To state the obvious, the prospect of a Donald Trump presidency is terrifying. Most people seem to sense this on some level. Too many, however, haven’t really internalized that Trump would inflict sweeping, tangible devastation.
Donald Trump’s America would be a darker and more threatening place than we have ever seen before. These threats extend across the spectrum of public life in America. I don’t think readers will find any of these scenarios implausible:
- The Economy: There is little doubt that electing Trump would cause immediate stock-market turbulence. Investors are already bracing themselves for political risk, a concept usually associated with peripheral countries. If Greek elections can cause jitters, what would happen when the same fears infected the world’s largest economy? Something dangerous. Still worse, one of Trump’s proposals would cause a Depression-inducing collapse.
- Civil liberties: The abuse of civil liberties is Trump’s signature. In a Trump administration, terror suspects would be subject to waterboarding and methods “a hell of alot worse than waterboarding.” Muslim neighborhoods would be patrolled as in a police state. Think those things are outlandish? The CIA once locked someone in a “torture box,” and repressive, though (amazingly) more circumscribed, law-enforcement techniques are common in minority-dominated jurisdictions. Trump would take them to a vicious extreme.
- Political repression: Trump has threatened to punish press outlets that engage in dissent. The threats began as a legislative proposal–reforming libel laws–and then transmogrified further Again, this is not wholly unprecedented. GOP legislators have menaced HB2 opponents with threats to scrap their fiscal benefits. The silencing of dissent has henceforth been constrained by law and custom, but Trump would ignore those limits.
- The rule of law: came when conservatives praised Trump’s SCOTUS choices. In fact the single most dangerous thing about him is his disdain for the judiciary. His tirade against Judge Gonzalo Curiel suggests that he would chill the bench with threats of retaliation. Trump’s attack on Curiel’s Mexican ancestry even hint that he could systematically harass to judges of color. Without a secure judiciary, our democracy is in peril.
If even some of this comes to pass, the United States will be less of a republic than a Latin American kleptocracy. This is frightening for us and for the world. Anyone who values liberty and Constitutionalism must do what they can to keep this autocrat out of office. That starts with voting for Clinton–whether you like it or not.
Alexander Jones is an original contributor to PoliticsNC.
Donald Trump is the epitome of everything wrong in the United States; the absolute “ugly American.”
Ebrun,
Are you a native North Carolian? If not, how long have you lived here?
Since 1974, Rick. How ’bout you?
So, now we know. Ebrun (who panics at the thought of someone discovering his identity) has now unmasked himself at Donald Trump’s agent in North Carolina. Sad. Except now we can dismiss Ebrun’s observations on all things political, because they come with the stink of Trump’s paranoia and craziness attached to them.
Alex Jones’ four dark and threatening scenarios are realistic. Yet, I would add one more that, to me, is even more terrifying–national security.
Imagine, if you can, Trump in the White House with the nuclear codes next to his chair. Now, think about Trump’s finger on the nuclear button and contrast that with Hillary Clinton’s temperament and experience in dealing with our security.
In, the 1964 presidential election, Barry Goldwater talked of giving battlefield commanders nuclear weapons and now Trump in 2016 advocates expanding the number of nuclear states. The 2016 election is 1964 redux with the key issue, national security. Everything else becomes of secondary importance.
Hillary Clinton should post this script above the doors of each of her state
headquarters: “IT’S THE NATIONAL SECURITY, STUPID!”
Gosh Wallt, I’ve been elevated (in your mind) to “Donald Trump’s agent in NC” just because I pointed out partisan hyperbole and over-the-top fear mongering on the part of liberals who post and comment here.
Actually, the Donald needed no help from me in winning the NC GOP primary. He probably didn’t even know I voted for Rubio. But I doubt he would designate me as his NC agent. He has done quite well here to date without my support. Last poll I saw had him up by three over Hillary in NC.
And BTW Walt, I am not looking to be hired as a political consultant so I have no need to promote my “identify” on this blog.
Ebrun: Do you support Donald Trump and plan to vote for him?
I am retired from work, but not life… you?
After 60 years in politics and government, I believe I have something constructive to say and can add to the discussion of national and North Carolina politics. Maybe not. But, I am open and above board about it, what are you hiding from?
Why are you always so sour? Do you know or believe anything positive?
Don’t you have any nonpartisan or even bipartisan aspirations for North Carolina?
Are you now going to defend everything Trump says and does?
I expect you must. You have five months of a depressing and futile job ahead, right? But, you will find the talking points, won’t you?
Peace.
Stay tuned, Walt, and you may be able to figure out the answers to your questions regarding my personal preferences. I too am retired and have been involved in government and politics since I was 18 and was an officer in the Young Democrats’ Club at my college. And yes, I too am still alive and active and in relatively good health.
It seems to me, Walt, that it is the liberals who post here who are “‘sour” and negative and vitriolic toward any conservative who dares challenge their political orthodoxy. Actually, I am quite positive about the political situation in NC under GOP leadership. I know you disagree, but really, can’t you acknowledge that a vicious, negative campaign against the NC GOP was instigated early on by NC Blue and is being pursued by movement progressives like Mr. Mills? It seems to me that the radical left is willing to do whatever necessary to eviscerate the state’s reputation in oder to regain political dominance here.
You attempt to project a self image of a wise elder putting forth unbiased, “constructive” observations and analyses is belied by your unbending support for the nasty, malicious campaign being waged here in NC by the radical left against their political opponents. You are as much a partisan advocate as I am. Own up to it and we can engage in an honest debate.
I suspect Walt can speak for himself, D.g. or are you now his designated surrogate? BTW, I am retired and not in any “business.”
I take it you intend to vote for Trump.
Back to your personal insults whenever you have nothing intelligent to post, eh D.g.? Not old enough to vote? My grand kids could learn a valuable lesson from your pathetic attempts to insult those who don’t share your radical political views.
D.g., I am fully prepared for personal insults from those on the political left. One enlightening side effect of commenting here is to illustrate the intolerance of “progressives” for those who do not subscribe to their orthodoxy. Personal insults rather than civil debate seem to be their (and your) preferred manner of political dialogue.
And BTW, emotional rants are just that and need to be called out when blatantly obvious.
To be perfectly honest with you, D.g., it’s kinda fun to yank your chain and observe your knee jerk reactions.
” A very dangerous state of affairs….” “….our democracy is in peril.” “….Trump would inflict sweeping, tangible devastation.” “The damage….would be impossible to rectify or repair.” “….Trump’s proposals would cause a Depression-inducing collapse.” “….the United State will be less of a republic than a Latin American kleptocracy.” “Trump would take [law enforcement techniques] to a vicious extreme,” ad infinitum.
Partisan vilification, over-the-top fear mongering or paranoia personified? Perhaps all of the above? But one thing is obvious—these are emotional rants rather than intellectual musings.
Alex: I would add one more scenario to your four–national security. Most of those who read these pages are too young to remember the election of 1964 but the lessons from that presidential election need to be brought back into focus. Today’s Walter Shapiro column in Roll Call does that with this lede:: “Once upon a time, Barry Goldwater was the model of a reckless presidential candidate who couldn’t be trusted with the nuclear codes.” Shapiro then reminds us of “the most famous TV attack ad in history” aired on September 7, 1964–The Daisy Ad. Now, we have a new model–Donald Trump.
“What they saw (http://www.livingroomcandidate.org/commercials/1964) was a little girl, with long hair and freckles, picking the petals off a daisy as she tried to count (‘four, five, seven, six, eight, nine’). As the camera closed in on the child’s hopeful face, the voiceover switched to a military-style countdown that ended with a thermonuclear explosion washing over the entire screen. Then a few lines from an LBJ arms-control speech: ‘These are the stakes…We must either love each other or we must die.'”
If you haven’t seen it…do so now.
Why is that 52-year TV ad of any importance? Donald Trump.
My comments on that Shapiro piece (Roll Call, June 7, 2016: “The Daisy Ad–A Half Century Later”) are that the Daisy Ad presents an analogy between the stakes of the 1964 election and those of November 8, 2016 which is relevant and frightening.
The Daisy Ad needs to be replayed every day in all Hillary Clinton state and local headquarters each day. And, above each Clinton Hq. door should be written something like this: “Trump IS THE national security threat, stupid!”
That is the only real rock-bottom issue of this campaign. I worked for GOP Governor George Romney in that 1964 election and I can tell you that Trump is more dangerous than Goldwater. Furthermore, Barry had strong opposition from Republican leaders (e.g., Rockefeller, Scranton, Romney, Rhodes and others) unlike Trump where all of the elected GOP “leaders” have caved into his demands in the interests of party “loyalty.” There are no other voices. Trump is now the leader of the national and NC Republican party–a threat to this nation’s security.