He's the master of the con, the puppet master behind the great and powerful Oz brought to life. He's skilled in the art of the swerve, distracting from the actual issue at hand. He speaks with a devil's tongue, and sinister motives. It's how he's patterned his entire career. I'm talking of course about Donald Trump.
On the anniversary of the infamous attempted overthrow of the U.S. government, President Biden, who was properly elected, gave a scathing rebuke of the former president. Trump of course, had to retort, essentially re-telling the lies that cause his followers to storm the U.S. Capitol. He blamed Biden for the COVID related closing, even though Trump was extremely slow to move on his COVID response, dismissing e COVID as nothing more than a variation of the flu. He blamed Biden for pulling out of Afghanistan, even though a pull out had been announced by Trump himself. Trump spoke of unconstitutional mandates, not that Trump has ever read the document. Otherwise, he'd know that the mandates are constitutional, all he'd have to do is read Jacobson v. Massachusetts to learn that state mandated vaccines have been law since the early 1900's.
Nowhere in Trump's diatribe did he at all acknowledge what happened on January 6th, 2021. He never referred to it as tragic in any form. Instead, he turned his rage towards Biden, a man that Trump simply cannot accept that he lost to in the election. Trump did what he usually does, plays the victim. A nationwide conspiracy that everyone is against him, except for his loyal followers that is. We are on year removed from the events of that day, and Trump still go not grasp the role he played.
Trump called Biden's speech "Political Theater". Such hypocrisy, especially since political theater is what got Trump elected. That, and playing to the base that would happily believe anything he said. Playing on their fears that someone from a different country was going to come here with the intention of stealing their job. Trump's whole life has been theater. Everything he's done calculated for the cameras the follow him and hang on his every action.
Trump on January 6th reminded me somewhat of Governor Farley from the movie The Second Civil War. I would highly recommend this film, because it truly foresaw cable news and what it would become, as well as one elected official manipulating things, without an awareness of the irony. And another elected official, a sitting president who needed his cabinet in order to make a single decision.
The Second Civil War is about the governor of Idaho, Jim Farley, played by Beau Bridges, who defies an order to shelter orphans immigrating to America to escape the war that plagues their country. Farley closes the boarders, and vows no immigrant would ever step foot in Idaho again. This despite the fact that Farley's favorite food is Mexican, and he's having an affair with a Mexican reporter. Then there's The President, who despite having the worst qualities of Martin Van Buren, has no qualms about using immigrants to his own advantage. In one scene, Governor Farley looks down at the horde of reporters outside the Governor's mansion and proudly proclaims "See all of that, I caused that!"
I could almost picture Trump watching the news of the attack on January 6th, turning to his inner circle, and saying the exact same thing. Watching the people storm the Capitol, attack police officers, and Trump boasting that he caused all of that. It's quite fitting of his ego in my opinion. Why else would he have taken several hours before issuing a half-hearted statement?
What's frightening is Trump's desire to use what happened on January 6th to rally his base, which defines where their allegiances lie. He blamed Biden for having an "Open Border" policy, something by the way, was once advocated by President Reagan. Fact is, there are no open borders. Just like there was no stolen election. Trump lost, and he didn't want to give up the power he had. Yet he continues to play on fears and repeat the lies of a stolen election.
I honestly do have concerns about the future of democracy in this country. The rise of Trump gave a voice to people that feel only one political party should have the vested power to rule this country. And that anyone that thinks or feels different, is a traitor, and should be essentially kicked out of the country. The ripple effects of January 6th will be felt for a long time. However, the ripple effects pale in comparison to the ripple effects that occurred when Trump was elected president. That was the day democracy became endangered. And if Trump had succeeded on January 6th, or succeeds in the future, that will be the day democracy is relegated to a topic we learn about in history books. That is unless, they've already burned the books.
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