Democracy 2024: # 12

Donald Trump did not get arrested this week.

Perhaps he gave some thought of knocking over a convenience store in Manhattan as a way to get himself shown in handcuffs, but it seems like a lot of those suspects do not get arrested there for theft these days either.

So, for now, the wait on the Trump Indictment Watch continues, as witnesses continued to testify before the Grand Jury in New York City. Most continue to believe that charges are inevitable and a lot of people, even those who are not fans of Trump, are not happy about what that could mean. In the meantime, before the former President went off to the controversial site of Waco, Texas to hold a rally, he continued to show just what kind of person he is. The printed signs at the rally read "Witch Hunt." (Should Waco be forever defined by the actions of David Koresh 30 years ago? I think that is unfair to the people there then and now.) 

 

On his social media, where he engages in crazy"re-Truths" and unhinged rants on a daily basis, Trump said that his indictment would lead to "death and destruction." That is right out of the old and ugly Trump playbook and of course has people talking. Death threats towards Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, whom Trump refers to as an "animal" are of course going to be part of all of this now. As has been the case for nearly eight years now, for some people, there is literally nothing Trump can do or say, no matter how low he might get, that will get them to turn on him. Many others legitimately hate and shutter at Trump, but feel powerless to say anything in response or go too far in criticism, because they are Republican political figures who fear angering the MAGA mob.

Speaking personally, I have little doubt that Donald J. Trump has done many things in his life that deserve him to be behind bars. As I have written about the last few weeks, nobody should be above the law and the particulars of whatever he might be charged with New York City should matter once they are public knowledge and not just speculation.

However, the more I hear about this entire situation, the more I hope that Bragg takes a pass. I feel that this sort of circus and the very real possibility of an acquittal would only embolden Trump and his cause politically and would serious hamper other, more substantial cases that are pending against him. 

Trump may be guilty technically of violating a New York law, but considering what he might also be charged with by the Justice Department in Washington D.C., or what could be a far more provable case in Fulton County, Georgia, this whole Stormy Daniels hush-money thing going first seems like it would be the "spring training" of Trump indictments. I would rather go to the World Series straight off, if that is what is inevitable. The potential flimsiness of these charges are only going to be a way to dismiss the gravity and seriousness of other other matters.

It is not unreasonable to think that Bragg is just looking to make a name for himself and to play up to a constituency. It is also fair game to point out that like several other big city prosecutors, that he has not been nearly tough as he should be in fighting violent crime. Trump may have violated a campaign finance law in the name of trying to hide his sinful adultery, but what happened on January 6, 2021 was an assault on the Constitution and trying to overthrow an election before that in Georgia is a similar offense We also cannot forget about those classified documents. There seemed to be some unwelcome developments for Trump regarding those in court this week. 

 

Since Trump was a Presidential candidate when these payoff shenanigans occurred, it would seem more appropriate to have this be considered a federal manner. The Biden Justice Department under Merrick Garland determined that charges on a federal level should not brought, perhaps for the reasons outlined. Alvin Bragg seems to think it is his job to fill what is seen by many as a void. Typically, it is a reverse situation where the federal government will charge someone for offenses that may have evaded at the local level.

 

All the same, there should not be much surprise to any of this. For decades now, Trump has portrayed himself as the paragon of "law and order." Remember his calls for the death penalty for the Central Park Five? They were eventually exonerated but he never retracted that of course. Since entering the national political fray, Trump has been as vicious in attacking others as anyone in American history. He has called and continued to call for his political opponents (and even allies at times) to be "locked up." Anybody as bold and brazen as Trump has been should either be as personally and publicly clean as the driven snow, or should expect nothing less than a whole bunch of people trying to take you down in return. Yes, Trump may be the target of a politically motivated left-wing politician with the power to put someone on trial, but all of his problems are of his own making.

Political eyes continue to be on Ron DeSantis whom this past week tried to walk a line in directly reacting to this story for the first time. He took the safe route for a Republican in criticizing Bragg but also got him some passive aggressive digs at Trump by saying that he personally "does not what goes into paying hush payments to a porn star." In another interview that aired this past week, DeSantis made it clear that he would be willing to fire back at his former political benefactor, whom he now seeks to depose. The reaction has been mixed and there is much speculation that DeSantis does not know what he is really in for and will wilt under Trump's attacks. Time will tell but there might be something to that. DeSantis has not exactly come across strongly as a national figures, as he waivers back and forth and tries to do damage control over his comments about Ukraine being a "territorial dispute." Things are far simpler in TrumpWorld where at the rally today, an aging has-been rock star referred to Volodymyr Zelensky as "some homosexual weirdo." One can easily see Trump referring to DeSantis in exactly the same way before too long. Many recognize that if he is denied the nomination by a wannabe, Trump will destroy them and the party to the benefit of Democrats rather to see them win.

This is all the more reason, as I have said for years now, for Republicans and conservatives to recognize the reality and the long-term cause of American greatness by making a full and complete break from Trump and Trumpism. The alternative will be nothing less than political and policy wins for Democrats and a non-ending lurch to the left. After Trump's fluke 2016 win over the overconfident and unpopular Hillary Clinton, that is exactly what has been happening to the Republican Party.

The events of recent months and many things especially seen in the past week show just how dangerous a world we live in. Whomever is elected in 2024 will have to deal with China, Russia, Iran, and many other crucial areas abroad and issues at home. For now, our entire political system continues to revolve around a bitter man who is looking at serious time behind bars, away from the New York City jurisdiction.