What Is to be Done?

There is an old story about a frog and boiling water. If the frog is dumped into boiling water, it jumps out immediately. But if the frog is placed in cold water and the water is then heated to boiling, the frog dies. We are all relatively insensitive to gradual change, but we will react in perceived emergencies. A lot of people liked and supported what they saw Hitler, Mussolini, and General Franco doing in the 1930s. Small numbers of people saw what was going on and where it was likely to go. By the time Fascism had become full strength in Germany, Italy, and Spain, it was too late. By the end of World War II, the German and Italian people had paid a very heavy toll for the acceptance of Fascism. The Spanish people were, in some sense, “lucky.” Franco continued his modified Fascism for decades after the war and the country was never drawn into the terrible destruction of the World War. That is not to say that the destruction and waste of the Spanish Civil War in the ‘30s was not catastrophic. One point that is good to remember about that period is that conservative Christian groups and Capitalists were usually in support of the Fascists.

Let us look at some genuine facts about the United states today. First, we have by far the largest investment in military power in the world. Second, we deploy our military power everywhere in the world in a way that no other country can claim. Third, we have now elected as president of the United States a man who knows nothing about government or international relations except as they relate to his world-wide real estate investments. Fourth, Trump’s administration is beginning to look like a very sinister group of individuals who will take apart much of the Federal government and isolate us from the rest of the world. The question, I guess, is whether the water is boiling yet.

The problem is not just a Federal problem either. Consider what is going on in North Carolina. The Republican governor who lost the election refused to concede for several weeks. Then, when the issue was finally forced and the Democratic opponent was pronounced governor-elect, the state legislature set about passing laws that would strip the new governor of substantial power. Part of the problem in the US today is that very many states have fallen into extremely conservative hands. This is one reason why it is impossible to secure a Democratic majority in the House of Representatives.

Did all of this begin way back in 1960 when John Kennedy was elected? It’s unclear but one thing is clear today. Republicans do not want a two-party system; they want a one-party (Republican) system --- and that is final. From the time when Nixon was elected and with the brief exception of four years under Jimmy Carter, the Republicans held sway in Washington until 1992 when Clinton replaced George H. W. Bush. And the Republicans refused to back off; instead, they plagued the Clintons for eight years with numerous personal attacks. Republican resentment and attacking became even worse when Obama became president. They even openly said they intended to make him a one-term president (which failed). The Republicans, in other words, have no interest in governing or serving the people of the United States; their sole concern is power and using power to make rich people richer and crush the small people who are helpless to defend themselves. How ironic that this group of people think of themselves as the Party of Morality.

The “Trump Administration” is growing into an absurd collection of cabinet members who are all antagonistic to the very departments to which they are assigned. This is how you proceed to take apart the Federal government --- something Republicans have wanted to achieve for years. Does that really matter? Does the Federal government actually do good things? Well, how do you like your food? Should meat packers be able to market anything that crawls across the packing house floor. Maybe food inspection isn’t a bad idea. Of course, the Federal government helps create good roads for us to drive on, but I suppose it would be better to let private individuals build our roads and then charge exorbitant tolls for driving on them. The Feds help provide good education and health care (as well as food) to our children. And then there is the issue of civil rights. The Federal government attempts to set a standard for respect of human rights that is national in its scope. We are Americans; this is who we are. Well, guess again. Republicans would prefer to allow local control over who is viewed as human and in possession of rights. In their world, you shouldn’t bother to leave California if you are LGBT, and if you are African American, stay away from the South unless you are just trapped there.

Enough about the destruction of our nation from the inside. Here is a possible scenario and, while I am sure it will sound far fetched to many people, it is something we should ponder seriously. Trump’s administration continues to rub China the wrong way. China becomes increasingly aggressive until there is an outright act of war. At that point, North Korea, Iran and even Russia join China in an alliance against the United States. The question then is whether the rest of the world is willing to back the US or whether they are more likely to hang back and see what happens. I have my money on hanging back. Why? Because the rest of the world is warranted in being skeptical about the US abuse of military power and about the political situation in the US. The prospect of a nuclear war is still there --- after all these years --- perhaps even more so today than decades ago. It would not be a pretty picture.