America at crossroads - Descent into Dictatorship under Trump
Trump as a wrecking ball demolishing traditional American Political and Democratic system.
US elections are now underway with early voting and elections will be concluded by next month. I do not feel need to explain all the bungling, corruption and illegalities of last 4 years of Trump. Trump is a chaos President, a Dark Triad personality and a failure on every front - from economy to foreign policy, from mismanagement of pandemic crisis to wrecking the healthcare system - Trump is wrecking ball who has destroyed everything in America. But i would like to get into deeper layer of American politics, try to analyze the mentality of American ruling class and highlight the descent of America into Dictatorship under Trump. I adhere to the view that Politicians are front man for Oligarchs and Plutocrats. So problem in America is not just limited to Trump but the Dark forces behind Trump who brought him to power and now want to keep him in power. I see Trump as conspiracy against traditional American Democracy and Political system of America. A conspiracy hatched by faction of American ruling class, to dismantle Democratic, Political and constitutional structure of America.
People have always wondered why would plutocrats support a lunatic Sociopath like Trump who is wrecking everything - Economy & Trade, foreign alliances & partnerships, US healthcare system, Social security, traditions of US Political system, International agreements etc etc. Why Oligarchs & Plutocrats back such a crazy man? US is a multi center Oligarchy. There are various factions of Oligarchy that compete & conflict with each other for power. There is a faction of US Oligarchy that see Trump as a perfect man for the job - a certain vision of reshaping America.
Beyond the chaos Presidency of Trump, there is a certain Pattern. The packing of Supreme Court & judiciary, the attack on electoral process and voter suppression, the attack on Democratic structure of country itself, undermining of US institutions including Congress & federal agencies like FBI, DHS, HHS, Pentagon etc, concentration of power at executive branch, attack on media & free Press, brutal suppression of whistle blowers & critics of White House. The traditional democratic structure of America has been brazenly attacked by Trump.
Oligarchs don't have same moral center like normal people. In fact most Oligarchs are themselves Sociopaths & Psychopaths without any moral conscience. Their Anti-Social personality traits are actually an important reason for their success on career ladders of their business empires. They are driven only by profit motive & consolidation of power which Trump is giving them by Tax cuts, Privatization, keys to the Federal Reserve, packing of US Judiciary & Supreme Court, Wall Street deregulation, squashing of labor laws & environmental laws etc.
But there is a bigger reason why Oligarchs support Trump. American Oligarchs have already subverted the Political system of America to a large degree even before Trump came to power. Most US Politicians are nothing more than lobbyists of Wall Street & giant corporations. Corporations fund election campaigns of politicians like betting on horse race & politicians are in spinning revolving doors. Elections have reduced to a Reality TV which someone like Trump knows how to excel. Now a faction of American oligarchs believe that time has come to formally junk this traditional Democratic system in America. This is where a lunatic sociopath like Trump comes into play. Trump is a wrecking ball that will destroy the existing Political model of America. What will be the new Political model?
Trump's attack on institutions - Packing of Judiciary & Supreme Court - Bypassing Congress with executive orders - Filling public institutions like FBI, HHS, DOJ etc with "Yes men"
Democratic norms, free speech & civil rights, constitutional governance, Rule of law, Checks & Balances - Oligarchs believe that these concepts are obsolete in today's world. Oligarchy by its very nature is anti-Democracy. Oligarchy want all the power for themselves, while people have a significant degree of power in Democratic political system. Oligarchy doesn't like checks & balances and independence of institutions in a country. Oligarchs prefers a single center of power which they can control and use to execute their own policies, create laws & regulations they want and suppress any public or political opposition when need arises.
Trump has been filling US judiciary with new appointments of judges at record pace including as two Supreme court judges and possible another if they manage to replace RBG. These judges will sit in courts for their lifetime thus giving a permanent power to Republicans and ultimately their Oligarch backers. These reactionary judges can block all progressive legislation on healthcare, Voting rights, wages & taxation, immigrant rights, Wall Street regulations, Labor & environmental laws etc.
Similarly, independent institutions like DOJ, FBI, HHS, EPA etc are now being subverted by Trump. Justice department (DOJ) covers up all the illegalities & criminals acts of Trump & his plutocratic backers, while at the same time goes on wild goose chase with investigations to target anti-Trump opposition. DOJ is lead by contemptuous Bill Barr which acts as the legal brains of Trump's dictatorship. This kind of vindictive behavior by ruling political party against opposition party is common in failed third world Democracies which are moving toward authoritarianism.
Trump's attack on Free Press & media - Vengeance against whistle blowers and critics - Silencing critics with non disclosure agreements & lawsuits
Firing of Colonel Alexander Vindman in NSC and Dr. Rick Bright at CDC are some of the prime examples on how Trump goes after whistle blowers & his critics. All the Staff employed by Trump Admin is under Non Disclosure Agreements to keep their mouths shut regarding business affairs in White House. This type of governance looks more like a working of private corporation rather than a public office which should operate with transparency and accountability. But the Trump NDAs are nothing new, many of the Trump's lawsuits and people associated with Trump including his own family members are bound by NDAs. Why so much opacity and secrecy? - Maybe because Trump is involved in too many illegalities and criminal activities.
The attack on Free Press in also well known. Trump has launched lawsuits against many media organizations like Washington Post, New York Times, CNN for critical Op-eds. Trump says free press is "enemy of the people" which gives you a peek into mentality of Trump. In Press conferences, Trump routinely attacks media as "fake news" and insult news correspondents who ask critical questions.
Trump's appeal to ruling class - Cultural populism to dupe people & diverting their attention from Class Struggle - More power to Oligarchy while population is engaged with empty slogans like MAGA & America First and duped by Trump's Kayfabe Reality TV performance
Trump appeals American plutocrats with the general idea that he will create a Kayfabe personality cult to dupe people and divert their attention from issues of education, healthcare, wages, inequality, poverty, homelessness and falling standards of living. While Trump hypnotizes people with his reality TV performance, the plutocrats will be given more power and control over America.
Trump running White House like a reality TV show. Budget talks between White House & Congressional Democrats and Trump's turns it into shouting match & a feud with Democrats.
Kayfabe is a deeply rooted cultural phenomenon in America connected to Reality TV, Professional wrestling and Media Business. Trump has mastered this art of Kayfabe and used it in politics very well. Despite Trump's Kayfabe style of governance, Trump is still a minority President as he's disliked by many people because he lacks delivery on substantial issues like of economy, healthcare, jobs, education & all other national matters. To consolidate power, Trump is also grooming militias to destabilize country for political gains and threaten opposition political forces, civil society activists and ordinary citizens. These militias are amalgamation of Gun Rights groups, White supremacists, ultra right wing Libertarians, pro confederacy movement & various conspiracy theory groups. Recently these militias are used to instigate riots in cities like Portland & Seattle.
Armed Militia standing outside Office of Michigan Governor who has been critical of Trump's Covid-19 policies. Such armed militias threatening elected officials are completely incompatible with a healthy Democracy.
Trump's Trade Wars - Policies meant to serve American corporations - Not to bring back jobs & industry back to America - Trump's Trade wars creating instability in Global economy - But only for interests of American corporations and not for welfare of American middle class & farmers
Regarding China & other economic powers, pro Trump oligarchs seek to pursue their financial interests in rapidly changing world economy. WTO regulations were formulated by American lobbyists at a time when America was the economic super power. But slowly, China, emerging market economies & other economic blocks like European Union shaped & adapted their economies to WTO and global trade where America was once the dominating power. Today, Chinese Corporations are giving neck & neck competition to American counterparts in many areas including Capital goods, Biotechnology, Electronics & semiconductors, Software & IT etc. American Corporations & Oligarchs seek to preserve their economic sphere of influence in this new world economy.
Rise of China's multinational companies which are expanding rapidly in Global markets. Global markets were once dominated by American corporations.
Trump touts Trade war with China & other countries as strategy to bring back jobs to America. This is all a pack of lies. What Trump really wants is a negotiated deal with China to protect the special interests of American companies who are loosing their sphere of influence in Global economy. A deal with China is about reaching an agreement with Chinese by which US & Chinese corporations will expand globally without stepping on toes of each other. A deal with China is actually a US-China pact for 21st century on sharing economic & financial power. It has nothing to do with bringing jobs & industry back to America. America can't just walk away from WTO and other international agreements. Hence, Trump has embarked on misadventure of Tariffs to destabilize world trade. Trump's tariffs actually hurt American people as hardly any industry has come back to America to build factories, while people pay extra costs of imports. But Trump's tariffs has created instability in global trade which Trump intended to supposedly scare the Chinese & other industrial powers.
Putin's cryptic message on Liberalism - Trumpism not limited to America - Rise of populist dictators across the world like Erdogan, Modi, Bolsanaro & Orban
Putin cunningly put it - "Liberalism has outlived its purpose". Putin wasn't actually talking about liberalism in cultural sense about Women rights, immigration policies and racial equality. What Putin actually meant was that a National system based on Rule of Law, Democratic norms, Civil rights, Free Press, checks & balances and institutional governance have become obsolete concepts. These ideas have actually become obsolete in Russia, Turkey, India & many other countries. On surface, these countries are Democracies with elections every few years. But its well known that these countries are now ruled by Dictators like Putin, Erdogan & Modi. These countries are Highly corrupt, authoritarian & dysfunctional states with a facade of prosperity of Democracy & elections.
Famous scene from the 1976 film - The Network. The scene remarkably depicts mentality of Oligarchs & plutocrats who do not believe in ideological division and national borders.
What's the connection between Putin & American Oligarchs? Many American Oligarchs don't see Russia as any ideological enemy of America. After all, the cold war is over & Russia is no longer a communist state. Russia now has same type of super rich Oligarchs & owners of business empires like you have in America or Europe or any other western countries. So Pro Trump Oligarchs don't see China & Russia as enemy super powers, rather they see them as potential partners and states where they can make new financial, trade & economic partnerships and business deals. Many American corporations have their industrial base & business investments in China. That's why Oligarchs prefer a friendly relationship with China for their own self interest.
Anti-Trump movement in America - Diverse forces in Politics, media, activism, public intellectuals, serving & retired Bureaucrats and also a faction of Wall Street oppose Trump - Anti-Trump forces unite to fight Trump's dictatorship
Trump's Presidency has rung alarming bell across political spectrum in America. The Democratic party has been fully united behind Party ticket of Joe Biden & Kamala Harris. But opposition to Trump also comes from some traditional Republicans like Governor John Kasich, Chuck Hagel, Cindy McCain (daughter of long time GOP senator & Trump's foe, John McCain) who have endorsed Dem Party ticket this election. Also military Generals and Bureaucrats have endorsed Biden.
Just like Oligarchs which support Trump, there is also an opposing faction of Oligarchs which are fighting against Trump. What are the motives of these oligarchs? There are several reasons. These Anti-Trump Oligarchs believe that America needs to preserve traditional Democratic political system for national survival. A free & fair Democratic system is not to liking of Oligarchs (they want more power to themselves) but a healthy Democratic system provides a legitimacy to government & faith of people in the system which is the most critical element of any modern country. Sham democracies like Russia & India also have elections, but a lot of people in these countries hardly have any faith in the system & political leaderships. Middle class, Civil society & intelligentsia of these failed countries know that their Democratic system is a sham & a facade.
A political system which erodes the faith of people in the very system is bound to fail sooner or later. The countries with such failing political system stagnate & fade away. Their economies & industries crumble, their human resources are ruined, standards of living of citizens collapse and their global hegemonic influence washes away. The forces fighting Trump knows these historical tendencies & that's why oppose Trump's "new America" plan.
Another reason for Oligarchs opposing Trump lies in structure of Wall Street. While a major segment of Wall Street is Banks, Financial institutions & Tech corporations. There is also a significant chunk of Wall Street which is the military industrial complex. The manufacturers of weapon systems & defense technology to fight wars. While Financial institutions & other corporations of Wall Street favor the idea of unified global order including partnerships with Russia & China, the military industrial complex oppose this idea because it will make their business empire obsolete in Trump's isolationist foreign policy.
But Global power struggle is a bitter reality which can't be ignored. So whether you like military industrial complex or not (and all the baggage that comes with it), you need it in some form or the other in this Multi-polar world with rise of Russia, China & now even many smaller states (like Turkey & India) with mini-dictators like Erdogan & Modi contending for their sphere of influence & share of global power. So there is a faction of Wall Street, more precisely in military industrial complex which doesn't like Trump's policy of isolation & appeasement.
Conclusion
Trump is a fundamental change in traditional American political system. Undoubtedly, the change is in direction towards dictatorship which will strengthen the Oligarchy and destroy the American Democracy. But even with all the magic of Trump's populism, Trump is still a minority President. Majority of American people will reject Trumpism and this will be proven in elections. The choice in elections is clear. Its not GOP vs Democrats, its Dictatorship vs Democracy. Its not even relevant that whose on Democratic ticket. Biden Harris ticket of Dem Party stands for stability & Democracy. Only way Trump can win these elections is through massive fraud and a coup.
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