Civic cynicism may reelect Donald Trump in 2020
For me, the last straw was when Beto O’Rourke announced he was running for president. I had supported his 2018 senate campaign financially and cheered him on when he was up against the unprincipled junior senator from Texas. I cheered him and his odd antics and marveled at his fund raising prowess while contributing to his campaign myself.
But most of his appeal was in the opposition to Ted Cruz’s candidacy. And in this he failed. As the kids I hung around as a child used to say; “nearly, doesn’t kill the bird” (yes, we were frequent non-rare bird murderers through the means of throwing small stones, come at me…). The field to win the democratic nomination for President is huge and filled with interesting characters, some of them eminently qualified by dint of service, accomplishments and hard work. Compared to these candidates, Beto feels like a lightweight. His chief qualifications being that he is telegenic, social-media-popular and also a white male. Even his fellow failed senate aspirant, Stacey Abrams has more heft from any kind of cursory examination.
I’m so tired. Tired of the republican party ignoring the many failings and mediocrities of Donald Trump against their constitutional obligations. Tired that the outrage that a lot of the electorate feels about how the government is handled one dumb tweet at a time; is ignored by even the triumphant democrats. Tired that they are not channeling the energy and rage of the electorate that brought them to power. Tired of the governing. class acting like these are normal times, when it is clearly not.
I think at the moment I give it even odds that Donald Trump wins another term. Not because he deserves it, but because cynicism sets in. That people abstain from voting. Because they are not getting dividends from their concerted voting push in the mid terms. Because no one seems to understand the craziness a lot of people feel that that their country is a bona fide banana republic with a mad king at its helm. Day by day, second by second; by inaction, we are destroying the very identity of the United States and what it stands for. Oh, people try to stay distracted; sticking to their phones and peak TV. Tweeting memes and laughing uproariously together, at the fun poked at horrendous events and shameless people that are happening around us every day. But inside, our spirits are dying from our hopes being dashed. For the underbelly of a corrupt country and an inept and ineffectual government being revealed to us. America appears not to be great. It allowed a loud mouth, ignorant and racist bully to be its president and its standing around twirling its toes like Charlie Brown as it continues to allow that mistake to remain. Real outrage reliably comes from people who have no power to do anything about it. And those who do have power talk a good game but do nothing with that power and then mysteriously grow a backbone when they lose that power (I’m looking at you ex-aides and functionaries of the US govt; I’m looking at you Jeff Flake).
I think the USA will face a rough attack of civic cynicism at the polls come 2020. In all likelihood, the Mueller report will have arrived and contain horrendous crimes, but will land with a thud because Congress will do nothing to follow it to its logical conclusions, for fear of some kind of political calculation or other.
At that point, we will have lost all faith in the ability of the system to correct itself. To right a grievous wrong in our body politic. And if that is the case, why even vote? People have always harbored suspicions. that the game was rigged, no matter what party was in power. Now they will ‘know’ that for certain. The will understand that the US government is good at nibbling at the margins. And that its terrible at being decisive and following its own stated ideals boldly. If that is the case, who wants to vote for who will run it and the Senate and House that will check them? All a seeming exercise in futility.
I think the Trump admin and the Republican party sense this coming wave of cynic detachment in civic responsibility. Why else would they pile on outrage upon outrage, such that the already frenetic news cycle can barely keep up? The stream of lies is faster than the 24 hour news cycle and the news people are running around with no clue how to react or cover it all. Why normalize mediocrity and break every new low expectation set for congress and the presidency? Why allow what would be not tolerated in another age?
I think people will curl up in their new igadgets and currently resurgent business cycle and try to forget their disappointments, by trying to find meaning and warmth in their own smaller communities instead of facing outwards to the business of a nation that’s failing their spirit.