as the standard of veracity. You might recall that the Communist Party of the USSR did much the same - and ironically named their news service Pravda (ie "truth") - possibly inspiring the name Trump gave to his social network. You either play along with this alternative reality or you don’t ( in which case there may be consequences). So of course Trump can never acknowledge that he lost in 2020. That would abandon the entire game - and in a flash, all the super-patriots would be unmasked as an assortment of delusional fools, ultra-cynics, grifters, haters, wealthy opportunists - and those who mostly just want to be entertained (which might actually be MAGA's majority) What a sad revelation - especially for a Republican Party now purged of its honorable leaders. Even worse for so many organizations who claim to proselytize the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God.
Likewise, we have this astonishing quote last week from his running mate, Ohio senator Vance:
"If I have to create stories so that the American media actually pays attention to the suffering of the American people, then that’s what I’m going to do, Dana, because you guys are completely letting Kamala Harris coast.”
Wow!
Not that such fabrication is unusual. Dishonest advertising drives much of the world's modern economy. But for promoters to be so candid about lying while they’re doing it - yes, that is ground breaking.
Whatever the results of this election, it’s hard to imagine what American politics will be like afterwards.
*****
Regarding Kamala Harris : tough, smart, cheerful, practical, ambitious. Not really a dreamer or great orator like Obama. Not really experienced in advancing legislation like Biden. But then - also not toxically self-centered like Bill Clinton.
As POTUS, she may indeed turn out to be as ineffective and frustrating as all the quarterbacks for the Chicago Bears.
But I am rock-solid certain that if she loses re-election in 2028, she will definitely not ask Tim Walz to de-certify the ballot counts as she incites a riot on Capitol Hill.
So now you might well call me a yellow dog Democrat - at least for this election.
*******
No social programs are really at stake in this election. Obamacare is a done deal and we won’t see universal Medicare coming up in the next four years. Eventually corporations and wealthy individuals will have to be be taxed at much higher rates - but that is not a pressing issue right now.
The pressing issue is whether one-man rule metastasizes from the Republican Party and overruns the entire judicial and legislative branches of American government - as it has in so many countries worldwide. It would have been unthinkable just eight years ago - but here we are at the brink with 48% of the voting public eager or at least willing to have it happen.
