We watch Trump in horror as his American Democracy Jenga continues
by Tom Toles
Why, look! President Trump calls the free press the enemy of the American people, and the republic still stands! And look! Trump fires the FBI director, and the republic still stands! And look! Trump subverts the Western alliance, and the republic still stands! And look! Trump cuts American intelligence agencies off at the knees to defend Russian interference in our elections, and the republic still stands!
Such a durable republic! Feel reassured? Maybe there is no amount of damage that Trump can do that will topple the structure. Want to bet your country on that? After all this time, it was only that one block that was pulled out. And sure, the structure shuddered a bit. But it’s still standing! Just like every time he does that. New norms! We can get used to it!
Let’s see. Rule of law. Free press. Western democratic alliance. Election integrity. Truth. Anything important being undermined there?
Wait, Trump is behaving now for a few days! Maybe he’s finished pulling blocks out. OH! Whoa! THAT one surprised us! Didn’t see that one coming, but what do you expect? It’s Trump being Trump! And the republic still stands!
And on it goes. And on.
The Republicans in Congress will occasionally gasp or gurgle at the spectacle, but then they check and see that they personally are still doing fine. So they reassure us with “It hasn’t collapsed YET!” It’s time to amend Abraham Lincoln’s “House Divided” speech to include “A house relentlessly undermined from within cannot stand.”
Time for some reinforcement. Time for a change in Congress.
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OCU
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