The Constitution is a Threat to Dictatorship

Trump's plan for its elimination is not new

A new “stand back and stand by” Order from an increasingly desperate Leader

Washington DC Pearl Harbor Day 2022

“Termination of the Constitution”

America is an idea. The essence of America has been distilled into a fundamental law from which all other laws are derived. A President, who swore an oath to defend the constitution, just public announced that it is his intent to “terminate” that law and all other “rules, regulations, and articles” that underpin the rule of law in this country.

This is a declaration of war against the United States. Should anyone have harbored any remaining doubt before now, the leader of a major political party just said he will do what Robert E Lee, Joseph Stalin and Osama bin Laden could not - destroy the idea of America.

Truth social, it turns out, was aptly named. While it is a pulpit from which to bully, its role of confessional is growing in its utility. Hardly a paragon of self control, Trump is spiraling out of control. As the stressors multiply, encircle and move inexorably closer, he is becoming more and more direct in his messaging, reflecting his increasing alarm and desperation. It is only a matter of time before he directly calls for civil war to protect himself from the consequences of his actions. The only remaining question is will his MAGA army respond on a scale sufficient to do lasting damage the country?

The most shocking thing about a President demanding the termination of the constitution is that it is not in the least bit shocking. The pundits will tell you that no matter how outlandish, Trump’s traitorous rhetoric and unconstitutional conduct is “baked in”. It is the boiling frog syndrome. We have become so used to the torrent of illegality, lawlessness, incitement to violence, and acts of violence, that no one is surprised by anything he says or does anymore. In a way thats healthy, so long as his extremist supporters are as bored by it all as the rest of us. This might be the one time short attention spans might actually save America! But in another way, it is dangerous because normies might be lulled into a false sense of security while the extremists continue to plot acts of political violence, waiting for the inevitable order, or in response to a “crisis” - namely the arrest.

The project that became Civil War II: From Insurrection to Insurgency arose out of a concern that the US would fail to grasp the gravity of the threat before it could be stopped. Like 9/11 and Pearl Harbor before it, few imagined that America would elect its very own dictator who would set about destroying the country from the inside out. General Douglas MacArthur addressed the difficulty of keeping ahead of unimaginable existential threats

The history of failure in war can almost be summed up in two words: Too late. Too late in comprehending the deadly purpose of a potential enemy. Too late in realizing the mortal danger. Too late in preparedness. Too late in uniting all possible forces for resistance.

This is why CWII has focused so much on the passion and will of the extremists that eclipsed the motivation of pro-democracy forces. Most revolutions are started by a small highly motivated and vocal minority intent on upending an established order. In the US, the constitution is the bedrock of the established order and has been Trumps target all along - for just one example his constant references to 3 or more terms.

“All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake up in the day to find it was vanity, but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible.”

Lawrence of Arabia knew a thing or two about radical extremists. He built a tiny army of them and destroyed the Ottoman empire in the process.

Political will, much more than any other factor, like technology, is the ultimate edge in conflict (politics by other means). The Vietnamese (1965-75 and 79), Afghans (1898, 1988 and 2001), and Ukrainians (2021-) prove this rule. In each case, they took on far superior forces and won.

MAGA was a dire threat because they had the dreams of dangerous men, especially combined with the inability of normies to understand and respond to the threat in time.

This is why the midterms were such an upset - especially in light of short-term and/or cyclical factors that detracted from the existential threat to democracy. The midterms were the triumph of the normies. With luck, they will turn out to be the culminating point - the furthest advance of American fascism.

What now lies ahead is a long hard road back to normalcy. There is no guarantee that it will be easy, fast, in a straight line or inevitable. There is also the possibility of wild card events that fundamentally alter the course of events.

Moore v Harper, a case before the US Supreme Court this week, might be one such wild card. If successful, it would empower states to engage in ‘fake elector’-type schemes to overturn electoral outcomes according to whim - all in the name of states rights - the gateway drug to absolute power for extremists since 1860.

It would be especially ironic if American fascism is pulled at the very last minute from the fires of destruction by the nation’s highest Court, thus paving the way for Trump to achieve his dream of “terminating” the constitution and through it, the rule of law. It is so insane it is probably exactly what is going to happen.

Trump is fully cognizant of his situation. When his first Special Counsel was appointed, Trump correctly assessed the likely consequence: “I’m fucked”. However, Mueller was playing by a long since dead set of Washingtonian gentleman’s rules and Trump’s AG abused his position to save The Leader through the skillful manipulation of legalistic propaganda and short attention spans.

That was then, this is now: The Courts have firmly rejected all of Trump’s increasingly desperate gambits, including the ludicrous antics of federal Judge Aileen Cannon. A new special counsel has been appointed who will be unlikely to play by Mueller double secret probation rules. To some, the appointment of Jack Smith was interpreted as political cowardice by Attorney General Garland, resulting in yet more delays (the GQP will blame the libs no matter who orders Trumps arrest). To others, it was a sign of how serious all of the federal investigations (plural) have become (Smith is not involved in the various state investigations - plural - that remain ongoing).

All Trump has left is propaganda. Since his earliest beginning, Trump’s entire modus operandi has centered on propaganda. He cut a legend of highly successful business mogul out of whole cloth while he was setting fire to his fathers money, ending up a billion in debt, and on the hook to the KGB through its cutouts like DB. He has lost all elections since his surprise win in unique circumstances in 2016 (and people wonder why he wants to end elections) and still his tells his followers that he is a winner. They still seem to believe him despite all evidence to the contrary.

“The Art of the Deal,” 1987: The final key to the way I promote is bravado. I play to people’s fantasies. People may not always think big themselves, but they can still get very excited by those who do. That’s why a little hyperbole never hurts. People want to believe that something is the biggest and the greatest and the most spectacular. I call it truthful hyperbole. It’s an innocent form of exaggeration — and a very effective form of promotion.

Actually, it is the propagation of endless lies. That is how he started and that is how he will end. As the walls close in - he will become more and more desperate and pathetic.

His last remaining power is the mob. They strike fear into the hearts of all, including elected republicans. Unlike Rupert Murdoch, who in the past abandoned Trump and returned, the mob has never given up on their Leader.

What is unknown is the most important question (naturally). Will MAGA take up arms in large enough numbers when the inevitable call comes? Or has their white-hot will for violent action been cooled off by the midterms, Trump’s continued political and legal failures, and the example of Desantis - who shows there is a pathway to power that does not involve destroying America to “save it”?