STAGGERING TOWARD FASCISM

 

©Wendell Griffen 2024

Little Rock, Arkansas

 

 

The United States appears to be staggering towards fascism. The Supreme Court of the United States marked the beginning of the month and pushed the nation closer to fascist rule by its July 1 decision in Donald Trump v. United States. By a 6-3 margin, SCOTUS declared that the President of the United States is absolutely immune from criminal prosecution for unlawful conduct whenever he or she engages in “core constitutional duties” and is presumably immune from criminal prosecution for unlawful conduct while engaging in other “official duties.”

Less than two weeks later, on July 13, a gunman fired several rounds from an AR-15 assault rifle during a Donald Trump campaign rally in Pennsylvania. Trump was slightly wounded. Another person was struck and killed by one of the bullets. A third person was injured. Many others were frightened. The alleged gunman was eventually killed.

Perhaps it is coincidence that the Trump-loaded Supreme Court issued what all credible legal experts term an unprecedented constitutional interpretation of executive power days before Donald Trump was to have been sentenced on July 11 by New York judge Juan Merchan for the 34 felonies that a jury found Trump guilty of committing to falsify business records to hide what amounted to illegal campaign payments.

Perhaps it is coincidence that the suspected attempt to assassinate Trump occurred the weekend before the beginning of the Republican National Convention at which Trump, the presumptive nominee of the Republican Party, is expected to be officially chosen as the Republican Party candidate for the President during the 2024 general election.

Perhaps it is coincidence that the suspected attempt to assassinate Trump occurred three and a half years after Trump urged his followers at a “Stop the Steal” rally on January 6, 2021, in Washington, D.C. to “fight like hell,” before directing them to march to the U.S. Capitol.

Perhaps it is coincidence that violence against members of the U.S. Congress and Senate, police officers guarding the Capitol, and political violence before and after January 6 has been aimed at building support for right-wing authoritarianism.

And no one could have predicted that President Joseph Biden would have performed so poorly during his June 27 debate with Trump. Biden’s debate performance triggered new speculation about whether Biden should withdraw from the election campaign, whether he will withdraw, who might succeed him if he withdraw, and whether Biden’s supporters will stick with him, or whether they will rally behind someone else should he withdraw, and whether a replacement candidate would be able to defeat Donald Trump..  

These are not the only signs that the United States appears to be moving towards fascism. Religious extremists, right-wing political actors, and far-right wealthy opportunists are working to cancel civil rights laws that protect vulnerable people from bigotry and discrimination. The Democratic and Republican parties seem unwilling to put aside their partisan bickering and embrace policies that serve people who live with their backs against the wall. There are growing signs that a significant part of the U.S. adult population questions the desirability of a pluralistic society that operates according to democratic norms.

Most recently, Federal District Judge Aileen Cannon dismissed the criminal charges against Trump for mishandling classified documents in a 93-page decision on July 15. Defying decades of legal precedent, Judge Cannon ruled that Special Counsel Jack Smith was without legal authority to pursue criminal charges against Trump because Smith was lacked a presidential appointment and was not confirmed by the U.S. Senate. The decision will probably be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit in Atlanta, which reversed an earlier decision by Judge Cannon that the Court of Appeals determined violated established law.

Authoritarian rulers are ushered into power by people who fear democracy. As those fearful people grow more alarmed about the future, they gravitate toward leaders who claim to offer safety in sameness, and who distrust views and people who welcome civil discourse, inclusion, and respect for civil liberties.

Donald Trump and other would-be authoritarian rulers thrive on fear, distrust, and chaos. We will learn in the coming months whether American voters join their staggering march toward fascism or reject their dystopian worldview by reaffirming their commitment to democracy, justice, and inclusion.