Operation American Freedom

It happened 16 years ago when the Republicans stole the presidency from Al Gore.

And it’s happening again, but likely with even worse consequences. Once more the majority of Americans have been cheated. When the majority loses, America loses.

Imagine the reaction by the Trumpists if the situation were reversed. Most of them probably believe THEY are the majority, and that Obama is a foreign Muslim, or any other of their innumerable lunacies. Many of Trump’s fringe threatened armed resistance over the “rigged election”. 

It would have been very ugly if Hillary won. We all know that.

Unfortunately, this reality is far uglier, with an impulsive, thin-skinned, authoritarian leader of an unchecked Republican one-party regime.

 This cannot turn out well, folks. 

Trump will fail. Big league. He will not “make America great again”.

IF we make it past this looming American, and likely global, debacle we MIGHT learn from it.

The last time Republicans stole the White House they cut taxes for the rich and deregulated everything within reach. They started a war based on lies that would fill crony pockets with tax payers’ dollars. They ignored Habeas Corpus, imposed a surveillance state that violates the Fourth Amendment, incarcerated people without charges, and they tortured.

Their war left countless thousands dead, a ravaged nation in ruins, a civil war, and in 2006 spawned ISIS. They left us with two unfinished wars, financial collapse, rising unemployment, and the Great Recession.

Americans who still have a memory know this crap is certain to be repeated. We remember “terror warnings” and the warmongering and how the American people accepted a war of aggression and warrantless surveillance of citizens. 

9-11 and the authoritarian and belligerent reaction by the Bush Regime paved the way from mere inverted totalitarianism to American proto-fascism. 

Tragically, and meekly, Obama chose to “look forward” and let bygones be bygones for the torturers and war criminals. No one was held accountable for lies that led to war, for war crimes, and for torture.

The lesson for far Right authoritarians didn’t go unnoticed, “We can get away with it”. Trump declared his fondness for waterboarding and said he would go beyond, "We have to play the game the way they're playing the game. You're not going to win if we're soft and they're, they have no rules.”

“No rules”.

The United States of America is ripe for fascism.

Trump doubled down on fear, anger and blame, stoking the flames of American white nationalism and neo-fascism to new heights.

   

The Bush Administration unleashed law enforcement to kick in the doors of peace groups and critics. 

What can dissenters expect from the Trump Regime?

We have seen how any question, appeal to reason, satire, or criticism will be met with vicious and demonizing reprisals. And this is happening before they take real power.

Too many Americans disagree with their Leader. This will not be tolerated. Obedience to the authoritarian regime is non-negotiable. Dissent will be met with retaliation.

American freedom itself will become their adversary. The Trump Regime will be threatened by what’s left of American freedom. The Fourth Amendment has been conveniently weakened after Bush and Obama. And the far Right only cares about the Second Amendment, for their NRA, loyal militias, and other paranoid types.

That still leaves a bit too much American Freedom.

Before they can Make America Great Again™, Operation American Freedom must be the first victory for the Trump Regime. 

Freedom of religion? Hell, no! They want Muslims banned, and to register with the government. Non-Christians will be scorned.

Freedom of assembly? Only at Trump rallies.

Freedom of the press? Hell, no! Not if they disrespect the Leader. 

Trump has promised to muzzle the press, as his “Constitution-loving” henchmen will do their best to impose that muzzle. 

Free speech? Hell, no! When Pence attended their show, the cast of Hamilton, exercising their freedom of speech, pleaded their case for diversity and fairness: 

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Vice President-elect Pence, we welcome you and we truly thank you for joining us here at Hamilton: An American Musical. We really do. We, sir, we are the diverse America who are alarmed and anxious that your new administration will not protect us — our planet, our children, our parents — or defend us and uphold our inalienable rights, sir. But we truly hope that this show has inspired you to uphold our American values and to work on behalf of all of us. All of us.

Again, we truly thank you for sharing this show. This wonderful American story told by a diverse group of men [and] women of different colors, creeds, and orientations.

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How horrible of those dancing Broadway thugs! Have they no human decency? This angered Trump. 

Mr. Decency tweeted Nov. 19. "The cast of Hamilton was very rude last night to a very good man, Mike Pence. Apologize!"

Yes, the cast was so rude. And for the record, threatening a presidential opponent with prison while calling her crooked is...well...OK if you’re Trump. No rudeness at all, nothing that requires an apology, right? 

Trump whined, "Our wonderful future V.P. Mike Pence was harassed last night ...This should not happen!"

The horror! Being asked politely to uphold our American values is being harassed.

For perspective, everyone knows grabbing women’s crotches doesn’t come close to being harassment. They’re just women, after all. And Trump’s a star.

Exercising free speech, an act that is the essence of American freedom, pleading for the Trump regime to uphold our American values is something that “should not happen!"

So now we’re clear. Free speech will not be tolerated.

I just don’t know how to thank all you Trump/Republican voters for making America so great. 

No need to apologize, because “Crooked” Hillary used a private email server. So did Dick Cheney. So what? As with pussy grabbing and torture, it’s OK if you are Republican.

And isn’t that what really makes America great?