Voting to End Modern Civilization
If the polls are correct, we are on the cusp of epic disaster
In the past week, the American people were vividly reminded of Donald Trump’s treason, bigotry and corruption. The January 6 committee tied him directly to the violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, while prosecutors recommended that his political advisor, Steve Bannon, be sentenced to six months in prison for contempt of Congress, The former president insulted American Jews and their relationship with Israel. Trump’s company was caught bilking the Secret Service when they stayed at his tacky hotel properties.
Tragically, instead of punishing this toxic man and his noxious party, a New York Times/Siena poll found that the American people were poised to return the GOP to power. With early voting already underway, the poll found that 49 percent of likely voters planned to vote for a Republican to represent them in Congress compared with 45 percent who planned to vote for a Democrat.
Equally disturbing, the poll found that voters understood that democracy was under threat, but brushed off the importance of defending it. The poll found:
More than a third of independent voters and a smaller but noteworthy contingent of Democrats said they were open to supporting candidates who reject the legitimacy of the 2020 election, as they assigned greater urgency to their concerns about the economy than to fears about the fate of the country’s political system.
It seems the most likely way to avert catastrophe is for women, upset over the overturning of Roe v Wade, to vote in record numbers for Democrats. However, the depressing poll found that women who identified as independent and favored Democrats by 14 points in September, have reversed course and now back Republicans by 18 points. The primary reason is anger over inflation and the economy.
While I understand their frustration, a knee-jerk reaction to vote for reactionaries isn’t going to help anyone. The fact is the economic downturn is a worldwide phenomenon that Democrats can’t magically fix. Yes, the Democrats did pump money into the economy which has contributed somewhat to inflation. But the alternative was far worse. Had the Democrats not intervened during the COVID shutdown, we would likely have experienced widespread bankruptcies and destitution not seen since the Great Depression. I know people are upset that prices are high at the gas pump, but thanks to Democrats at least they aren’t sleeping in their cars.
Why vote for Republicans as a salve when they have failed to provide a tangible plan to revive the economy? Instead, what they do offer is unleashing “Christian Nationalist” Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) to create frivolous partisan revenge committees. The New York Times reports:
“There’s going to be a lot of investigations,” Marjorie Taylor Greene said, describing what she anticipates if the Republicans regain the House majority this November. “I’ve talked with a lot of members about this.”
Among the topics she and her colleagues have discussed is the prospect of impeaching President Joe Biden, a pursuit Greene has advocated literally since the day after Biden took office, when she filed articles of impeachment accusing Obama’s vice president of having abused his power to benefit his son Hunter Biden’s business dealings in Ukraine. “My style would be a lot more aggressive, of course,” she said, referring to Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA). “For him, I think the evidence needs to be there. But I think people underestimate him, in thinking he wouldn’t do it.”
Who needs proof when you can resort to shouting down opponents, running dishonest smear campaigns on social media and having television networks like FOX parroting propaganda?
Speaking of FOX, the right wing garbage bin of fake news is feverishly searching for the mole who released outtakes of Tucker Carlson’s interview with Kanye West. FOX and Carlson deliberately edited out shocking moments where the singer conveyed bizarre views and unleashed Semitic outbursts. Wading in the deepest depths of the moral sewer is FOX’s brand, but actively serving as a PR agent for Anti-Semites and whitewashing their open expressions of hate? That might be a new low for FOX. It begs the question, how many thousands of additional videos has this network edited to cover-up the hate of homophobes, jew baiters and racists?
If Republicans gain power, GOP obstruction will derail all serious efforts by the Biden administration to turn the economy around. Instead of adult solutions, Republicans will distract us with assorted circus acts and side shows. Meanwhile, the lives of millions of Americans will deteriorate, while newly elected Marjorie Taylor Greene clones will spread craziness and chaos. (Surely to be edited out by FOX)
We are now living in the most perilous era since the run-up to World War II. America and its allies face economic troubles, climate change, rising nationalism and two hyper-aggressive revanchist nuclear powers. With Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and Xi Jinping’s elevation to dictator, the decisions we make are a matter of life and death. If we elect fanatics, fascists and fools, Americans will suffer far more than voters seem to fully comprehend.
The most immediate threat is the Russia-loving Marjorie Taylor Greene crowd bullying the GOP into abandoning support for Ukraine. Her America First gang is already carping on social media that we are wasting money supporting Ukraine at a moment when many Americans are suffering financial hardship.
This nightmare scenario would split NATO, with Eastern European counties on Russia’s doorstep losing faith in the institution. It would probably embolden Putin to annex all of Ukraine and possibly swallow Moldova. It could also inspire Putin to attack the Baltic States, causing Republicans to shrug and tacitly endorse Russia’s “sphere of influence.”
If we handed over Ukraine and other countries to Russia, it would likely embolden China to risk attacking Taiwan. The GOP would also be amenable to Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro – a Trump imposter-- staging a coup if he loses his upcoming election. America’s abandonment of democracy and human rights would potentially have a catastrophic effect on Europe. It would embolden far right parties that have already gained power in Italy, Hungary and Sweden.
Let’s fast forward to 2024, when most Americans have buyer’s remorse and want to bring back Democrats. In a hypothetical presidential race, Donald Trump loses by 10 million votes. However, it’s too late because, in the false name of fixing the economy, voters elected conspiracy theorist election deniers in 2022. These MAGA governors and secretaries of state are now able to thwart the will of the people and install Trump, even though he lost the election. With the radicalized Supreme Court backing Trump, democracy is over, and Trump is dictator.
The choice suddenly faced by the sane majority of Americans is domestic warfare, leaving the country or living as cowed citizens in a corrupt autocracy. Of course, even if one decides to escape, it’s rather pointless because there is virtually nowhere to run. The entire globe is dominated by fascists, theocrats and authoritarian tyrants.
In this dystopian world, women’s rights will fade, the LGBTQ community will largely go into hiding and racial and religious minorities will become second class citizens. Daily rituals we take for granted, such as reading a fact-based newspaper, studying at a library or surfing an uncensored Internet, will largely cease to exist. The Putin’s, Xi’s, Trump’s and Bolsonaro’s of the world have warned us of their wicked intentions. Are enough of us listening? According to the latest poll, the answer is no.
Ukraine reminds us that civilization is fragile. One moment Ukrainians were living carefree, enjoying nightclubs, restaurants, shopping malls and coffee houses. The next day they were separated from their families, hiding in bunkers or sleeping in filthy war front trenches, gripping cold machine guns as ear-piercing mortars furiously drop. I’m afraid that too many Americans naively vote as if they are immune from such deprivation and upheaval. Instead of recognizing that their political actions have severe consequences, they are like zombies sleepwalking our nation into an inferno of idiocy that could spell the end of modern civilization as we know it.