The USA in the Crosshairs
The storming of the Capital was the opening salvo in what is now essentially a civil war. Horrific details continue to emerge about the attack. Participants in the insurrection are being rounded up and put in jail, charged with various Federal crimes. Trump is hunkered down in the White House, minus his Twitter and Facebook account. Various news outlets are now reporting increased chatter from the alt-right with references to the inauguration. I am not surprised by any of these developments. Anti-government sentiments are nothing new in the US. What is different is that Trump now owns it. His presence and his encouragement of the fringe helped to light the fuse of insurrection.
What is going to happen next? The chatter is calling for another assault on the Capital on January 17. I suspect this time, all of the various government agencies are paying attention. However, I would think the real target is the inauguration. There will be increased security, but this is a unique opportunity to strike at the very heart of everything the alt-right hates — mainly Democrats. The fact that the enemy is now internal makes this crisis even more insidious. Why? Basically, your next-door neighbor could be one of them! Now the US is filled with the likes of Timothy McVeighs. All capable of unleashing mayhem on their fellow citizens.
The other element of this war is that the alt-right continues to come out with crazier narratives that somehow captivate people into believing this nonsense. Regardless of where it comes from, the fact that anyone buys into this nonsense shows just how far off course so many Americans have gone. Now the big question is, what is Trump going to do? If he stays in the US, there is a real chance of being impeached and convicted later in 2021. Then there are possible federal and state charges being filed on him. So maybe Trump will be headed someplace like Russia. Putin puts him up in a fancy gold palace and gives him unfettered access to troll the US and incite his followers. Trump’s government-in-exile could be very problematic for the US in many ways. First, any secrets Trump knows about will be compromised and require a thorough review of those areas. Second, Russia recently hacked its way into hundreds of corporate and government networks. Why? It could be used to disrupt and distract.
But this is all simply speculation; the truth will emerge soon enough. Given the US’s schisms, the raging pandemic, and almost half of the country believing that the last election was “rigged,” the ugly reality manifesting itself right now may prove to be far worse. The long-held fears of Trump trying to take over the country are here. They will not be going away, and the idea of healing such a torn-up nation is delusional. The fight is on. Normal is gone. Joe Biden will try to normalize things, tame the pandemic, and help stabilize the economic situation. All great goals, but Trump’s legions will be making guerrilla warfare across the country. Disrupt, destabilize, and strike fear into people. Trump’s “people” are hiding in plain sight in the government, law enforcement, and the military. Then you have a group of Republicans who are still in office who pose yet another danger. In essence, they are showing support for Trump in the hope of getting his followers to vote for them in the future.
You see how convoluted and messed up the political situation has become as loyalties ebb and flow around the situation. The new year just started, and already the wheels are about to come off the USA. The next couple of weeks may prove even more distasteful as Trump attempts retribution and sows as much chaos and mayhem as possible. He called forth the terrible dark forces embedded so deeply in so many of his followers; a terrorist rehabilitation program may be necessary. Otherwise, you run the risk of having the “crazies” become lone wolves.
Someone said the good news in all of this is that Trump’s children won’t be able to follow in his footsteps. But to see what effect Trumpism had on the USA in such a short time underscores the country's dark side. As long as the anti-government sentiment and hatred of other Americans exist, there can be no healing. If possible, the road to recovery will require a quantum shift in attitudes and re-thinking what America needs to become. The dog-eat-dog give no quarter libertarian capitalism will have to change and the massive income inequality.
Is it even possible to change this broken country? I don’t know. For too long, the forces that brought Trump to power have prevailed and eroded what little values were left. A civil war has started, a war for the hearts and minds, and control of the country. The enemies of the US are watching and waiting. Russia may give a nudge here and there, and China may look to steal more intellectual property amidst the confusion. America’s allies look on in bewilderment. What happens next?
