Trump, Musk & Co. seem intent on destroying government as we know it, and if they must do it by unconstitutional means, so be it.
Trump, Musk & Co. seem intent on destroying government as we know it, and if they must do it by unconstitutional means, so be it. It seems to me that the reason for the lawlessness we’ve seen by this administration boils down to just two possibilities: the destruction is either the result of a toxic combination of extreme arrogance and incompetence, or it’s intentional.
Lately, I’m becoming more open to the idea that it’s intentional. After all, there has been a rich cabal in this country since its founding which has always sought to exert control. It has only become stronger over time – now so more than ever, with the extreme wealth inequity we are experiencing. The uber-rich are now so wealthy that it’s hard to comprehend. I truly don’t think most people have a clue just how much of our national wealth they’ve managed to pilfer away.
This cabal of the ultra-wealthy have always wanted to control things. Over the decades, they’ve managed to increase the percentage of bought-off Congressional reps and senators, while using them to stack the courts. Now comes an opportunity they may never see again: an entire executive branch that is willing to march in lockstep to an authoritarian leader. Not just that, but this leader is utterly pliable and oh-so-easy to influence. His gargantuan ego, combined with psychopathic tendencies, make him easy to manipulate – all you have to do is praise him, and be rich and/or powerful yourself – and you’re in.
This weakening of our government does not worry Musk & Co. nor the oligarchs. The rich have always profited from economic downturns, enjoying massive transfers of wealth from the middle class to the top 1%. Trump himself has admitted as much. In a 2006 interview, as predictions grew about the coming crash of ’08, he said he hopes it happens. “If there is a bubble burst, as they call it, you know you can make a lot of money… people like me go in and buy like crazy.”
As David Moscrop wrote in Jacobin recently, “As with every economic shock, the burden will fall overwhelmingly on the shoulders of the bottom 80 or 90 percent – through job losses, rising costs, and an even weaker safety net – while the wealthy find ways to profit from the turmoil.”
Our so-called “president” – more like a whiny wannabee king – has been violating the Constitution in every way possible. This includes simply ignoring the courts – even the Supreme Court – where he appointed a third of the bench and enjoys an insurmountable 6-3 conservative majority.
And now, after 90 days in office, we can say – without a shadow of a doubt – that we on the left were absolutely correct when we said the last election had “democracy itself” on the ballot. We were called “hysterical” by Republicans and the right wing media. But democracy was on the ballot, and it lost. At least, it is currently being trounced, and seems to be on its last legs.
Now our constitutional form of government needs all of us to stand up and defend it. We must resist tyranny, or lose everything our forefathers and foremothers held dear – millions of them having sacrificed their lives in its defense.
- Trump, Musk & Co. Intent on Destroying Government as We Know It - May 13, 2025
- Democratic Response Much Too Tepid - April 1, 2025
- Humor Times 34th Anniversary Issue is OUT: the Political Satire Revolution Continues! - March 6, 2025
