South of Town: Notes and Scenes from Texas' Upper Gulf Coast
Life in Lake Jackson, Texas viewed and photographed by one citizen who spends his time with Methodists and Democrats mostly
THE TWELVE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS DONALD TRUMP HAS TAUGHT ME (Thing No. 5):
Reality television must be even worse than I thought.
DJT comes from reality television. I never touch the stuff. I confess that I did tune in “Dancing with the Stars” once to watch Tom DeLay embarrass himself. That was enough for me in this lifetime.
I will tune it in again if Trump goes on. He should cut a swashbuckling figure in his orange jump suit putting his old salsa moves to work.
THE TWELVE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS DONALD TRUMP HAS TAUGHT ME (Thing No. 6):
We have some work to do to make our constitution serve our needs in the 21st Century.
There were major problems with the constitution when it was adopted. A few things have been repaired along the way. We got rid of slavery, adopted a definition of citizenship, and made the senate a popularly elected body. Those changes were some of the most significant. There have been others.
But the Trump presidency has brought other problems to my attention that we have traditionally overlooked either because the parties that benefit can’t be persuaded to go along with a change or because we believe that citizens of good will won’t exploit them.
There is, of course, the Electoral College standing between the citizens and majority rule. In the past, candidates who won Electoral College majorities in spite of coming in second in the popular vote, at least showed enough respect for rule of law and our the business of government that we were able to limp along through the years and preserve our institutions.
Not so in 2016. Our minority rule 45th president dedicated his administration to the destruction of democratic governance as it has been practiced since the George Washington administration. He behavior on January 6, 2021 was a desperate effort to keep himself in office.
Trump has had his aides poring over the Constitution looking for loopholes he could exploit. The run up to the certification of the electoral vote had him trying to drop a wrench into the works at every opportunity. Every step presented him another opportunity to have the people’s voice overruled. Judges saved the day.
But there is danger in relying on a single branch to provide the safeguards. Over time through poor appointments, even corrupt appointments, the courts can also be subverted.
Some options for potential changes that would be helpful, but difficult to accomplish:
Thanks to No. 45, we have been prodded to think about these things that never seemed so urgent before.
THE TWELVE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS DONALD TRUMP HAS TAUGHT ME (Thing No. 7):
America’s potential for authoritarianism is stronger, deeper and more menacing than I would ever have believed before.
As I studied American politics, I had the notion that our country and all our social and political relations rested on a solid consensus around our constitution and fundamental democratic values.
We have had our share of demagogues, political bosses, and corrupt politicians. But we somehow muddle along electing enough good people often enough that something close enough to “good government” allows us to live our lives in peace and prosperity — at least compared to the lives people live in countries ruled by dictators and criminal syndicates.
No small part of our ability to keep decent government in place can be credited to our merit-based, professional civil service. One of Donald Trump’s most frequent targets is the “deep state”. He has undermined the civil service (including the foreign service) by leaving them understaffed, giving them inept and corrupt appointed political leadership, and gutting the system of agency Inspectors General, and attacking protected whistleblowers.
His use of social media for direct communication with voters has been near genius for the purpose of building a faithful army of followers with cult-like love for their supreme leader. On January 6, 2021 he showed that they could be mobilized like an army and attempt to thwart the Congress in its constitutional duty to count electoral votes and declare the winner of the 2020 presidential election.
What is particularly shocking is the ease with which it has been done by a man of little ability but with a dogged determination to have his way. Always. And his interpersonal skill at bullying and threatening has left most of the people in his political party totally unable to stand up to him. They are craven, pitiable little politicians who will kiss the king’s ass if that is what he needs.
His success in putting together this army of followers the press refers to as “his base” and the ease with which he did it should be a warning to us all.
Be vigilant, be informed, be active, and — by all means — vote.
THE TWELVE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS DONALD TRUMP HAS TAUGHT ME (Thing No. 8):
Racial, ethnic and religious diversity make us stronger, better and, really, prettier to look at.
This is another one of those things that should have been obvious. But I really have not paid that much attention to diversity except from the perspective of the morality of public policy. After a few viewings of DJT’s rallies and all the angry white faces behind him, it was clear that all that pale skin covering all those smug, belligerent faces was not nearly as pleasing to the eye as the crowds I saw at the rallies held by Democrats during their primary campaign events.
Since then, I have watched President-Elect Biden introducing his nominees for the administration and I have seen a veritable rainbow of humanity. And there is so much intelligence, experience and talent. If it were nothing more than a beauty contest, the Democratic nominees would win hands down.
Wake up, Wilbur Ross. You’re short. You need to pack.
THE TWELVE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS DONALD TRUMP HAS TAUGHT ME (Thing No. 9):
He gave us a real time demonstration of the fragility of our political system.
Many Americans who were born here and came of age here view our democratic system as a sturdy, durable frame around the good life — where communication is open, we have freedom, and we have a voice in the choices made on behalf of our whole society. The Civil War seems like an odd and archaic thing of the past. Besides, the slavery issue has been settled, at least in the crudest sense of human chattel.
Other Americans who came here more recently as immigrants have witnessed the fragility of government. They have seen governments fall, often with terrible consequences for the people. That’s why they come here in tiny boats across across dangerous seas. They face starvation and dehydration to walk through deserts where they can fry in the daytime and freeze at night.
They do this because they have faith in America’s willingness to extend the same hand of welcome that has welcomed immigrants since the 17th Century. And they sense in America the kind of stability that will allow them to build a good life if they simply work hard, follow some basic rules, and pay a fair share of taxes.
Many who came by American citizenship the easy way, by being born here, take it for granted. Apathy is so much easier than activism. But now we have seen, on January 6, 2021, that there is a kernel of resistance to the values that have made us who we are. And when a politician comes along who is willing to incite those who do not share democratic values, American democracy becomes as fragile as the government in any other country.
January 6, 2021 was a frightening day for America. And there may be more to come if we are not vigilant and firm.
If you love it, take care of it. Be a part of it. Vote. Follow the rules. And learn how to lose. No citizen gets her/his way every time.
And we should be glad for that. It may be democracy’s wisest and best feature.
THE TWELVE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS DONALD TRUMP HAS TAUGHT ME (Thing No. 10):
Civics education is important.
Of course, I knew this already. I have been interested in government and politics since I became aware in my childhood. The subject has interested me since I first heard President Truman’s voice coming out of our Philco console radio and my sister explained to me that he was the president, that he was in charge of the country, and that he told everybody what to do. Her childish understanding was insufficient for me and I have made a lifetime study of politics.
But not everyone has been paying attention. Some citizens never learned much about their government beyond a few patriotic platitudes. They have been too easily duped by pundits, preachers, and playboys into using their votes to gain admission to see lousy snake oil promotions.
One of the beauties of majority rule is that most people can’t be fooled. But now and then, the snake oil candidate slips through the screen and becomes a governor, a senator, or even a president. I recall that Minnesota elected a wrestler for governor. Texas once elected a hillbilly singer to the governor’s office.
Sometimes the promoters grow into the office and surprise us by delivering a creditable performance, at least managing to preserve our most hallowed institutions. For example, Ronald Reagan.
And sometimes we get snake oil. Just snake oil. And slime.
South of Town: Notes and Scenes from Texas' Upper Gulf Coast 