Tag: Trump

A Moment Appears in Colorado

We’ve hit a moment. A moment where the fissures, already yawning open quite wide, could widen further, into a destable maw beyond anything most could possibly imagine. And it’s all due to a 4-3 decision by the Colorado Supreme Court that will quickly head to the U.S Supreme Court.

The Colorado Supremes saying “Stop” to Trump’s Republican party ballot presence have in essence called the question on and for all of us. Not just on whether he can be on the ballot and thus potentially elected. That’s certainly the immediate stakes. But there are larger stakes that are about to be exposed.

This was always headed to SCOTUS. Depending on which team you root for you probably feel frightened by that or encouraged, given the makeup of that collection of corrupt pseudo-gods in black robes that the constitution enshrines and entrusts as the last line of its own defense.

These nine, for better or worse, are about to make a decision that may just put everything that follows to rest. Or they may just punt and let it linger until the election. Either way there’s going to be chaos.

From what I can tell, (admittedly I’m a bit swamped between work, the holidays and such so I haven’t see everything,) the legal underpinnings of the Colorado court’s decsion are sound. Some even say it’s a decision engineered to make those who use “strict constructionism” as a shield and a weapon to have second thoughts about taking up those well polished and well worn arms. But others say that’s bunkum. Either way, we’re in the slight sliver of the moment when you can say whatever the hell you want because only nine voices matter.

Though the law should be the deciding factor, the stakes I’m talking cut deeper.

Assuming that those who think the decision is legally sound are correct, there is an opportunity to rid us all of this meddlesome miscreant for both his allies as well as his opponents. Set him aside and move on. Us the law to do it. It may be late term, but this is an abortion most would welcome. Although too many will pretend they don’t. Some have had the chance to do this before and let the opportunity pass (U.S. Senate) thinking he’d fade away. We all seem to know that’s not going to happen again.

This is a country that has allowed itself to be bullied and terrorized, while trying to wrap its head around the destruction of cherished concepts (free speech, democracy, etc…) searching for some way out of the mess, hoping for some sort of deus-ex-machina. There’s no way but to go through it. And there’s no savior in the wings.  Regardless of what SCOTUS decides, much of what held us together has been taken from us and tossed in the ash can of history. And here we are at another of those moments.

Should the conservative majority of the Supreme Court steer the decision to keep Trump off the ballot,  I think we’ll have the answer we’ve all suspected for too long now. Vast swaths of our country, terrified of the demographic changes inexorably coming are willing to do just about anything to propel us backwards. Something about burning down a village to save it, I guess. And if things get lit up, why not just get on with it and get it over with. That’s the fear. And it’s a real one. I hope we don’t see that. I think we will, regardless of a SCOTUS decision now or after next November’s election results.

Intriguingly, I think Trumpty Dumpty’s allies would benefit more than his opponents from a decision that keeps him off a ballot or two. What continues to masquerade as the Republican party would probably find some new life after first stumbling over the reactions to such a momentus descion. Whatever they stumbled into would probably have a better chance of beating Biden, assuming they can actually sideline the orange buffoon, which is indeed questionable. But that’s an argument for a rational world. And we don’t have one of those any longer.

My hunch is that SCOTUS will punt rather than puncture the big orange balloon.

There’s A Corner. And Trump Has Backed Us Into It

Forget all of the somber, obligatory admonitons that Trump’s third indictment is a sad day for America. Forget all the “innocent until proven guilty” catechisms. Yes, both are true. But set them aside. They would be worth holding dear if these were ordinary times. These times they are not ordinary.

Desecratedflag

Trump has backed himself into a corner and taken the United States, all its systems, institutions, and people with him. After all the posturing, all the lying, and all the bullshit, there’s only one way out for the Donald and that’s straight ahead like the wounded beast he is. Otherwise the walls defining the corner will slam shut on him like a book. And us with him. Either way we’re the collateral damage.

This moment Trump has brought us to is consuming our body poliitc like a flesh-eating bacteria. Necrotizing tissue as it goes, it has already left wounds and scars that will never heal. It will gobble up more. Our political and judicial systems have been rendered to the point of irrelevancy. The media has been over exposed as the leeching parasite it always was, content to slurp up any crumbs and drippings the host leaves in its wake. Churches and religious denominations have been cannibalized from within. Family and friendship bonds have been gnawed down to the marrow.

And yet we keep hoping, praying, and, dare I say, pretending that Special Prosecutor Jack Smith is going to bring this despicable criminal to justice so we can turn a corner and find our way back.

There’s no back to find our way to, regardless of the legal outcomes. Frankly there’s no back to find our way to even if somehow this monster suddenly disappeared from the planet. The damage has been done. And I don’t think we collectively have what it takes to bridge the gaping wounds, much less comprehend them.  Our political systems are incapable of stopping the slaughter of children with guns. Our spiritual institutions keep remaking foundational tenets into something unreconcilable with their founding. And we’re going to fix this?

The wounds are fresh. The pain is real. There’s a monster in our midst and it’s going to take extraordinary measures to defeat it. Nothing will be the same if we do. Nothing should be the same as we try. And if there’s any healing to come it’s not going to happen without amputations that alter the way we navigate the world.

Tom Nichols defines the situation many of us will face as we battle through these months ahead in his excellent article “This Is The Case.”  This is the key paragraph:

“But after today, every American citizen who cares about the Constitution should affirm, without hesitation, that any form of association with Trump is reprehensible, that each of us will draw moral conclusions about anyone who continues to support him, and that these conclusions will guide both our political and our personal choices.”

Tough? You bet. Dangerous? Yup. But this is the moment this pitiful excuse of a man has brought us to. If you’re not ready to face the moment, the challenge, and the stakes I’m sorry for you. Know that those who’ve abandoned their senses and their place in the real world for this monster sure are. Know they’re coming. Each of us needs to be ready to stand in their way.