After following the Donald Trump presidency from its inception, and continuing to follow it to its logical conclusion, I’ve arrived at one simple deduction: the United States of America is destroying itself before the eyes of the world.
The reason is not hard to discover — capitalism, without stringent limits, will, like Cronus, devour its own children.
Workers who don’t want a union, sick people who don’t want medicare, democratically elected politicians who scorn their own constitution, political parties whose only policy is power and wealth — the whole nation seems to be turning against its own core beliefs.
Political discourse has reached a new low and shows no sign of slowing its descent. Where once there were gentle satire and good-natured jibes, now there are vile and cruel insults.
I’ve conditioned myself to accept that Trump will very likely avoid removal from office, even if he is impeached. The refusal of Republican senators to look with unbiased eyes at the out-of-control behaviour of their party leader will ensure that no concern for the rule of law will influence their decision to acquit Trump.
It will be left to future presidents to gradually and painstakingly restore the fabric of U.S. democracy, and try to convince former allies that Washington is once more worthy of their trust. To repair the damage that Trump has inflicted on his country, and the damage that he will probably continue to inflict, will take years and possibly decades of patient work.
Meanwhile, the People’s Republic of China and the Russian Federation will have taken their places as world leaders.
Not that they’ll be any worse than Trump’s U.S.A., but they are unlikely to encourage a resurgence of democracy around the world.
Ed Healy
Marystown
