Can Trump Save American Politics

No, not by winning but by losing.

If Trump and the MAGA nation suffer a massive defeat dragging the Republican party down with them perhaps it will lead to a reckoning among life long Republicans that something massive will be needed to save the party.

What about a search inward and a complete re-branding as a “progressive conservative” party, a party with conservative economic policies and progressive social policies that take from the individualism part of conservatism, a party that does not try to make everyone conform to their vision of the perfect American but accepts people as they see themselves with personal autonomy over their being and their bodies and one that welcomes newcomers.

Such a movement could encroach on economically conservative minded Democrats and rebuild the party.

And while perhaps a threat to the Democratic Party it could be the catalyst the Democrats need to move towards being a real social democratic party, a party that is no longer fighting to stop America from moving backwards but one that fights to move America forward.

Thoughts on American Politics

First of all what is a non-American doing commenting on American politics in the middle of an American election. Do I hear people screaming foreign interference. Well so be it. As long as the United States is the world’s most militarily powerful nation and not reluctant to use that power overseas if it believes it’s interests are at stake, and as long as it calls itself the leader of the free world, the rest of the world, particularly it’s northern neighbour, has a legitimate interest and stake in it’s politics.

Elections are usually about political parties and candidates vying for power. This one is different, even with the most recent announcement. This election is more about what type of country America is or wants to be. Does it want to continue as a Democracy (albeit it a Neo-liberal one), no matter which party is in power, or does it want to go full on Fascist led by Christian Nationalists and White Supremacists.

How dangerous is this. When one of the candidates for President is spouting rhetoric that sounds like it was taken straight out of Mein Kampf we have to be concerned.

“All great cultures of the past perished only because the originally creative race died out from blood poisoning,”

Adolf Hitler- Mein Kampf

“That’s what they’ve done. They poison mental institutions and prisons all over the world, not just in South America, not just to three or four countries that we think about, but all over the world. They’re coming into our country from Africa, from Asia, all over the world.”

“illegal immigration is poisoning the blood of our nation. They’re coming from prisons, from mental institutions — from all over the world.”

Donald Trump – 2024 campaign

Source: NBC News

 

 

They tell us who they are and the people controlling and promoting Trump chose someone who expresses clearly the type of America they want. Trump may have created MAGA but it has been taken over by people much smarter, more sinister and dangerous than him. One of America’s major parties is now clearly under their control no matter what happens to Trump.

And who benefits from this most – the wealthy corporations and billionaire class who benefit from the current mainstream Neo-liberalism of American politics. They have created a situation where they have moved the perceived political centre artificially right so moderate centrists appear as radical leftists and Fascism appears as mainstream. The political struggle is no longer about the left fighting for a better society but instead fighting against moving backwards, and further to the right than America has ever been. And the left is being told if they want to save their country they have to fight to preserve the Neo-liberal status quo.

The corporate billionaire class is sitting pretty. If they win they get a Fascist regime that will fulfill their wildest dreams. If they lose they still win and get to keep the Neo-liberal status quo that has created historical levels of inequality and given them excessive wealth, as hopes for real progressive change is put on the back burner.

What remains to be seen is what the Democratic Party will do with the opportunity that is presented to them. Will they take the path of least resistance and defend the status quo or fight for real change and social democracy.

What America really needs, if there is hope for any real political change and social progress, is major changes to their political system starting with the end of the two party system. This would require some form of proportional representation to ensure all political viewpoints are represented in the nations legislatures proportional to their support among the population. It would require single person positions like the President and Governors be elected by some form of ranked ballot system so voters are not duped into believing they only have two choices. And it should require positions such as judges and prosecutors, which should be non-political, be taken out of the partisan political arena and made career public service positions.

In November we will see what America gets, at least in the short term. Only one result will provide hope, even if it is just hope for future change.

For a more comprehensive analysis of American politics see Is American Democracy Fucked.

What If The Next President Of The United States Is Not Mentally Competent For Office ?

My surprising take on that is that it won’t make much difference.

Many experts are already suggesting Trump is verging on dementia and his rambling nonsense seems to confirm that. However, who really believes Trump is in charge here. Call them the Alt-right, White supremacists, Christo-fascists, or whatever, they have done an excellent job of convincing Trump that they are following him while conning him into following them. Not only have they drafted his program for him but they have drawn up the list of who will run his administration. Trump is just a figurehead and showman that does an excellent job of pretending to be in charge. His mental competence is irrelevant, The only hope for America under Trump is that the deep state non-political apparatus has enough loyalty to the constitution to protect the people from the worst excesses of his handlers.

Biden, on the other hand, is slightly older and sometimes has communication issues but otherwise is an intelligent thoughtful leader. He will surround himself with like minded intelligent old school Democrats that will run his administration. Even if he turns out not to be mentally competent his administration will be an old school centrist Democratic administration, not great but not disastrous. The best chance for progressive change under Biden is if the Vice President was to, for whatever reason, take over.

Don't Do It – NDP Name Change

If the NDP (New Democratic Party) changes it's name to the Democratic Party it will be the final formalization of the repudiation of the Regina Manifesto and the abandonment of not just socialism, but of social democracy by the NDP.

It will be the acceptance of a political shift of power in Canada to the right in the name of hopefull electoral success. What else could be the desired result than the NDP replacing the Liberals on the centre left, and the Ignatieff Liberals taking the place of the former Progressive Conservatives on the centre right, with the Conservatives becoming the third party and pushing the Liberals to the right, rather than the NDP pushing them to the left.

The NDP has a proud record of accomplishments from Medicare to public pension and Canada's social safety net. Becoming a Liberal Party with Liberal policies may get it elected, but we will never see the party having the type of social and economic impact on Canada in the future, that it has had in the past, if it goes down that road.

If the NDP feels a name change is required to define itself to the Canadian people I would suggest calling themselves the Social Democratic Party of Canada. After all they do belong to the Socialist International along with the European Social Democratic parties. Indeed a name change to Social Democrats would give the NDP a perfect opportunity to explain social democracy to Canadians and it would identify the NDP with western european political parties that have sucessfully governed their countries.

Or, if they fear that name and they really feel a name change is necessary, keep the identity of the NDP and call themselves the New Democracy Party to put emphasis on their policies for electoral and democratic reforms, such as proportional representation.

Even the Working Peoples Party of Canada or Ordinary Canadians Party would be better than the Democratic Party which most Canadians identify with the wishy washy liberalism of the American Democratic Party. You would only do that if you wanted to be identified as Liberals because you believed electoral success was more important than principles.