For Trump and his Wall: It is Ego over Politics.
Trump promised a wall. Trump will likely get some sort of wall through sheer bullying his way through Congress and Senate. If not a wall, he will get a Democratic-Party cave-in alongside a frazzled Republican-Party that cannot gather their courage to, either call out or in their party leader, to throw in the towel over fears of continual shutdowns as a pressure tactic. Or worse, they will step in line panicked over the risk that POTUS#45 will make good on his threat of declaring a state of emergency.
The Dems might not give him the wall outright, but they will probably concede to fund roll a heightened militarized zone in the border. If this were to happen, Republicans will count it as a win and proclaim it a victory based on successful strategy and a strong message of national security, neither of which is true, and will proceed to heap their praises over POTUS#45.
Either way, Trump will likely win this one, just like he won the in 2016. Many claimed that they did not see that one coming and will do so again. Because for Trump, it is his Ego, over politics, and he will win; such is the state of our Democracy.
That such a Wall makes no damned sense is not what should up for debate. In fact, it is engaging in debating such possibilities that have opened the path for more militarization of the border. And militarization has proven just as unsuccessful as walls and equally destructive. But it is a bait-and-switch to which Democrats are prone.
For example, №3 House Democratic leader Jim Clyburn, D-S.C. is someone that has put it in words nicely as reported by Alan Fram, Andrew Taylor, and Catherine Lucey: “If his $5.7 billion is about border security, then we see ourselves fulfilling that request, only doing it with what I like to call using a smart wall.” Or Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., chairman of the Democratic caucus. Associated Press writers Jill Colvin, Catherine Lucey, Kevin Freking, Matthew Daly and Laurie Kellman reported that Rep. Jeffries recently told reporters that Democrats will show their willingness to engage on tough talk regarding immigration as a national security issue by showing their willingness “ to boost personnel, technology and other enhancements at the border.”
So not a real wall, because that is, ahem, stupid, but a smart wall, that we can support. After all, such engagement in “smart wall,” has been a tactic used by members of the Democratic Party. Former President Barack Obama made use of such “smart wall” when escalated drone warfare ten-fold during his tenure in the White House. We should not be surprised that the Dems can cozy up to such proposals.
Trump promised a wall. Trump will get something out of sheer spite.
IT HAS NEVER BEEN ABOUT POLITICS
For Trump and Trump-Trumpeteers, that is to say, his base, the moment since before taking power has never been about politics. It has been all about opportunity. In fact, it has become clear over the course of the general election, and the presidency so far, that POTUS#45 counts with the support of not one, but two groups as his base.
One base was stirred into action by the stoking and selling of white resentment. The other base operates largely behind the scenes, sort of. This base counts among its members those who understood that they will have a lot to gain from a presidency that will forward an agenda based on predatory business practices, deregulation, pressuring the competition, and creating unequal grounds for exchange. With this group, it is not about white resentment, but about an investment in white supremacist structures predicated in hoarding economic resources.
For Trump, all these amounts to the possibility of stroking his oversized Ego. Like in his business world, he seeks to profit at all cost, with no regards for others not his own benefit. The attitude of “Let me see what can I get away with…” is like candy to Trump’s ego. Let’s count the ways this “getting away with” has taken so far:
- Harrassment: checked.
- Nepotism: checked.
- Failure to reveal tax information: checked.
- Manipulating public office for personal gain: checked.
All of the above could have served as grounds for holding an individual occupying the hight office in the nation accountable, and possibly even removal from office. But not with POTUS#45.
WHAT WILL THE DEMOCRATS DO?
I am convinced that from the Democratic side of the aisle, we will hear platitudes and lip service to higher ideals but very little substance.
At best, this is what the Democratic strategy will probably come to: erecting more barriers while trying to sweeten the message with clichés of democratic aspirations and empty words of welcome.
And thus, Trump’s ego will grow larger, his tactics will embolden, and the two sides of his base will try to grasp more aggressively for what they want: movement forwards in re-establishing an open apartheid society: Whites separate from non-whites. The Haves separate from the have-not.
Whether or not this comes to pass will depend on the willingness of the Citizens of the Republic to engage in Real Political Action. (This is for another post…)
