Political action and the Trump Presidency

[Oexmelin]

I am curious and worried.

I once described Languish as mildly hostile to political militancy (but certainly not political ideology). I may have been wrong. So, that's for my curiosity.

It seems clear to me that the Democrats - as an institution - are nowhere to be seen, and a few of the party apparatchik seem to comfort themselves in the very same delusion that Hilary entertained: that simply mentioning Trump's mediocrity and vacuity will somehow triumph over him. And while there is a surge in militancy within my close circle of academic friends (duh), who therefore relay successes and challenges of their local organizing, I am sure this misrepresents actual political participation.

[Oexmelin]

For those who give money, or participate, I would like to know who you are donating to.

[Eddie Teach]

I post occasional disparaging remarks on Languish, isn't that enough?

[Maximus]

My own circles seem to reflect yours. But they tend to also be heavy with academic or at least educated types. Agree that the national Democrats seem to be hopelessly mired, but there are a lot of movements working tirelessly to revitalize the party at the local level. Remains to be seen whether that will be effective. (Or even desirable, I'm not a fan of the party model)

[Admiral Yi]

I'm not a joiner.  I'm trying to move the pile of public opinion on an individual basis.

The great difficulty with trying to sway a Trump supporter of course is that in order to do so they have to come to the realization that they are stupid.

[Valmy]

Well I donate to Planned Parenthood but I had been doing that before Trump was even nominated.

Hillary is a politician running a strategy. I am an individual citizen. I am entitled to exactly one vote in these sorts of matters. The people have spoken and chosen this clown as our leader. At the end of the day I have to respect the process to some extent right? If we do not our entire system loses its legitimacy and it is power by any means necessary. I am not sure the end of our system of government is an acceptable price to pay because of one clown.

I am not sure what more the Democrats can do. They obstruct, they make speeches denouncing the government. I mean you still have to be a somewhat loyal opposition right?

Besides how is me being militant going to convince any Trump supporters? They will just convince themselves I am some kind of traitor or dangerous force they need Trump to protect themselves from.

At the end of the day there will be another election and eventually the Democrats will return to power. If we go out there and cause the government serious problems well then the opposition will just do the same to us.

[Barrister]

I participate in electoral politics.  I'm a member of both a provincial and federal political party and attend the odd meeting.  But it all has nothing to do with Trump.

[Valmy]

(Or even desirable, I'm not a fan of the party model)

Don't worry Max. A radical left wing socialist nutcase will win the nomination eventually.

[Malthus]

I would do something more than merely post on Languish, if I knew what I, a dirty foreigner, could usefully do to influence politics in another country. 

[Oexmelin]

At the end of the day there will be another election and eventually the Democrats will return to power. If we go out there and cause the government serious problems well then the opposition will just do the same to us. 

I am sorry Valmy, but I think this is very much part of the problem. I see it often with my students - there is a clear limitation in how they can imagine the United States as being "of the world", that things which affect, and have affected other countries of the world, can, indeed, affect the US in the present, and in the future. Civil wars, dictatorships, coups: these, for some reason exist as possibilities in the minds of Tea Party supporters, but very rarely in those of the vast American center.  There is nothing foreordained in the American Republic, in its continuing existence, and in the ways in which the political life of this country unfolds.

[Maximus]

Don't worry Max. A radical left wing socialist nutcase will win the nomination eventually.

We can't all be conservatives.

[Valmy]

We can't all be conservatives.

Not true!

[Maximus]

We can't all be conservatives.

Not true!

To expand on this a little without going into the full rant, there's a lot of energy for political change in this country and if it's not channeled in a positive direction it will be channeled elsewhere. We can't afford to ignore it and hope it will diffuse: there's a reason it built up in the first place.

[Barrister]

At the end of the day there will be another election and eventually the Democrats will return to power. If we go out there and cause the government serious problems well then the opposition will just do the same to us. 

I am sorry Valmy, but I think this is very much part of the problem. I see it often with my students - there is a clear limitation in how they can imagine the United States as being "of the world", that things which affect, and have affected other countries of the world, can, indeed, affect the US in the present, and in the future. Civil wars, dictatorships, coups: these, for some reason exist as possibilities in the minds of Tea Party supporters, but very rarely in those of the vast American center.  There is nothing foreordained in the American Republic, in its continuing existence, and in the ways in which the political life of this country unfolds.

I am reminded of a kind-of dumb article I was reading from a Trump supporter trying to understand Conservatives who don't support Trump (aka Never-Trumpers):

I have concluded that there are a few reasons that explain conservatives who were Never-Trumpers during the election, and who remain anti-Trump today. The first and, by far, the greatest reason is this: They do not believe that America is engaged in a civil war, with the survival of America as we know it at stake. While they strongly differ with the Left, they do not regard the left–right battle as an existential battle for preserving our nation. On the other hand, I, and other conservative Trump supporters, do.

http://www.nationalreview.com/article/448086/never-trump-conservatives-donald-trump-still-opposed

It seems to me you're making the same argument as the NRO article - that Trump is an apocalyptic president who threatens the very survival of the republic.

I don't buy it.  While the survival of the USA is not guaranteed, it's institutions are strong.  Trump's muslim ban - both of them - has been stalled in the courts.  An independent investigation has been launched by the Justice Department, and the Senate Intelligence committee is investigating as well.  Trump's administration has been incompetent to be sure, and will surely do damage to the reputation of the GOP and the US, but I hardly see it as threatening the survival of either.

[Barrister]

We can't all be conservatives.

Not true!

To expand on this a little without going into the full rant, there's a lot of energy for political change in this country and if it's not channeled in a positive direction it will be channeled elsewhere. We can't afford to ignore it and hope it will diffuse: there's a reason it built up in the first place.

[Edmund Burke]Being a conservative doesn't mean you are opposed to change - political or otherwise.  You just have to be careful and cautious, because not all change is for the better[/Edmund Burke]