Mr. Trump’s very American coup
I was going to write about Trump’s coup and how the only thing keeping him from succeeding, aside from his and his legal team’s utter incompetence, was the Republican Party’s need to maintain an air of legitimacy. Unfortunately for the Nation, the Rule of Law, and the stability of our Democracy and ability to keep the Republic, the national Republican Party is backing Trump’s attempts. Counter-intuitively (at least for me), it appears the State-level Republican Parties are pushing back (although, as I write this, the Michigan State House Speaker is laying out a path to steal the election for Trump).
The fact that any Federal-level Republican’s outspoken criticism of Trump’s legal maneuverings is making news just goes to show how few are actually speaking out. After all, something isn’t newsworthy unless it’s a rarity. This speaks volumes, for silence is complicity in deed and extends implicit support. Unless you’re Lindsey Graham, and then you continue your very public and explicit bootlicking, ass kissing support for the would be King. Make no mistake, the Republican Party, National and State-level, is committed to enforcing, entrenching and embedding minority rule in this country by finding legal but not moral or fair methods to enshrine their hold over State legislatures. The only thing I can think that is keeping the State Republicans from moving full steam ahead along with the Republicans in D.C. is that the State Republicans must feel that their position of dominance is much more precarious than the National Republicans understand. But, I’m just guessing here, I don’t really believe that the Republicans at the State level are somehow more inclined to put country over party than their Federal cousins. Looking at North Carolina I’m more inclined to say that at the State level Republicans are much more likely to put the Party’s goals and needs ahead of the Will of the People, the Rule of Law, and what is best for the State and Nation, at least while the rest of the country has its back turned.
Whatever the reasoning, we can only hope that the State politicians adhere to the law, fulfill their duties and obligations to uphold and defend the Constitution, and appoint Electors according to the Will of the People. Even then I wouldn’t be surprised if Trump keeps the GSA from starting the transition (though, from what I’ve seen I have no doubt Emily Murphy is willingly dragging her feet). Unfortunately for the country Trump can still claim, with some small modicum of legitimacy, that the election won’t be fully decided until the new Congress meets on January 6, 2021 to count the Electoral Votes. Unless, of course, the silent Republicans in Congress do what is truly best for the Nation and uphold their oath of office to defend the Constitution by pushing back against Trump. But, when in the last twenty years have the Republicans explicitly done anything for the good of the Nation? Sure, here and there when it aligned with their Party’s political and power goals. But, otherwise, led by Mitch McConnell they’ve been nothing but obstructionists who are hammering the Nation with backward thinking and social views and taking every opportunity to ensure that the next fifty years will be ones of exceedingly slow forward progress, if not downright backsliding to a time when a woman’s place was barefoot, pregnant and in the kitchen and anyone who wasn’t White, Male and Christian should be happy for any scraps they were allowed.
But, knowing that Trump will do everything he can to hold onto Power, and that he appears to have the full backing of the Republican Party, its leaders in Congress and a rabid base (frothing ever more at the mouth with each passing minute), I wouldn’t count on Biden getting any access to anything he and Kamala Harris need to come into office and hit the ground running. The transition ain’t happening, unless the Republicans do what has become unthinkable, follow the law, precedent, decency, and put Nation over Party. Sadly, and worrisome for the future of the Country I love I don‘t see that happening.
