Trump's Threat To Democracy

"I can do whatever I want"

It's been 100 days since Trump has been sworn in as "President of the United States". As expected, he's already unleashed a Tsunami of Chaos by belching out innumerable vomit-worthy Executive Orders and issuing threats to commit military and economic terrorism (punitive tariffs) against U.S. allies and friends like: Cananda, Denmark, Mexico, Panama, and many, many, others.

He has initiated a nationwide mass roundup of refugees and immigrants he disparages as "illegal aliens". He's imprisoning thousands of them in an El Salvadorian Gulag, in Guantanamo, and in what some describe as "concentration and family-separation camps" in Arizona and Texas. That, while thousands of others are being immediately deported back to their countries of origin, handcuffed, escorted by armed security guards, and transported in U.S. military cargo planes.

In addition, many of his lunatic and sycophantic "Cabinet" members, and FBI leadership, have been confirmed and appear to be carrying out any and all orders, including criminally unlawful ones that violate basic Constitutional and Human Rights. These are just a few of the Trump actions and developments over the past few weeks. The Socratic Discussion & Action Group addresses these questions: (1) What do these actions by the Trump Regime mean for democracy in the United States? And (2) What actions, if any, should conscientious people take in response?

My answer to (1) is that Trump is at the beginning of building a tyrannical dictatorship secured by the customary Police State. Its ultimate purpose is to destroy American democracy and the Constitutional system it is founded on; and (2) conscientious people should take whatever actions they are capable of and willing to take in order to prevent Trump from succeeding in his effort to establish dictatorship and destroying American democracy,

For me that means lobbying local legislative bodies (like the King County Council & City of Seattle Council) to lead the way by making public proclamations to mobilize communities to defend democracy by whatever legal means necessary. In my view--street activists must become allied with local governments.

Right now, that means the King County Council should pass a Resolution requesting our state's Governor, Bob Ferguson, to issue a Proclamation declaring a statewide State of Emergency. Most importantly, he should invite Governors and state Attorney Generals to a convention for the purpose of entering into a compact to use state, county, and city, economic and political power to prevent the establishment of dictatorship.

Why the King County Council? Because it is one of the most potentially politically powerful legislative bodies in the United States. It represents over 2.26 million people. That numerical constituency constitutes 30% of the entire Washington State population; its is the most populous county government constituency in the state and the 12th largest in the United States out of 3,144 counties (more populous that 99.7%); and it is a greater constituency by the numbers than 14 States in the United States (Wyoming, Alaska, Vermont, North Dakota, South Dakota, Delaware, Montana, Rhode Island, Maine, New Hampshire, Hawaii, West Virginia, Idaho, and Nebraska).

Furthermore, the King County Council is infinitely more accessible than members of our Congressional delegation and, unlike the minority status powerlessness of the Democratic Party in Congress, the King County Council's nine voting members are a legislative "super-majority" dominated by seven Democrats over two Republicans.

I believe that in approximately 2 months (mid-June), Trump's agency chiefs, and their subordinate henchmen, will achieve full operational control over key power centers like: the Department of Defense, the Department of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI, other federal police agencies, and the Office of Management and Budget and the Treasury Department.

When that occurs, there will be very little left capable of resisting the dictatorial will of Trump and whoever comes after him as his political successor.

We must join together to stop this from happening.