The Calm Before the Storm
I pray that this world will learn from history and find the good in each-other again!
Here in the UK we have closed another chapter of history on the Brexit bonanza. After a momentous landslide victory for a bombastic prime minister Boris “Bojo” Johnson, we here in the UK are in unchartered territory. But whilst another chapter closes in one part of the world another chapter is just about to begin.
Before I begin my tirade into the president of the United States, I would like to reflect on the turbulance of the last few years. The political upheaval that has taken place across the West has been nothing short of terrifying in my own opinion. For a 20 something young fellah who came into the working world bright eyed and full of hope, I have been smacked with a full on punch of reality. The fear mongering has been ferocious. In my own opinion this period feels like the the closest thing to the 1930s that I think we could be. 1929–1932 was when the great depression hit and when the long term debt curve began to come to an end. We hit our recessionary period in 2008 and we are reaching the end of our long term debt curve. The rise of populism began in the 1930s with Hitler taking advantage of the great depression and drilling in a heavy hand of un-factual optimism and tyrades against the state. Very similar to what we are witnessing today. The timing may not be the same but I put that down to technological developments and economic innovation. But one thing is for sure we have not dodged populism.
Trump began his campaign to become president the same way as Hitler lambasting the media and the state whilst simultaneously sending messages of hope in the “Make America Great Again” slogan. We should also be under no illusion that calling Mexican immigrants rapists is on a similar par to calling Jews vermin. Trump thus far in my opinion, is not a far cry away from being in the same bracket as Hitler. Now what other similarities can we draw from the current chapter which is unfolding.
Now, we have a president who has a huge ego, which if provoked or goaded, desperately needs to strike back. The impeachment that has been laid as a trap for the president will 100% backfire against the Democrats! Not only will he escape impeachment (because the democrats need 20 republicans to vote against their own party president), but I believe he will use the failed impeachment and further 2nd term election victory to enact revenge on the democratic held senate and maybe use it as the first bit of leverage for a 3rd term. This man does not resemble Hitler in style in appearance or really that much in his speaches but the signs of evil are strong in so many other ways. His mannerisms, his un-earned confidence, his ability to woo a crowd with hate. He is by no short measure a detestable man.
Furthermore, Hitler used an article 48 several times in the 30s to invoke policies which he wanted to push through to seize power. He also used it to eventually become a dictator. Whilst executive orders are not the same thing, on average Donald Trump has used more executive orders than the previous 2 presidents (Obama and Bush Jr.). So what we can say is he’s quite an authoritative president in comparison to previous ones. The president also has the power to invoke a “national emergency” which could come at any point in the next 4–5 years given he has stoked the flames in Iran, China, North Korea and even his own country. Once enacted he would be given many powers not afforded to a normal sitting president. He could then enact martial law or send in the military. Whilst this paragraph makes a big leap, there are tell tale signs that this is coming. I have never been so certain in my life about one thing though. We are in the 1930s.
So what to do? Well there is little we can do. I wish the democrats did not start this process knowing full well that they wouldn’t have the support from their rival republicans. I wish the world hadn’t tipped in this direction. I hope that my analysis is wrong and that this will all blow over in the next few years. I hope sanity will prevail. However, I’m not so sure.
… Please read: https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/atrocities-1-to-111
