By: Donald V. Watkins
Copyrighted and Published on November 28, 2020
November 3, 2020 marked the beginning of the end to the 4-year reign of President Donald J. Trump. American voters ended Trump’s bid for re-election. During his only term in office, voters came to see Trump for who he really is – a racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, crude, narcissistic, corrupt, unfit, and morally bankrupt despot.
Trump ran the presidency with an ironclad fist. He ran through White House staffers, cabinet appointees and other top administration officials like he ran through wives and girlfriends. Many Republican members of Congress, who privately expressed their dislike of Trump, lived in fear of him because Trump and his FOX talk show media allies would scourge any public figure who openly criticized the President.
Trump’s cavalier attitude towards the deadly coronavirus proved to be his undoing. Even though Trump's national security advisor privately warned Trump in January of 2020 that the virus was highly contagious and extremely deadly, Trump ignored this advice. He publicly proclaimed that COVID-19 was the Democrat’s newest “hoax” and that the virus would go away like the “flu”. Trump was wrong on both counts. Today, there are 13,454,346 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 271,029 Americans have lost their lives to the virus.
Trump vs. Hitler
The international world had not seen an authoritarian leader like Donald Trump since Adolf Hitler seized control of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. The Aryan nationalism espoused by Hitler sounds and feels a lot like Trump’s “Make America Great Again” political theme and action plan.
Hitler enjoyed the popular support of “good” Germans who focused on (a) the improved German economy, (b) Hitler’s anti-immigration policies that targeted Jews, gay, gypsies, and Black Germans and (c) the growing industrialization of Germany. These “good” Germans turned a blind eye to Hitler’s atrocities.
Trump enjoyed the popular support of “good” Republicans who once championed (a) sound fiscal policy, (b) limited national government, (c) ethical government, (d) protecting the world from tyrants and dictators, (e) military might, and (f) family values. Over the last 4 years, they only championed Donald Trump, warts and all. The actually idolized him.
Like Hitler’s fanatics in Nazi Germany, Trump’s supporters showed they would tolerate his intolerable conduct whenever Trump demonized and castigated entire segments of the national population and others (i.e. Jewish people, African-Americans, Muslims, gays, immigrants of color, “shithole” countries, etc.)
The faces in the crowds at Trump rallies mirrored the faces in the crowds at Hitler’s rallies in Nazi Germany.
Nobody in Nazi Germany reigned in Hitler’s abuses of power. Nobody in the Republican Party reigned in Trump’s abuses of power and pettiness.
Hitler and Trump reshaped their respective government cabinets and federal judiciaries in their own ideological images.
Hitler and Trump were known for their cold-blooded ruthlessness, which appealed to the worst instincts in their diehard political bases.
For 4 years, Trump succeeded in redefining America in his own image – self-centered, untrustworthy as an ally, unethical, immoral, hypocritical, untruthful, devoid of character, hostile towards people of color, intolerant of religious differences, tyrannical and rudderless.
Unlike Hitler’s violent demise in Nazi Germany, American voters decided on November 3rd to end Trump’s reign of terror. This was the day a majority of voters decided to “Make America Great Again” by ridding the nation of a despot named Donald Trump. This is what makes America the greatest democracy the world has ever known. We use ballots rather than bullets to end authoritarian rule.
Nuremburg-Like Trials Warranted
Starting on January 20, 2021, Americans will learn the full extent of the atrocities committed by the Donald Trump regime against (a) immigrants of color at the Southern border, (b) Muslims seeking lawful entry into the country, (c) African-Americans and working poor people seeking upward mobility and (d) a host of other groups deemed “undesirable” by Trump and senior presidential advisor, Stephen Miller.
The nation will likely need to hold Nuremburg-like trials for senior Trump cabinet members and White House staffers who ordered these atrocities committed to ingratiate themselves to Trump. Most of these atrocities were committed by the Departments of State and Homeland Security and senior White House staffers. The criminal indictments should be handed down in Washington, D.C. and the trials should be conducted in that venue, as well.
These trials are essential for the nation to heal itself and for America to return to its coveted role as the “Leader of the Free World”. We must show the people of China, Russia, and North Korea how America deals with homegrown despots when their conduct in office shocks the conscience of humanity.
Epilogue
Trump will likely pardon himself and his family members for any and all federal crimes committed while he was in office. True to his nature, Trump will leave his subordinates exposed and hanging. Trump did exactly this during each one of his six bankruptcies.
Republicans can appropriately distance themselves from Trump the same way the “good” Germans distanced themselves from Hitler at the end of World War II – they can say they would not have supported Trump had they known about his atrocities against the groups he persecuted. We can and must forgive them. As Jesus said, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” Matthew 12:25.
Trump can now take his rightful place in the dustbin of history of deposed despots.
