I feel concern for my self-esteem. The extent to which western Minnesota has turned "red" politically is shocking. I suppose my evidence is anecdotal. People with whom I circulate gravitate red and worse than that, want to hear absolutely nothing about dissents to that position. They'll treat you like a nuisance for them. They'll smile in a manner that suggests you're forlorn.
One by one the breaks are falling into place for MAGA to seize power. Western Minnesota can be pleased at least at the outset. But since when has MAGA and its person at the top ever been known to return favors? Loyalty means nothing to the person at the top. The first big-time politician to step forward for Trump was Jeff Sessions. I remember the news clip of Sessions literally pulling on his MAGA cap in front of Trump. All smiles.
Later Sessions made the professional decision to recuse himself on the Russia matter. He has been a total non-entity in Republican circles since. Trump himself poked fun at Sessions' appearance just like a seventh grade bully would. And hardly anyone on his side seems to care.
Maybe Trump chose J.D. Vance precisely because Vance thought it appropriate at one time to compare Trump to Hitler. Yes, I think maybe Trump likes the comparison. The more pertinent question for me now, is whether people I know locally continue to be just fine with all that. To salute Trump. To smile at any mention of skepticism about him. A smile that says "we don't hear you, you just amuse us."
And now we have the new positive break for Trump. His miraculous escape from death in the shooting incident. Blood on his face. Fist raised: perfect pose for a painting that could become famous, just like Washington crossing the Delaware. I seem to recall reading there was some artistic license with the Washington painting. Seems that the Father of our Country was actually seated in the boat and huddled under a jacket. Oh, wisely of course. Protect against illness.
The myths of history abound, n'est-ce pas? Washington ended up a literal hero. What if the independence move had been defeated at least in the short term? Notice how our schools don't give much attention to the War of 1812? Ahem. It did not go so well for America. But we did stay independent.
Should a person lose his job? If the comment is made completely outside of work?
So there are some dissenters from MAGA out there, maybe even out here in Morris where we hear the coyotes at night.
We believe in frontier individualism. Or so we might proclaim. The kind of unfettered spirit so glorified on the big screen now with Kevin Costner's new movie. Ahem, the movie is not doing particularly well. But as if we needed another reminder from Hollywood, the movie shows how the gallant gunslinging men who headed West carved out the new nation. Were not really hospitable to the Natives.
And to be truthful, the biggest development for truly advancing the West was the Hoover Dam. Yes, a big government project. That's a detail that the MAGA extremists would not wish to acknowledge.
Such folks are totally feeling their oats now. Yes, a failed assassination attempt may alter the course of U.S. affairs in a far-reaching way. Because, Trump if elected will truly try to seize as much power as he can. He has said so and he means it.
He says he wants "influence" with the Federal Reserve. This is the one danger point that I try to point out more than any other. It goes in one ear and out the other. Perhaps I'm branded as eccentric. And so my self-esteem suffers.
The billionaire class would like nothing more than an interest rate at zero. The consequences could be much different for the masses of common folks. Already we have seen this mantra set in, of "we need interest rate cuts." It is constant. And of course the major risk with low interest rates is inflation, could give way to hyper-inflation, and that's what set the stage for the bad stuff that happened for Germany in the mid-20th Century.
I could almost scream that we should not allow that to happen here. There is no free lunch. Interest rates exist for a reason, they are not just "bad."
We read today on Yahoo! News that DJT "literally dodged a bullet Saturday." The article continues: "But the attempt on his life has already had unintended consequences both profoundly tragic and deeply ironic." The article points out that the effect of the incident is to wipe out the "dump Joe Biden movement." People on the left are now afraid of "any big move that will throw more uncertainty and friction into the race." History impacted, yes. The currents are suddenly affected by something out of the blue.
Here is a comment that I posted to Yahoo! News this morning:
How strange the times we are in when an assassination attempt, however disturbing it was, is now seen as the major new propulsion for the intended victim becoming president again. These are two different matters. And for some to make a divine inference from the incident, strange, but Trump had most of that element behind him already.
"Otto" liked my comment. Wasn't that the name of the inflatable "autopilot" in the first "Airplane" movie. "And don't call me Shirley."
I write more on the subject on my companion blog "Morris of Course." The link:
Addendum: I do not think that Trump's ear was struck by a bullet. I think he got cut from a shard of glass from his teleprompter. A bullet grazing past his ear, contacting it, would have done more damage. I wondered immediately how Trump could get a streak of blood across his face.
If I had a job in this community, good chance I'd lose it just for sharing the kind of thoughts I have today, both on this blog site and my companion. Incidents are in the news of people getting in trouble here and there. They have shared an opinion completely outside of work but they appear to be in trouble anyway, although I think a good lawyer could help them.
Remember the failed assassination attempt against Hitler. And Trump's VP selection has compared Trump to Hitler. Trump may not care as he may be aspiring to be Hitler redux.
- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com
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