The utter corruption not only of Donald Trump but also, and perhaps more importantly, of the entire anti-democratic (Reublican) party, has been in full public view for the last three weeks, since November 3, 2020.
The actions of the anti-democratic party, in supporting Donald Trump’s vast criminal conspiracy to overturn the results of the Presidential election on November 3, have constituted an extreme fascist threat to American democracy.
Americans have a hard time saying the word “fascist”. But it is really not that hard, Just say with me, “fa shist”. “Fa” with the “a” prounced as it is in “fat”. “Fa-shist”. There, you’ve said it.
See,
*Definition of “fascist”:
1) Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
fascist /ˈfæʃɪst/(sometimes capital)
n
1. an adherent or practitioner of fascism
2. any person regarded as having right-wing authoritarian viewsadj
Also: fascistic /fəˈʃɪstɪk/
characteristic of or relating to fascism2) WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2020
fas•cist (fash′ist),
n.1. a person who believes in or sympathizes with fascism.
2. (often cap.) a member of a fascist movement or party.
3. a person who is dictatorial or has extreme right-wing views.adj.
Also, fa•scis•tic (fash′ist), of or like fascism or fascists.
fa•scis′ti•cal•ly, adv.
What we have witnessed in the last three weeks demonstrates, for all who were unable to see it before, that the Republican Party has morphed into the fascist anti-democratic party of the United States. “It can’t happen here,” many may think, in the memorable phrase of the title of Sinclair Lewis’ 1936 book.
But the transformation of the Republican Party into the fascist anti-democratic party of America has happened here.
Whether a democratic Republican Party can rise from the ashes of what exists now remains to be seen. At this point, prospects for that development appear to be extremely dubious.
Tim Alberta has written a brilliant article for Politico Magazine which lights up the dark countryside of the Republican Party, like a lightning bolt that illuminates in startling detail things that in the dark of the night could not be seen.
See,
Tim Albrrta, “The Inside Story of Michigan’s Fake Voter Fraud Scandal; How a state that was never in doubt became a “national embarrassment” and a symbol of the Republican Party’s fealty to Donald Trump, Politico Magazine, November 24, 2020 (09:00 PM EST).
In his article, Alberta also recounts how an otdinary lawyer from Western Michigan, Aaron Van Langevelde, a 40 year-old conservative Republican, had the courage to stand up to the enormous pressures applied to him, risking his job and political career, and simply followed the law.
His vote for certification of the Michigan vote, as he was mandated to do by Michigan law, was the equivalent of that moment in the Joseph McCarthy hearings when Joseph Welch said to McCarthy, “Have you no decency, sir?”
Van Langevelde’s vote represented a “profile in courage”, just when the country so desperately needed to see a new “profile in courage”.
Van Langevelde confirmed that the greatest weapon for the defense of American democracy lies in its people, who include many men and women who still believe in the principles our founders shared, and which they enshrined in our Constitution. For over 200 years America has been a beacon to the world lighting the way to democracy and the rule of law.
We have just seem how countless election workers and officials, from different parties, faithfully performed their jobs in manning the election tables, and counting and tallying the votes, in accordance with the law and the Constitution. We have just seen how judges and state officials defended our democracy by doing their jobs and following the law.
We have just seen how over 150 1million Americans cast their ballots and chose their President, Vice-President, Senators and House Representatives, overcoming voter suppression efforts, extremely long voting lines, and other obstacles.
We have major challenges ahead in order to restore respect by all for our democratic processes and the rule of law, That will take time.
But for now, we can simply express our gratitude for the fact that Aaron Van Langevelde and a majority of the people have successfully defended American democracy against a grave fascist threat.
That should make this Thanksgiving one to remember, for the ages.
The Trenchant Observer
