Democracy in Ancient Athens
As I have tried to understand how some of my most beloved friends and family members have supported Donald Trump and helped him rise to the highest office in the world, I try to remember this: they are not political scientists. They haven’t read Plato and Aristotle. They haven’t studied the rise and fall of governments. They haven’t given careful thought to the fundamentals of democracy and how easily democracy can devolve into tyranny. They are, perhaps, focused on business/economic principles and overlooking some historical/political principles. Unfortunately, a FOCUS on short-term wins and losses, OVERLOOKS long-term values and could lead to the end of democracy in our country. On October 6th, twenty of this country’s leading political scientists met to discuss the state of democracy in America, and they are worried: https://www.vox.com/2017/10/13/16431502/america-democracy-decline-liberalism
Here are some examples of things I am worried about...things that Trump supporters seem to be focusing on, and what they may be overlooking:
1) FOCUSING on the RIGHT for an individual to own a gun, OVERLOOKS the RIGHTS of all U.S. citizens NOT to be easily killed in random shootings,
2) FOCUSING on saving money on your individual health care premiums, OVERLOOKS the reality that you are willing to let other U.S. citizens (and, yes, even some illegal immigrants), DIE from lack of health care—and with one missed insurance payment that could be you,
3) FOCUSING on paying the lowest taxes possible, OVERLOOKS the actual COST of all of the things that U.S. citizens enjoy and take for granted, such as, inter-state highways, free K-12 education, public safety, national defense, clean air, clean water, antibiotics, street lights, dependable electrical grids, and thousands of other things the GOVERNMENT supplies for all of us (and, yes, even some illegal immigrants),
4) FOCUSING on what Donald Trump can do for you, OVERLOOKS his treatment of other people over the last 40 years, including, avoiding paying his debts by using bankruptcy laws (repeatedly), consistently stiffing his employees and contractors, laughingly admitting that his status as a celebrity allowed him to sexually assault women with no consequences, publicly humiliating his first wife for the enjoyment of the publicity it afforded him, talking about his own daughter as a sexual object on the Howard Stern show, making fun of a disabled reporter, denigrating a respected U.S. Senator who had endured five years of captivity and torture in the service of his country, disparaging Gold Star parents, ignoring the practice of releasing one’s tax returns when asking to serve the public in the highest office of the land, disrespecting the office of the presidency by putting his family members in high offices when they have no experience for the jobs, using the office of the presidency to enrich himself and his family by not divesting from his businesses, disrespecting the office of the presidency by his flagrant use of twitter to announce policies and engage in petty feuds, and childishly name-calling and vilifying anyone and everyone who does not agree with him (and, of course, including illegal immigrants),
4) FOCUSING on what some illegal immigrants cost this country, OVERLOOKS that the United States was built on the strength and resilience of illegal immigrants...even until the present day. If you are not a descendant of one of the Native American tribes, then YOU are the descendant of an illegal immigrant and the cheap cost of the food you eat today depends on the work of illegal immigrants,
5) FOCUSING on what you like to hear and wanting to silence the “liberal” media and opinions you don’t like, OVERLOOKS the fact that someday YOU might hold an unpopular opinion and be silenced in return,
6) FOCUSING on what you HATE about the GOVERNMENT, OVERLOOKS that in our Democratic Republic, we (all of us) ARE the GOVERNMENT.
7) FOCUSING on defeating Democrats at any cost, OVERLOOKS a common value shared by all who live in the United States: DEMOCRACY.
My hope is that all who support Donald Trump might read a bit of Plato and Aristotle, or just Google “how democracy devolves into tyranny.” FOCUS for a moment on what Donald Trump is doing to the United States. Our democracy is at stake, and we OVERLOOK that at our own peril.