Dimension 7

I have a theory. It was strengthened by events today in Pennsylvania. It appears there was an unsuccessful assassination attempt on Trump today.

First, I will not hate. I have made a conscious effort to eliminate hate from myself.

Second, this is not the way we, as Americans, handle our political differences. Murder is morally and legally wrong. We choose at the ballot box. If nothing else, the last few election cycles have shown what happens with a disconnected electorate. But that’s for another post.

Aledgedly, the gunman fired, apparently aiming for the head. This headshot is one reason why I don’t think this was staged. It’s hard to fake a headshot.

His aim was a bit wide.

Someone else pointed out the people in the stands didn’t respond to the gunfire. I don’t believe Americans are so jaded that gunfire does not faze us. But it appears the audience has very little reaction to an active shooter right in front of them.

This leads me to my theory. Many MAGAts do not believe they are watching reality. What they are watching is just another scripted show. They do not believe their actions are having real world consequences.

They watch the Supreme Court erase women’s bodily autonomy, but they might as well be watching A Handmaids Tale. They dismiss the events as part of the show. It’s as real to them as when Trump fired this weeks cast member.

The only way to combat this will be for everyone to vote as if your life, or the lives of someone you love depends on it.

If you believe both parties are the same, let me remind you there’s only one party destroying rights. There’s only one party with a candidate promising to “Be a dictator on day one.” There is only one party with a faction crafting a plan to remove the president and install a theistic, autocratic, dictator with unbridled power threatening to start the largest deportation operation in the history of mankind. He’s threatened to deport immigrants who have a spouse and children here. There’s only one party threatening to end birthright citizenship. If this happens, I doubt we’ll be having any elections anytime soon.

Yes, Biden is old. But we know exactly who would be President, if Biden has to vacate that office, voluntarily or otherwise, VP Harris is ready. That is not changing, as long as the Republicans lose in November. I shudder to think who might be the leader of the US if Trump wins, starts consolidating power and dies. If it’s after Trump has his VP killed (political rival and official presidential act) could he also put his kids in the succession list?

President Ivanka Trump or President Donald Trump jr. This is not outside the realm of possibility.

I said vote effectively. What I mean by that is to vote effectively, the candidates you choose must have a chance of winning the election.

Let Me Put a Finer point on that

When democracy is not in danger… When people lives do not hang in the balance… When the difference between the people being elected is not Mandela vs Mussolini…

Keep in mind that Republicans vote much more like a block than the Democrats. I have not seen any studies about this, but I would venture to guess Democrats will choose to vote outside the chosen candidates for the same reason they chose to be Democrats in the first place. This is actually how the Republicans are remaining relevant when they are the third most popular political party in the US.

So, what I am suggesting, what I am asking of my fellow centered, progressive and/or liberal voter compatriots is to keep the dems in power, for now. The last gasps of a dying political party are ugly, and they are doing things the traditional Republican Party would never have considered. But this doesn’t last forever. Either the GOP dies, or it will reform itself. The MAGAts won’t survive forever. Like Boomers as elected officials, eventually, they’re going to be all gone.

Our children, grandchildren and so on will literally be living “A Handmaids Tale” if we are not careful. With a SCOTUS that just put the president above the law, nay, above reproach for any act deemed official, for the first time in our nation’s history, it’s not a long walk to find several possible scenarios where this is an autocratic nation beginning next year.

For the record, there has never been an autocracy on the correct side of history. They are corrupt, ignorant, revisionist, and never ever good for citizens. That’s the point of autocracy, maintain power, increase the power of those in power, and suck as much wealth as possible so no one else can compete.

I get that other candidates align better with your ideals. Biden is old, and someone younger, that understands what other young adults experience, would be better for everything. But right now, I’m not sure we need to make it easier for republicans to get into office.

This is a battle we can win, exactly the same way we did in 2020.

Thank you for considering what I am proposing.

As always, comments, concerns, and criticisms are welcome. I only ask that we try to maintain civility.