How bad could it actually get in a Trump Administration? We'll find out soon enough. We're getting strong hints already.
With willing accomplices - before and after the fact - up and down the rungs of government, how far are they going to be willing to go to warp and twist the laws to achieve their plans?
Some people are already saying "I'm sure they don't mean all the things they said" or "Surely, once they get in, they'll get bogged down and have to compromise." I think that's pure fantasy. People spent the entire election saying "Any day now, he's going to collapse and fall by the wayside" and "Once people figure out what he's about, he's guaranteed to lose." Funny how that worked out.
If you're thinking that, after Jan 20, things are going to stay pretty much the same, you're deluding yourself. With his announced appointments so far, he's made it very clear that he's going to push a reactionary, anti-minority, anti-tolerance, anti-woman, anti-climate, and pro-white-nationalistic agenda. The question isn't whether they're going to push ahead, but when, how, and on what fronts.
If we accept as fact that a Trump Administration presents a real threat to the rule of law, and protection of civil liberties, then we have to accept that safety pins aren't going to accomplish the job of effective opposition. Neither will merely sitting at home and blasting out tweets or cranking out disgruntled blog entries.
It all comes down to action. We shelter in place in some respects, taking care of people most impacted by what's about to happen, and building protective connections with others of conscience and commitment, but we also make plans to step out into the larger community.
Caring for the community is necessary, but on one level, it's just treating the symptoms of the actions of a dehumanizing regime. I'm thoroughly convinced that organized action is the only antidote. That includes peaceful protests, active advocacy, and very likely civil disobedience. It's going to require discipline and commitment that we probably haven't seen - or needed - in quite some time.
The other side is already playing new propaganda games. They weep bitterly when their VP Elect gets booed in a theater after eighteen months of verbally eviscerating any opposition. They'll get massive numbers of passive aggressive people sucked in and agreeing with them, the kind of people who typically say "Well, if you stop reacting and responding, they'll just get tired of attacking you."
Protesters and vocal advocates will catch a lot more abuse than during the campaign, in large part because the GOP and the army of alt-right will be playing the role of occupying army. If you're serious about making a difference and not just making a show, now's the time to steel yourself for opposition. The scorn you got from conservative acquaintances during the election will pale in comparison with the abuse you'll get after Inauguration Day. Simple fact of life.
If you're serious, and I don't think the country can afford for you not to be, get ready now. The major media is still playing their game of "we said / they said" but it doesn't matter. They're chasing shiny things, no longer capable of actual, conscientious journalism. They're paparazzi with words.
The words don't matter any longer. It's what the other side does, and what we do. There's going to be a lot of doing before we get to the other side of this debacle.
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