Consequences

The other day at the radio station, one of my co-workers asked what we can do to stop Trump's FCC from getting rid of the ownership rules for media.  My response:

"Nothing."

There's nothing we can do because elections have consequences.  Sure, Trump hasn't been able to get his signature legislation pushed through the Republican Congress, but it sure doesn't mean he isn't dramatically altering this country for generations to come.  The damage he and his Administration have embarked upon will leave a near fatal wound in this once great country.

These were my two favorite political cartoons from last year's election.  I think they sum up the Trump voter's stupidity perfectly:

Anyone who actually listened to the insanity coming from Trump's mouth should've figured out voting for him would dramatically damage this country, yet they still showed up in droves, mainly because they have been brainwashed into hating Democrats more than they love their country or their own well being.  Most people don't have a grasp of how a government of this magnitude is actually run.  The big signature issues for Trump might get stopped, but it's the fabric of how the country operates where the real damage is being done.

Trump's Department Secretaries have two goals: 1) dramatically slash the staff and budgets of said departments and 2) annihilate any barrier or hurdle to private business from being able to maximize profits.  Zinke, Perry, Carson, Pruitt, Mnuchin, Ross, DeVos, Pai; they've all taken to their tasks with unfettered glee.  National Parks and Monuments are being sectioned off for mining and drilling.  Environmental laws are being insanely gutted.  Public education is being pushed to the back burner for far more expensive, and far less successful, charter school and voucher programs, run by private companies.  The FCC is opening the door for a dozen or so people to determine all media content you see on a daily basis, and they're getting ready to turn the internet into a cable TV like structure, where all conservative news outlets are free with your subscription, but anything with a non-conservative slant is only available in a gold level, premium membership plan.  Economic policy is being given an overhaul, meaning the largest corporations have their needs served while small business are told to fend for themselves.  All of what I've described isn't even 5% of what these Department Secretaries are doing!

And the ideological purge is insane, with anyone who's ever expressed an opinion which goes against Trump Doctrine being run out of the government, replaced by corporate friendly advocates, scientists and spokespeople.  

When a Democrat takes the White House back, they'll discover the rules will have been re-written, where they won't be able to fix these changes easily.  The fixes for slashed budgets and staffing needs will be labeled as 'tax and spend liberals wanting to make big government even bigger, wasting our taxpayer dollars.'  And considering the lack of spine many Democrats have, they'll shy away from fixing what's been broken.

The White House itself is not only doing such atrocious things as vilifying all Muslims, rounding up anyone who looks undocumented, and endangering our military with the constant misguided saber rattling, they're doing incredible damage to our international standing.  Not only are our relations with allies at all time lows (outside of Russia), the trade deals which the USA is purposely being excluded from will hamper American business for the next half century.  Other countries are scrambling to fill the void Trump's bloviated ego has created at the negotiating table, and the long term impacts will dramatically damage American business and agriculture.

But it's Trump's judicial nominees where the real impact to Americans will be felt for a generation.  Trump, along with the Republican Congress, are filling the backlog of judicial appointments, a backlog they purposely created, filling them with the most unqualified buffoons one can imagine.  Trump's nominees have a 'zero qualification rating' from the American Bar Association, have never seen the inside of a courtroom, are horrific racists, homophobes, and bigots, have pledged undying loyalty to corporate special interest groups and industrial organizations, and proudly wave the Trump flag, promising to do so for their entire term, which is for life!!!  That means, even if the Democrats have a filibuster proof majority in the House and Senate, and occupy the White House, judges will still be ruling happily in favor of the NRA and Hobby Lobby, and against human rights, immigrant rights, and a women's right to choose, FOR THE NEXT THIRTY YEARS!!!

What can we do to stop them?  Nothing.  In May of 2018, Republicans will be looking to try to find something they can peddle to their constituents to convince them 'I'm not just a rubber stamp for Trump!'  At that point, they might acknowledge the bevy of unqualified people they've green lighted, starting to pump the brakes themselves.

Remember this crap!  Every Republican Senator should have to answer why the hell they let this level of incompetence loose, unchecked.  Remind them there are consequences for their complacency and endorsement.  Make sure you hammer them on their votes for the entire next year.

And then take back the House in 2018!  The Senate too! Take them both and then you can start immediate hearings on the policies and cuts the Department heads have done.  Congress could start a public review of Trump's actions.  Unfortunately there's nothing you can do to stop the judges, but we can use these confirmations as campaign material for 2018.  The House can impeach Administration officials, and as much as the spineless Democratic leadership is insisting we can't impeach, you sure as heck can!  Trust me! The thought of impeaching Betsy DeVos alone is worth 5,000 votes in EVERY House and Senate race in the country.

In 2020, the Democrats need the Presidency, the House and Senate, with large margins in each body of Congress, if there's any hope to undo the damage which has already been done.  Elections have consequences.  

Please remember that.