Donald J. Trump has facilitated this election cycle morphing it into an assault on the very integrity of what America has stood for from the time Jefferson enunciated his vision that, “All men were created equal”. This hope was fleshed out through the past nearly four centuries by the likes of Lincoln, Elizabeth Stanton and Luther King who advanced the American Founding father’s belief into reality. The nation was founded as the world’s first true Democracy where a covenant was formed between those that govern and the governed who had elected them. In order to feed the gargantuan appetite of progress that catapulted America into the most powerful nation in the world there were waves of immigrants - “Give me your tired and poor, Your huddled masses ….”. The proud boast was that within a generation or two members of this flotsam and jetsam could become the movers and shakers of this sub continent as they were rapidly integrated into the melting pot.
As a backdrop to what is happening in America there is, throughout the world, a rejection across the political spectrum of current Western values by extremists. Lord Rabbi Sack’s in his acceptance speech when receiving the Templeton prize, the equivalent of a Nobel in the field of spirituality, referred to the cynical abandonment of the ethical values of the Age of Enlightenment where responsibility for life has been replaced by, greed, entitlement and self promotion. He argues that the political arena has been taken over by four groups - the far right that seek a golden past that never was; the far left that seek a utopian future that will never be; religious extremists that believe salvation lies in violence and aggressive secularism who argue that with religion there never can be peace. The threat of the religious extremists on the fabric of modern society is in essence the issue of our time but before it can be rationally attacked the forces of sanity have to get their act together.
In America, (as in other Judea - Christian democracies), the immediate threat is the reintroduction of racism and xenophobia by a plausible populist demagogue who has, in addition, tapped into the great current social issue of our time - the growing obscene disparity of wealth between a tiny section of the citizenry and the body politic. The racial hatred engendered by Trump is fueled by the emergence of an outrageously violent sub culture of Islam that has no respect for life or decency to the extent that one wonders what they are fighting for other than to control the world. In addition the old scape goat antisemitism is gaining ground as a means to rally support and create a victimhood and a simplistic solution to the problems of life.
TRUMP - A NATIONAL SOCIALIST
There is much that resonates between Hitler’s movement of National Socialism and Trump’s banal rhetoric. Essential to propelling Nazism into nearly world dominance, was a mesmerizing master communicator who tuned into the darkest fears of the population and provided them both with a simplistic racial answer to all their problems while focusing on their economic predicament and the evils of capitalists. While Trump blames the economic straits of the current workers on immigration, mainly Hispanics, as well as outsourcing capialists, Hitler blamed it on the jews. While Hitler saw the main threat to civilization in the Soviets, Trump relies on the tiny group of Islamic religious fanatics and gains traction by lumping 1. 6 billion Muslims with them. Implicit in his message is the authoritarian and totalitarian stamp with which he garnishes his directives. He acts as if there is no separation of powers and has said on occasion that the Speaker of the House will do as he is told. In his repugnant attacks on the “Mexican” judge overseeing his fraud case in California, who has set the trial for November to accommodate Trump’s electoral campaign, he hinted at what it would mean if he was President and the trial proceeded. Commentators believed he was alluding to the power he would have over the judge. His campaign is premised on the narrative of his celebrated sick reality show where in each episode he barked out with sadistic glee, “Your’e fired!”. It is his way or the high way.
Trump has not openly tied his philosophies, (sic), onto a nationalist socialistic label but has done nothing to prevent the association from being made. His insistence on the slogan America First has stuck in the crawl of those that remember that was the slogan that propelled American icon Charles Lindbergh’s charismatic pro nazi antisemitic campaign to keep America out of World War 11. Lindbergh too drew thousands of cheering glazed mobs.
Then followed his failure to disavow Klu Klux Klan leader David Duke and his organization. The whole episode involving Duke and the KKK was handled in the manner that has been recognized as his serpentine modus operandi. He feigned ignorance as to who Duke was and what he stood for. He then stretched credibility to the limit when challenged again and again he stated he did not hear the reporter’s questions due to a faulty earpiece. This he did knowing full well and not caring that anyone who viewed the tape of the interview would recognize his explanation as an outright lie. He has been likened to Hitler again and again. Most recently, at Mitt Romney’s annual retreat of Republican donors, Meg Whitman, CEO of Hewlett Packard, called him just that, calling upon the Republican Party to disavow him.
REALLY - PUT AMERICA FIRST
The GOP
With the emergence of Trump, who is more and more out of control, all bets are off on the other pressing issues facing the nation. Both parties are honing their manifestos in favor of stopping this runaway train that is well on its way to a massive wreck. The Republicans have their knickers in a knot as Trump remains “off message”. Four years of attempting to win over minorities gets trashed day after day by their de facto leader. He is at odds with Speaker Ryan on entitlements such as Social Security and Medicare. He has already alienated key establishment members including previous Presidents with his xenophobia. He has raised eyebrows with his support of a gun ban on those on the terrorist list - the NRA’s agenda is catechism to the Party Establishment.
In short he is not remotely interested in the policies of the Republicans. By definition he is a National Socialist. He just used the GOP name to further his Presidency ambitions. This begs the question why the Republican hierarchy don’t cut him loose. Is Hillary really worse? At least she is not about to take on our allies and declare World War 111. It is fair to say that there are growing numbers in the Party that have abandoned him. In addition there is agitation to dump him because it is in the interests of the country let alone the GOP. Republican Joe Scarborough, the host of Morning Joe, the highly influential television talk show, is leading a charge for the Republican leadership to disavow Trump. He foresees not only permanent damage to the Republican brand but the loss of the House and the Senate and an irreversible setback to Republican philosophy. However it is fair to say that Scarborough’s principle motivation is that Trump is a disaster for America.
The DEMS
While there is no real split in philosophy in the Democratic Party Bernie Sanders has not as yet endorsed Hillary as he believes he has the muscle to change the Party agenda and is holding out. While the Dem dilemma is mild compared to the chaos of their opponents tempers are shortening as Sanders makes demand after demand. While he states that he will do all in his power to stop Trump he is still campaigning. There are those that argue his influence is receding daily where, in spite of super human efforts in the final Primaries he was smashed. He had widely prophesied that he could win the last six Primaries so he could make demands at the Convention. He lost five. Besides the main plum California where he outspent and out campaigned Clinton, the State of Washington and Washington DC results were salutary. In Washington DC where only he contested, Clinton wiped the floor with him registering nearly eighty percent of the Democratic vote. The State of Washington held a Primary vote which included the Democratic Party nominees. This took place months after the Democratic caucus where Bernie had his largest victory with seventy percent of the vote. With no electioneering in this contest the Democratic voters turned out in the Washington State Primary and reversed the result with Hillary obtaining over seventy percent of the vote. It appears that most of the Democratic electorate have already made the “hard choice” in the light of the danger of a Trump Presidency. So Bernie better get his act together or otherwise he will not be relevant.
AT THE END OF THE DAY
While heavens knows there are problems in America where greed has run amuck, precedence is given to avert a Trump Presidency. Although his electoral task is logistically daunting anything can happen in a two horse race.Trump a dangerous opportunist has taken advantage of the fact that the GOP have a major disconnect with their voters on several issues. For example, the overwhelming number of Republican voters are in favor of gun control but the NRA still control the Party second amendment agenda.
In addition the urgency to kibosh Trump as Commander in Chief is that the key problem the world faces is the rise of religious inspired homespun terrorism. The fight would be handicapped if Trump forced the 1.6 billion Muslims into supporting ISIS. As it is the tussle will require an international coalition and as Templeton laureate Sacks has outlined a concentrated effort by all three monotheistic religions together with the secular humanists.
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