It can happen here

Clowns who say outrageous things, who are completely unqualified for office, are very capable of being elected in America. They are entertaining, underestimated, and disasters in office. The highest office reached so far has been governor — think Jesse Ventura in Minnesota and Lester Maddox in Georgia. Closer to home was Evan Mecham, the governor of Arizona from 1987 until he was impeached and removed from office less than 15 tumultuous months later.

Mecham was a clown, given to conspiracy theories and outrageous statements — his "pickanniny" comment and blaming working women for high divorce rates were only two. But he had support from the state's right wing, especially John Birchers and fellow Mormons. He was a populist, after his fashion. In Mecham's world, the government was the enemy and cause of all ills. He wanted to eliminate income taxes and turn over the public's lands to state interests. A theocrat, Mecham wanted to have prayer in public schools. Threats were everywhere, out to destroy real Americans and the real America.

The toupee'd Glendale car dealer and serially failed newspaper publisher gave Carl Hayden a scare in the 1962 U.S. Senate race. Among his issues was a demand that the United States withdraw from the United Nations. Hayden's longtime aide Roy Elson organized a campaign to "reintroduce" the senator to a state he had served in Washington since 1912, but had attracted large numbers of newcomers since 1956. Hayden won comfortably, but many old Arizonans were unsettled. That anyone could get 45 percent of the vote against the state's indispensable man in the fight for the Central Arizona Project was astounding and deeply disturbing.

Mecham ran outsider campaigns for governor again four times before winning. As in 1962, each election he explicitly ran an insurgent campaign against elites and "the establishment."

His election was a fluke. In the 1986 Republican primary, he faced the respected state House leader Burton Barr, who was supported by the establishment, from Barry Goldwater to the Pulliam press. But Barr, a legislative wizard, ran a sluggish campaign. Turnout was the lowest in 40 years. And Mecham cleverly exploited the grievances and paranoia of newcomer retirees, adding to his Bircher and LDS base — people who did vote. On the Democratic side, and back then Arizona was a competitive state, Carolyn Warner was sandbagged by apartment magnate Bill Schultz, who got out of the race only to reemerge as an independent.

Forty percent of the vote was enough to put Mecham in the governor's office.

When Mecham was defenestrated, it was not a case of an upright paladin of the people, truth teller and the "Only I" who could save the state and nation being done in by the secret machinations of the evil establishment. Mecham did himself in, quite publicly.

To be sure, it was a different era. Arizona still had major headquarters and powerful civic stewards with personal stakes in the good of the state. The vast right-wing infrastructure had not yet reached the state level to the degree of today, where a national agenda of the private school racket, private prison racket, tax cut racket, and other hustles are implemented by dark money and slick "businessman-governors." The likes of Burt Barr and Paul Fannin (a real businessman turned governor and senator) would be horrified. What would Ev think?

[The real-estate developer] is tapping into much of the stew that goes back to Mecham and even before. A couple of things have changed. First, the Republican Party has become one flavor of extremist crazy and [the real-estate developer] says out loud what most of its members think but keep to themselves. And he adds his own distinctive, and often contrary to the party line, statements. Coming from someone who did not have what writer Ron Fournier calls the developer's "mendacity, megalomania, intolerance, and intellectual slovenliness," a few even have appeal.

Among the many things [the real-estate developer] has said is more solid support for infrastructure and passenger trains than has ever come from Hillary Clinton. I think it was a mistake to extend NATO to Russia's borders and "free riders" in the alliance are a problem. The Iraq war was a mistake. Political correctness is sometimes used to silence opponents and automatically invalidate their viewpoints. Can we keep admitting so many immigrants forever in a warming, destabilized world and wonder, at the least, why wages don't rise?

The trouble is, aside from the first point above, every other way [the real-estate developer] addresses these issues is with the scary tools of the demagogue. That he doesn't read books scares me even more — even W read books. He would appoint the extremist-right judges easily confirmed by a GOP Senate. He denies mainstream science on climate. And he would have the vastly expanded national-security powers of the presidency. All this makes him an existential threat to the republic. He cannot be allowed to win.

Yet he might. Clowns win. Evan Mecham was not a reality television star in a nation of vidiots. But Mecham slid into office in a splintered election. This year, we'll also see how many Americans want to waste a vote on Jill Stein or write in Bernie's name to show their own personal purity. Don't look for salvation in 2020, when America rises up as one liberal tide. Instead, I suspect a President Trump would pull a Mecham, with more dire consequences. He would then be impeached and removed by his own party — or by a military coup. Avoiding this, he would become the kind of strongman he admires around the world and 2020 will just be a year on the calendar.

AFTERWORD: As [the real-estate developer] continues with his outrageous statements, I have another thought. Right now, the Republicans are just focused on keeping Congress so they can impeach Hillary and prepare to win the White House in 2020. But what if [the developer] does a complete meltdown. Was Joe Scarborough telling the truth when he quoted a source saying [the developer] has asked why we don't use the nukes if we have them? Or is this the first step in removing him in favor of Paul Ryan. In many ways, the Speaker is more dangerous because he is considered a "serious" thinker and policy wonk by the media elites. Yet Ryan is in reality an extremist and the single most influential person behind the "austerity" that has so hurt the economy. A troubling thought.

 

Comments

[Bradley Dranka]

soleri:
I'm guessing, because I'm no expert on things, that Trump has told himself so often that he's the most grandiose, deserving, and righteous of god's creatures. This unequivocal standing in the universe makes any pronouncement he trumpets the absolute immutable truth.

Just another case of someone else telling themselves the lie so long that they believe it.

Which is precisely why he can't see these fallacies as lies: He's programmed himself to delete any such possibility. He's in his own universe, untethered to any reality but his own narrative.

[Bradley Dranka]

soleri:

I get a lot of my philosophy from popular music, It's a different way of getting my truths but hardly wrong.

I think Fleetwood Mac, circa 1973, is apropos here in discussing Trump's rise.
The lyrics are from "Heroes are Hard to Find." Christine McVie is the author.
Priceless!

FLEETWOOD MAC LYRICS

Play - Listen - Watch - Install

"Heroes Are Hard To Find"

Girls you know
When you're in the mood
(In the mood)
You may meet a man
Can't do anything good
(nothing good)
But you've got to pity him
And try to understand
(understand)
That a hero, a hero is so hard to find
When he takes you
For his love
(for his love)
And he tries to tell you
That there isn't any other
(don't believe him)
Oh, he may kiss you
And tell you he'll miss you
(such a shame)
But don't forget, a hero is so hard to find
When he says hello
Don't forget they're all the same
(you know they're all the same)
You may end up sitting all alone
And with yourself to blame
Oh, don't you let him
So when he tells you
You've got diamonds in your eyes
(he's just lying)
Don't get carried away
Cause you know he's selling you lies
(he's just lying)
So when you get the feeling
The man you've got's no good
He's no good
Well just remember, a hero is so hard to find
Well just remember, a hero is so hard to find
Heroes, heroes are hard to find
Heroes, heroes are hard to find
Heroes, heroes are hard to find
Heroes, heroes are hard to find...

[Bradley Dranka]

I think that the far-right wing Republicans are so eager for change that they'll accept anything, huge warts and all, that preaches change. They'll lionize that "changer" even if their message is interwoven with un-American and un-Christian diatribes focused on "outsiders."

As the song says, "Heroes are Hard to Find."

I don't need a hero in the White House (somebody smart is just fine), but I sure don't need a ZERO!

[B. Franklin]

At some point doesn't "not knowing" about Trump's various lies, distortions, et cetera, amount to willful ignorance?

I mean, at this stage of the process they're not exactly well kept secrets. Even some of the Fox News hacks have acknowledged them.

Regardless of how "good" some people may be in every other aspect of their lives, the inability, or unwillingness, to see through Trump's phoniness, and to understand how dangerous it would be to have him anywhere near the presidency, makes them suspect as truly engaged citizens.

To quote Mae West, "goodness has nothing to do with it."

[Bradley Dranka]

B. Franklin:

Amen.

All I ask my president is: Be good, and if you can't be good, be good at it.

On that last point, I believe there is an enormous chasm between the two candidates.

[Bradley Dranka]

soleri and B. Franklin:

I have said all along that Trump is not tethered to any reality other than what he's told himself; I posit that many of those championing him are similar in their cozy, self-told realities.

Among those who support Trump the loudest are the evangelicals. I strongly suspect that many among them silently pray and wish for the Armageddon (let's call it World War III), because all those "heathens and non-believers" will "get theirs." These supposed believers will then ascend into heaven--and everything will be perfect.

Trump is their logical choice to join in the contretemps that will expand to Armageddon.

I speak with authority about God and Jesus Christ because, on a Sunday in May of 1965, I was in absolute communion with God, and, by my following description, possibly in a much deeper and more complete way than Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s. words of, “Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.” The experience was, in my inadequate abilities of description, as if I were within God and God suffused my entire being. For that moment, I felt as if God was me, and I was God. The only sensation I felt was unfathomable and limitless love. This transfixing and transformative experience completely informs my life and guides my beliefs about the truly important things in this life. Because I DO know what God is about, my faith compels my speaking out about the wholesale injustices committed by those professing to believe in him.

If an entity such as an individual, organization, state, or country brings God into the equation of either its existence or mission, it is incumbent upon that entity in their conduct to behave as God would—to the best of their ability. That means with fairness, inclusion, and acceptance of everyone—with complete equality being the ideal.

I, in the strongest terms possible, vehemently believe that wishing for Armageddon IS EVIL AND DOING SATAN'S WORK!

[Bradley Dranka]

To all the "Trump-eters and Trump-pets:

Check this out:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/ct-trump-romance-glanton-20160805-column.html

I call it the Trump "meltdown."

The Chicago Tribune is the Republican paper in Chicago. Always has been.

[Cal Lash]

The last two columns have been mucho fun. Plus the singing poet, Soleri, returned with some words. Not his best singing poetic stuff but grounded sensible thought.
Thanks, Soleri for letting us know you are still out there peddling for a better planet.
So it looks like, according to Jeff Flake and others that, Arizona could slip into the Blue state column. That said, could be a game changer for the “senseless morons” like me that were going to write in Bernie.
I leave you with a quote.
“It is easier to not vote than to vote against your beliefs. But people should learn from the UK’s Referendum on leaving the EU.”
Tobias Stone.

and Brad
apocalyptic lift off
08/08/16, = 6
god will I be glad when those folks have lifted off to a "better" place.

[Cal Lash]

No such thing as a protest vote?

https://medium.com/@cshirky/theres-no-such-thing-as-a-protest-vote-c2fdacabd704#.sbqj42fko

[wkg in b ham]

Well you can breathe easy. Trump is through. His chances of the presidency were flushed down the toilet with that shameful Stephanopolis (spelling?) interview. I rarely watch network news but that night I was watching (well not actually watching but listening some of the time) the middle-of-the-night ABC’s “news” show World News Now (WNN). They replayed the damming portion of the interview and I was simply aghast. I asked myself “How could you do this? Are you an idiot?” Well to ask the question pretty much answers it.

He can fold up his tent and go home. Some gaffs you can wait to blow over or apply spin to or do an issue “reset” and try to undo some of the damage. This is not that kind of gaff. We’ll be seeing that tape over and over – I was a bit of it again last night WNN.

The election is HRC’s for the taking. It would take a massive mistake on her part – and she knows it. She can put it cruise control and coast home. I’m sure she’ll go back into her protective cocoon that she had to leave when the campaign seemed to be in free fall. All public appearances will be scripted and only safe issues discussed. All Q&A’s will be prearranged soft balls.

It will be interesting to see how this is going to affect down-ticket races.

Hey Cal. You can feel doubly good; Cruz is through too. His National aspirations went down the tubes with his snit over the Trump nomination.

Now I’ve got figure out how not to waste my vote.

[Cal Lash]

wgk, "down ticket "
there is more on the ballot than for president. The danger with Trumps "falling off the wall" is Bernie folks and many others may not go to the voting booth.

[Bradley Dranka]

Cal,

I don't think many of these religious hypocrites will be lifting off--if you know what I mean.

I as a Christian despise them.

[B. Franklin]

Nobody is going anywhere.

We're stuck with them.

Many, if not most, of our Republican Christians share all of the characteristics of Christ--except for sympathy, empathy, charity, and compassion.

And they can howl all they like, but their actions speak much louder than their words.

[Cal Lash]

B and B, short opinion: I respect your individual philosophy but I believe Organized Religion is the most dangerous enemy of humanity.

[B. Franklin]

Cal, it's all "mumbo jumbo" to me.

[Chucko]

Weird Ev may not have been a reality TV star (it hadn't been invented yet), but all those folksy TV spots he did for his Pontiac dealership sure kept his face in the public's mind between campaigns.

With comparable exposure, Ladmo could have won the governorship if he had decided to run.

[Cal Lash]

Ladmo would have been a great choice. With Gerald as secretary of state and Wallace as AG. And Monk as Sheriff and Larry Smith
(the monster in chains on the Wallace and Ladmo show)as my back up for fights at Ciots with Jack Elam and the Parson Brothers.
We could all hang out at The Curve with petite Susie Washam. On the road again in my four on the floor Chevy.

[Helen Highwater]

Truisms:

1. Religion exists so that poor people don't rise up and kill all the rich people.

2. NRA supporters make up a very small percentage of the population, yet are in the news constantly. It's a media problem, not an NRA problem.

3. LGBT supporters make up a very small percentage of the population, yet are in the news constantly. It's a media issue not a LGBT issue.

4. Abortions impact a very small percentage of the population, yet abortions are in the news constantly. It's a media issue, not an abortion issue.

We are split on every issue 50/50. Thanks to the media every issue is earth shattering and unsolvable.

[Cal Lash]

AMEN, HELEN.

[Jerry McKenzie]

Welcome back Soleri!

[Chris Thomas]

Well put, and welcome back, Soleri!
Also, I agree with Cal that, while Trump is an qualified buffoon, he happens to be right that going to war with Russia over Ukraine would be insane. Neocon foreign policy has been disastrous. And purported liberals using red-baiting to attack Trump is pathetic. Trump has a plethora of disqualifying traits, and calling him pinko sympathizer is just dumb. The last thing we need is two parties that question the patriotism of those who question the wisdom of counter-productive wars.

[Bradley Dranka]

Chris Thomas,

I think cozying up to Putin is as bad as going to war with him.

The middle course of keeping him at arm's length is best. Let Putin decide on whether he wants cooperation or standoffishness.