The U.S. Will Survive Trump

The current movie documentary Death of a Nation  suggests that the Democratic Party is composed of modern-day Nazis, racists and fascists, and that Trump, a latter day Lincoln, is being unfairly impeded from preventing the collapse of the United States. Through a web of illogical thinking and outright lies, the producer argues that the U.S. will not survive this attempt to throttle the good intentions and powerful wisdom of its leader.

There is a germ of truth here, i.e., that there are certain things that this country will probably live through, and certain others it won’t; this comes to mind whenever I hear some fanatic talk about a military coup or an assassination.

It’s very likely that this country will survive Trump, given enough time to reverse course on environmental devastation, fanning the flames of racial hatred and divisiveness, kicking people off healthcare, banking deregulation, weakening public education, alienating our allies, trade wars, and tolerating/encouraging Russian interference with our democracy.  Conversely, it’s very unlikely to survive the legitimization of lawlessness.

This country needs to get through this horrible phase in its history as quickly as possible, but without bending or breaking a single law.  To the world’s profound joy and sheer amazement, we did it 44 years ago; Nixon climbed on board his helicopter without the firing of a single shot.  True, this isn’t 1974; we’re a far more stressed, ignorant, hateful, fanatical, and violent society now than we were then. The principals are different too; Nixon was a rational agent whose malice had a limit; we have no clue what it’s going to be like getting Trump out of here; it’s hard to imagine what he may be capable of.

Having said that, we are batting 1.000 when it comes to removing criminals from the White House; it’s a good bet we can do it again.