Today in America | 22 DEC 2023…

 

America’s polarization is accelerating, the early drumming of a potential civil war is being played – and I don’t like it.  This is what we can do about it!

Politics are still irrelevant – yes really…

It has been a while since the last time I got a chance to write a “Today in America” article – my favorite series on this blog-site.  But that has not stopped my predictions from becoming true.  What I find most disturbing of all right now is that the early drumming marching set-up for a potential Civil War – these indicators are ongoing.  Is that parabolic?  I wish it was, but the reality is a lot more complex and dynamic.

Politics are not as relevant as some people might think, because this visceral response is not about actual policy or doctrine.  Those attributes are incidental at best.  They only serve as a way to pick a “team” to “root for” or to “feel” part of.  Never mind that the actual platform policies have been already conflicting with their own narratives for years.  It is important to highlight that not everybody feeling compelled to “fight” this civil war is actually a “bad person” – many are just confused.  Especially some who are aggressors who think they are in fact defenders.

And in this confusion, they can feel vindication for their nefarious actions – THAT is why I find this situation most disturbing in these early states of the potentially-looming horrific divide. I’ve written before – several times, that for example, it is futile to label so called “MAGA” Republicans in any derogatory epithet and expect that is enough to reach a solution.  Communication breakdown is a key component of division.  It is intended to be that way.  In simpler words it’s a trap. I interact with people who have become victims of propaganda pretty much every day.

Many of them are honest-to-goodness good people, or at the very least their heart is in the right place.  However, their decisions are factored with faulty data.  Then the correct answer to them becomes counterintuitive, and arguing with them tends to becomes frustrating or even futile.  Especially if they realized they are wrong.  Some of them then just really want to piss you off.  For others it actually becomes a traumatic event.  Facts, and rationally be damned at that point.

But it is this lack of rationality that is so enticing to those demagogs who want to push a divisive narrative into an action.  Whatever this action might be, so long it is self-serving.  If does not matter if you are for or against it. It only matters if the conversation breaks down to the point that we stop listening to each other, and forgo any actual substance in the argument’s merit.  Especially if we happen to agree on key points.  Again, this is by design, and I’ve been talking about it for years, and I am quite frankly starting to get desperate, because we’re quickly approaching the point of no return.

What IS happening to America?

The latest incendiary issue to affect us all spans from the verdict ruled by the Supreme Court in the State of Colorado.  On December, 19 2023 – the Colorado Supreme Court voted to remove Donald J. Trump from the primary ballot.  Sure, there are a bunch of other things going on, but this is a catalyst for a lot more than what meets the eye.

Read the full 2013-page document here.
23SA300 Supreme Court Colorado Removing Trump Full Document

 

The grounds for the removal were put in effect because of a provision on the 14th Amendment of the United Sates Constitution that prohibits a person involved in an insurrection to run for office.  This a provision that dates back to the times after the Civil War.  In essence politicians who were pro-Confederacy were (and former Confederate themselves) sent to Congress by those same states who wanted to separate themselves from America.

Unsurprisingly, they were not very cordial to anybody who was not pro-Confederacy – yes even after the American Civil War. Fast forward to December 2023, love or hate Trump is not the issue here.  Nobody, and I mean NOBODY would have been able to run for office with his legal rap in a realistic Presidential-race.  In fact, with all his 90+ criminal charges and other civil charges he would most likely not been able to apply for even a low-level government job anywhere.  Not as a civilian, not as a military… he would have not been accepted.  I know that for a fact, because I am quite familiar with the process, having been working with the government for over 20 years.

And of course, it was recently broadcasted that more criminal charges might be added in connection with election interference.  This time in the State of Michigan.  So even if this pattern of misbehavior was a coincidence, at some point we have to face the reality that the probably for coincidences have long been exhausted.  It behooves to see the facts very pragmatically – especially for MAGA supporters.  Because if he is actually guilty, they are defending the indefensible.  And it also becomes their legacy.  Not unlike knowing that you’ve gotten swindled by somebody and giving them your sustained undeterred devotion.

To put this in context, every U.S. Government worker – being civilian or military must have at a minimum impeccable trustworthiness, loyalty, and character.  If any of those are impacted negatively in any way, then the person would not be selected for that job, and other candidates who do meet that minimal threshold would be considered for that (or any position) available. Hence it is only logical that for the most exulted office in the land, this minimum threshold should not be an exception.  In fact, a lot more is needed of the incumbent or aspirant for that job.  Sure, that Trump is innocent until proven guilty, but likewise when there are open cases (especially criminal cases) people applying for a government job do not get hired until it gets sorted out.  Why should a candidate be different?  Because he’s popular?  There are other candidates who could represent the ticket who do not have the same list of charges.

Let’s do a quick case study example.  Let’s say that a person who is seeking a job in a junior position which requires a security clearance has gotten into some legal trouble.  The case is still pending.  For example, let us say that the job deals with the maintenance of a particular weapons system.  The person might or might not be innocent of the charges, but how do we know for sure? So, the question is: Should this person be hired regardless?  Spoiler alert, the answer is NO.

And that is exactly what does happen in government – and it has for years.  Even contractors have a lot of limitations based on placement and access.  That being the case, what should we expect for the highest office on the land, the office with the greatest placement and access of all?  The answer is obvious. And we would have to be very naïve to think that accruing 90+ criminal charges, being twice impeached, and a plethora of other civil cases (which he has not won, or is losing) it is actually a very hard list of trouble to amass for any person.

Are ALL those charges frivolous?  Are they?  Are the prosecutors going to risk their career risking a mistrial?  Also, worth mentioning, why are most of Trump’s lawyers and co-defendants jumping ship and testifying against him?  At some point, the “benefit of the doubt” becomes more dubious than simple apathy for this man. However, his base will happily listen and believe anything that comes out of his mouth, and his acolytes.  However, they will disavow and even go on the offensive against those very acolytes, should they start speaking out of turn against Trump.

Some of those acolytes were themselves on the offensive of others beforehand – until it was their turn to be under the Trump train wheels.  For many of us, we are not surprised to see this happening.  Being Trump or anybody else, the actions are more important than who is enacting them.  If Biden was doing the same things, I would be writing about him too. But I digress.  However, there is no shortage of GOP members, to include presidential-hopefuls who are galvanizing in favor of Trump. I was actually surprised that many of them would actually take themselves off the ballot in Colorado to support him.  And that of course might have been naïve of me to think that they had some principles on the actual merits.

The promoter for that was Presidential Hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy.  He essentially dared the other candidates to do so.  I let Ramaswamy know every now and the of them via twitter my opinion when he pops on my feed and his words are dangerous to national security– not that I will ever get a response.  But I want to do my part, even if he does not understand why.  I always ask him to have his staff contact me for him to understand the unintended consequences for his often-misguided policies.   In either case I was hoping deep inside that the GOP hopefuls would take the hint that this is not a battle they want to fight.  Maybe a tactical advantage -because of Trump’s base, but the pages of history will state the truth – they are right now advocating for supporting a person who has been guilty of several crimes, insurrection in particular – and punishing their own campaigns in the process.

I was specially disappointed at Chris Christie who tends to be a very vocal dissenter of Trump – nowadays.  He has of course been humiliated by Trump before multiple times, and despite this Christie was also one of his most fervent supporters.  I don’t know if he realizes that cameras do record what he was saying.  But his flip flopping and excuses for his actions might be bought by a few people, but most people don’t trust him.  Hence the polls show it on the numbers for support among the GOP themselves.  The blue side would be goose eggs.

But I realize that to an extent that is irrelevant.  Just now I’ve been speaking with somebody on social media who is very much convinced of narratives that have been fed to him for years – and parrots propaganda points with a lot of confidence.  Even though his arguments have the water integrity of a hair net.  Facts be damned.  But the problem is a lot deeper than what we are seeing now, this propagandistic narrative has been building up for years, and it is accelerating.  And it needs to stop.  The only way to do so is by educating people who are perhaps blissfully unaware of all this chaos happening around them – to wake up!

 

The drumming of a Neo-American Civil War needs to be stopped.

Yes, it might seem like my articles turn into a shameless plug for my books, but I wrote them because of what is happening right now.  Everybody is “talking” about the symptoms of authoritarianism and some of the rhetoric, but missing the point by a factor of galactic proportions.  This goes for mainstream media, pundits, and a bunch of other – perhaps well intentioned locutors.  They are falling into the trap too.  My books, just like my writing pertaining to these articles, are not a vanity affair.  I am very disturbed by the events in the world, and I will use my platform, however (relatively) small at this time to do my part.

AUTHORITARIANISM & PROPAGANDA The Puppet Master Tools – get it here

We have to understand that propaganda is designed to be subtle in execution – even if the reactions it incites are very much on the nose.  I know that sounds like an oxymoron, but I is not.  You see, a propagandist plants some seeds, and these ideas are churning on people’s minds.  They become repeated from different angles, validated by other people repeating them, and suddenly they become normalized.  It does not matter if you are in the favoring or dissenting side of the [chosen] issue.  That is not important as much as how willing are you to be divisive against “the others.”

If you are on the side that is divisive – but on rooting for the home team, good news!  They got you – or you will become a token figure to be made an illustrious example to the larger audience.  A picture-perfect speaker.

If you’re rooting for the visitors’ team, stand by. They will either discredit you or try to quiet you down any way possible.  This is what I realize more and more is happening to the rest of the world who has an important message to share.  It won’t be surprising for you to see that some of the people with the most short-sighted and off-the-wall ideas are getting a lot of attention – AND followers!  And so are those who are distracting people from the real situation that is affecting their very lives.  Meanwhile, trying to get your foot through the door to speak your voice will feel like screaming into a void.  I know I’ve felt that way more often than I wish, though things are turning the tide – but perhaps not fast enough, given the urgency of the situation.

I’ve been pondering on that instance – though I am grateful that we have reached readers in 79+ countries, and there is a grass-roots audience who is receptive to the message we are conveying.  But there are millions out there who will prefer to be disengaged, but who will affect all our lives, like it or not.  I’ll continue doing my part to help the “algorithms” (which is the larger audience) find my content and spread my message.

I do get offers from many people who claim to be able to do so, but they haven’t read a word I’ve written.  I prefer not to give them my business if they haven’t taken that crucial first step.

But in the meantime, this “junior clout” makes it very difficult to get across to others who need to hear this message.  Because of the inheriting emergency for this topic.  For that reason, I’ve decided not to be subtle at all, and I am going to be engaging with people who have large platforms until they get sick of me.  Or finally re-engage.  I am not rude, but I am going to be appearing more and more on their feeds until those who review the” engagement” finally get the epiphany I’m trying to transmit.

The truth is that I cannot keep waiting until maybe one day those with a larger platform figure out who I am and what I was trying to say.  I do this project (Half Life Crisis) on my own (my daughter is my team mate, but she is only 12) while trying to retire from Active Duty Navy – so this is incumbent on me to put this together in the most effective manner.  That is why I keep asking for help to spread my message.  This is no different, but the reason why I say that is because I see a neo-American Civil War approaching, and by the time I finally reach some clout it might be a moot point.

Nothing that has happened in the last several years has surprised me, and so far, I’ve been spot on in every prediction.  The only way to stop it is if people understand what is REALLY at stake and how to reverse these bad trends.  It is disturbing to me that most people I speak to have no idea about the insurrection on January 6, 2021.  Some are even in denial that for the first time in our lifetimes the former and current Presidents of the United States were not present together for the peaceful transfer of power.

Those controversial moments are wonderful news for other nations who are suppressing their people under authoritarian regimes.  “If it happens in the United States, then it is very easy to let it happen in any other country around the world.”  This new trend should be a very disturbing situation to anybody.  It most definitely is very disturbing to me.  That is why I keep writing about it.

I realize that the tenor of my article is a bit darker.  I don’t wish it to be that way.  But the fact is that we have to adapt to the environment, and the environment is dangerously chaotic.  There have been a lot of instances where violence and dehumanizing rhetoric continues to normalize.  In fact, some people even seem to welcome it.  When people such as Trump call their opposition “vermin” or “poisoning the blood” of our country.  Those were words used by Hitler himself.

When Trump says point blank that he would be a dictator “only on day one” – that should not be tongue in cheek.  Most disturbing is the fact that his base actually cheers and applauds, yet they don’t realize that this divisive rhetoric is eerily similar to what others have communicated before some of the worst chapters in our history.

The solution is ensuring that people go out and vote understanding what they are really voting for.  Understand the policies, and understand the urgency of the situation.  There is a much larger world than the United States alone.  And some of those authoritarians have already galvanized their power over there.  It is going to happen here sooner than we know – but we still have time to work together.

If you haven’t yet, please read and share my books with everyone you know, so we can continue this important conversation.  Time is running out, and anything else we try to do will become a moot point.  I’m doing my part, the best I can – but I am only one man.  Thank you for being part of this solution!  HLC