Though Trump “solutions” inevitably backfire, how long before enough voters wake up to extensive abuses of power, inexhaustible greed, and eye-popping corruption? First America must dis-illusion itself from myths.
To unearth light from darkness, let’s scrutinize what lasting, defective myths Trumpism has spotlighted. After all, evolved cultures differ from primitive ones by learning from destructive earthquakes, then enacting major reforms. We’re way behind on the reform front but better late than never; things can always get worse, – even lacking direct attacks, Black Swans or stray asteroids. To be “dis-illusioned” means not just disheartened but actively abandoning durable illusions.
Six horrendous, related myths exposed as problematic warnings:
1) Truth is the only answer to make-believe cult politics
The last decade has eroded any naive assumptions that commitments to truth, scientific or consensual, are necessary to describe another suspect notion called “reality.” And since “reality” is always complex and inter-related, banishing the pursuit of truth banishes knowledge and predictable consequences. MAGA proves repeatedly how much easier, quicker and cheaper not to hire experts, spend millions, and demand in-depth analysis when bad faith schemers can fabricate whatever makes them look good and, worst of all, win elections. How else did the Trump cult commandeer the government, now dictating to the obedient military-industrial complex?
In fact, judging by the last election, absolutely truthful statements impede seizing power. Hordes of blatant liars, pumping out mendacity like scurrilous drug factories, routed marginal Dem truth tellers across purple states. Demagogic types push “alternative” truths because they’re so much simpler for backward, gullible voters to understand. Thus cheer on making billionaires richer because prosperity trickles down to peasants now enjoying cheaper goods, better jobs, improved health care, lower gas prices – and off-the-shelf “answers” to annoying, intractable overseas tensions. Sure, rightwing winners conquer reality and complexity by just securing higher vote totals. Does it matter whether unregistered immigrants are law-abiding or vicious criminals – all must go, deported by the “worst of the worst” police. Propaganda can kill truth — and has.
Think of the savings: trusting to blind faith, DOGE and the billionaire-serving federal budget eviscerates so many agencies you can’t tell the all-important from the nice-to-have. So what if DOGE fallout costs dwarf what was “saved” by brute force and bloody ignorance? Who cares when slashed scientific research assures more disease and deaths, especially to poor folks next to toxic waste dumps? That’s so out-of-date, so 20th C, so rational. Today we endure the wretched politics that makes one man’s gut instinct paramount, invoking not military logic or mammoth costs, but a mere feeling “in my bones” to explain when the Iran war ends. Better to throw darts into darkness and pray this “wag the dog” shenanigan works. Truth, in short, is hard; wishful thinking, delusion and lying so much easier – demanding only low defiance and facile cheerleading on cue.
2) Government’s so simple when run by and for the owners
Equally victimized by planned, calculated obsolescence is the battered notion that government can be a good thing, designed to address daunting problems and benefit once sovereign voters. Not only is MAGA Trump not “of the people, by the people, and for the people,” but its cruelty and utter failures cause “less life, less liberty, and less pursuit of happiness.” Does not Lincoln’s democratic optimism dies a tragic death when ICE targets, exterminates and falsely imprisons thousands caught in its crude, ham-fisted nets? These are two painful,mind-opening realities worth knowing, 1) that government haters are winning by scheming, and 2) that the state has morphed into oppressive forces against the people – along with abortion bans, voting abuses, massively wasteful spending, and intimidation of universities, law firms, and now media threatened for accurate war reporting. Broken Congress is a slavish prison of pawns, hijacked by elitist special interest lobbyists. No wonder multitudes are outraged, left and right. Once honored as the solver of last resort, federalism is little more than a piñata pommelled by MAGA Trump for partisan “treasures” pocketed by the grasping smashers.
3) Foreign policy takeovers – bonkers belligerence, rejected intell, yet blatant transparency
Though American history since 1848 details its imperialist quests, MAGA Trump uniquely stands out by scorning past nuance, even paltry defenses to justify economic or military intrusions. Trumpism now joins Putinism as not even bothering to defend its intimidation and militarism, at will invading, bombing, kidnapping, and/or murdering civilians or soldiers alike. This transparency, however tragic, could be a necessary learning curve boost by which a majority cannot deny our national aggressions. Gone now is the myth that the USA are in any way “the good guys.” Trump, more starkly than Bush I or II, broadcasts “Imperialism R Us.” Of no importance as conceded are international law or historic boundaries or treaties or allies (if the last two still exist). So kudos to today’s rightwing bellicosity for making clear the U.S. unilaterally wields deadly, rapacious power, whether sensible or stupid or gratuitous. Really, Canada as the 51st state, against its strong will? Or seizing Greenland, thus outraging Europe? Wiping out unproven, “drug-carrying” fishing boats? Or bullying Iran, whose nuclear program was “obliterated” months ago?
This inadvertent transparency exposes what has been obscured by past soaring rhetoric about freedom: here’s an undisciplined, lawless empire playing gotcha, betraying ideals and history, aligning with democracy-hating villains like Russia. Poor Ukraine, caught in the crossfire and victimized by drastically erratic US support. Ditto, Canada, Denmark, Greenland and Venezuela, with Cuba the next (non-threatening) PR “enemy du jour.”
4) Elections are rigged but not by voter fraud or miscounting
Tragically, once-respected elections have become mere democratic comfort food as power continues to concentrate and whining rightwingers scream “voter fraud” whenever they lose fairly. But the dishonesty is not about voters, nor “fraud,” but a loaded, undemocratic system that vets “acceptable” candidates in advance, with money, support and organization. And vicious gerrymandering. Sure, a few dozen noisy dissenters squeeze through two-party dominance but undue party leverage is what “rigs” most elections. So a reluctant nod to Trump for raising the issue of election “fairness” but with monumental bad faith – not to repair but manipulate to foster his own unhinged agenda. The price paid is not widespread enlightenment (as Trump causes voter fraud, not suffers from it) but a devastating blast to the confidence that voting matters. Thus, extensive, ill-timed gerrymandering and suppression at the heart of the comically-entitled Save America Act travesty.
Thus, instead of choosing the most qualified, even visionary lawmakers, campaigns are designed and succeed in dividing families, communities and regions into enemies, reinforcing general despair. What MAGA wants is a front-loaded, controlled popularity contest which favors their big money donors and the media dominance they already enjoy (even without CNN yet). The mixed blessing is that the “rigged” cat is out of the bag, but the unjust, undemocratic Electoral College plus Citizens United still reign, banishing fair, open, legal or just elections. Admitting a broken system is a start but deflected when openly nuked.
5) Candidate character and moral values – outmoded myths on display
Character, tied to provable moral principles, if not marginal honesty and truth-telling, executive qualifications, and civic knowledge, no longer correlate with electoral triumphs. This is perhaps Trump’s most historic reversal, showing that a fantasist, serial criminal and loudmouth sexual predator can best deal with a corrupt, criminal, predatory system. Only the insane would hire career criminals to be our highest law enforcer but that’s where this myth cracks open. Indeed, immorality that feeds Don Juan’s insatiable visibility, worship and dominance – whatever the costs in human misery – are what MAGA still backs. Aghast at the woke and wicked status quo? Just elect an anti-woke windbag who forgoes even the pretense of good character for that undermines the cult. As with elections, it’s better to know the truth, but that’s no guarantee that others addicted to deception, greed, and shameless payola won’t again shamelessly claim bad morals drives out “worse.”
A corollary outcome is that criminal “law-enforcers” pay no mind to outdated ideas like public service that uplifts the majority. Otherwise, we’d never have MAGA obsessions with monumentally dumb consumer taxes called tariffs or rank belligerence against friends that devastate the tourist trade or that the best science doesn’t make everyone healthier. Finally, because accountability now has only AWOL status (if Trump can’t be stopped, then who?), the myth of character as the paramount, electoral determinant also bites the dust. Indirectly broadcasting this tragedy confirms a serious national loss but not its repair.
6) Equal justice myth a farce, made especially unequal by corrupt money and callous influencers
With qualifications for race, power and citizenship, America’s most famous sentence, “all men are created equal,” focused on ideals of equal justice for everyone before the law (not equal in talent or potential). Equal justice is a fantasy as money and property have dominated, but never before has the mythic status of equality been more exposed. We’re dealing with an Injustice System, certain the DOJ today epitomizes unequal, arbitrary, politicized misuse of law and court complexities. Causes are multiple: overly cautionary procedures, easy pickings by overpaid, fat cat lawyers, extremely partisan judges, and eons of time between lawless infractions (like tariffs) and partial, grossly inadequate resolutions.
When it takes years to litigate a self-evident violation, brash, demagogic leaders can strut at will while bad decisions stay intact. Worse of all, electing a certified criminal as the top law enforcer guarantees that self-interested bad faith abuses will make an unjust system far worse, open to unchecked manipulation from the top. As with truth and elections, the USA is dragged down by broken systems crying out for reform. Awareness of systemic travesties is a first step but the US is way behind applying reason, justice and morality. Whether reforms ever come greatly depends on how badly dictator-types succeed in abusing vulnerable legal and voting systems. So far, accountability, let alone reforms, are running a distance second.
COMMENTS