Frank's Musings

Trump learned that he must destroy America’s Institutions to achieve control. He is starting with DOJ, HHS, Intelligence, EPA, State, DOE and DOD. Next, he’ll go after the FCC, FDA, Treasury, and the rest. Those of us, who comforted ourselves in 2016 by celebrating our government of institutions, fear the consequences of his filling those leadership posts with obsequious toadies.  When the new Congress is installed, under the leadership of equally obsequious members, appointment of those Trump loyalists will be confirmed and they will preside over the subsequent eradication of the “deep state.’ 

A majority of the American voting public has fallen victim to a demagogue who has apparently submitted to the fawning of skillful manipulators, foreign and domestic.  Trump's supporters are disaffected citizens who can be led to disdain the need for a rational government to maintain order in a society of multimillion people.  How well does a majority of the public understand the travails and narrowed human horizons of the Nazi regime,  the USSR and Communist China, Cuba, Zimbabwe, etc.?  Must the U.S. live through a failed anti-democratic regime before its citizens revolt and reestablish the rule of law?

The danger is that a popular democracy allows its own self-destruction if a coterie of critical thinking influencers does not speak the language of those supporters (the MAGA Crowd) and use it compellingly on the channels of communication that the MAGA Crowd uses to explain what is at stake.  A ray of hope has just shined with the takeover of Infowars by The Onion.  The latter satirical political outlet has taken over the bankrupted right-wing social media instrument hopefully to address bulk of politically active Americans who do not watch, read or listen to other influencers who seek to build up the institutions that strengthen our liberal democracy rather than tear them down.