Has the Season of MAGA Finally Arrived? Democrats Struggle for Relevance

Few doubted Donald Trump would win a second term as president. After incumbent President Joe Biden was forced aside due to supposed mental issues, all the Democrats were left with was Vice president Kamala Harris, and few thought she had any chance whatsoever in derailing the MAGA juggernaut, even with the not-so-subtle help of the so-called “impartial” mainstream media.

As Vice President and heir apparent to the Oval Office, Kamala accomplished little, although she did achieve the distinction of having the lowest approval rating of a Vice President for all four years of any party in recent history. So, I guess that’s at least something. Even the Republican Status Quo didn’t bother challenging “The Donald” with a primary.  There’s no question, the “Season of MAGA” is upon us.

During his first 50 days, President Trump signed over 70 executive orders (a record number by the way). He’s empowered billionaire Elon Musk to head the Department of Government Efficiency (aka “DOGE”) to root out government waste and inefficiency wherever it could be found.

 In the process, thousands of government employees have been let go, funding of USAID and other programs have been dramatically cut. Now, DOGE is threatening Social Security and Medicare in it’s hunt for waste and fraud. Already it’s found millions in waste, including checks going to individuals long dead.  But many are beginning to wonder if DOGE will reach too far in its zealous search.  

Tariffs have been implemented against Mexico, China, and Canada in order to level the global economic trading field. Of course, they’ve responded in kind. Now it’s a matter of who will blink first (hint: Canada appears to be first out).  In addition, President Trump, in keeping with his promise of eliminating illegal immigration, has begun widespread round up and deportation of thousands of individuals here illegally.

Trump is also planning on cutting federal funding to all “sanctuary cities” as well. And if that wasn’t enough, he’s even ordered that the name of Gulf of Mexico be changed. It will now be known as the “Gulf of America” to reflect our rediscovered “greatness”. Needless to say, Mexico and most of Latin America isn’t too keen on the name change.

Zelensky, the President of Ukraine, was the early bird to Washington, hat in hand, and wanting to be one of the first to ask for billions more of taxpayer money to continue the war with Russia. For Zelensky, it was a diplomatic and media disaster.

The Ukrainian president was publicly heavily chastised by President Trump for not having at least a proposal to stop hostilities rather than just perpetuating a war that’s lasted three years all ready and cost thousands of lives and billions in damage. Russia’s president, Vladmir Putin, has already made peace overtures which were all but ignored by Zelensky. NATO, of course, threw a fit and has promised to continue military aid to Ukraine, which itself can ill afford (or worse, to keep poking the Russian bear until it bites back).

So, what about the Democrats? They fared poorly in the election all the way around.  In today’s hyper partisan political world, it goes without saying that whatever the other side does, the opposing party is against. It could be a cure for cancer and some partisan faction would find a reason to complain about it.

Case in point, at President Trump’s recent Congressional address on March 4th, he introduced a young man (about 13 years old) by the name of “DJ” Daniel, who has been fighting a lifelong battle with a cancerous brain tumor. This young man has always wanted to be in law enforcement. Knowing that to be unlikely given his condition (in 2018, doctors told Daniel’s family that DJ had roughly five months to live), he started collecting police and other law enforcement badges.  

Along the way, he’s been made an honorary officer some 50 times (including an honorary FBI “Special Agent”). During the speech, DJ was introduced and received a rousing applause from everyone, well, except the Democrats in attendance. They sat on their hands and totally ignored the brave young 13 year old cancer survivor.

Even when he was made an honorary Secret Service agent by the director of the Secret Service himself, Sean Curran, there was crickets coming from the Democrat side of the aisle. What gives? Has partisan hatred (and I do mean “hatred”) gone so far as to take it out on some little kid? Well, the public noticed in a big way.

Democrats were overwhelmed with negative letters, especially coming from their own side, chastising them over their disrespect of DJ. Even Democratic rank and file members, in a rare instance of courage, went after their party leaders for not allowing them some leeway to respond during the speech.

For anyone who watched the address, all they saw from the Democrats was them holding up signs calling Trump names, making accusations, and playing video games, while a few got up and walked out. One, Rep. Al Green (D-TX) stood up and tried to shout over the president and heckle him, was thrown out. The end result was a political party in disarray and at each other’s throats.

 That’s not how you win back the American People, and in case you have any doubts, an NBC News poll released on March 17^th found just 7% of those polled have a “very favorable” opinion of Democratic Party and just 27% had a “favorable” opinion! To put it another way, 66% of respondents had a negative opinion of the Democratic Party.  That’s the lowest favorability numbers since 1990.

A CNN poll, conducted March 6 -9, showed similar results. Reflecting a new low for the Democrats, the poll showed a favorability rating of 29% among Democrats and liberal leaning Independents. 54% said they had an unfavorable opinion of the Democrats.

In comparison, the low point for the Republicans was in September 2017 during Trump’s first term when the GOP hit an all time low of 62% (their approval rating was 29%) with the rest having no opinion.

Also, according to the CNN poll, 57% of Democrats and liberal leaning Independents surveyed said they wanted the Democrats to oppose the current Trump agenda. Just 42% said they want the Democrats to try and work with Republican lawmakers.

Contrast those numbers with a September 2017 poll and Trump’s first term when 74% of Democrats and liberal leaning Independents wanted Congressional Democrats to work with Trump while only 23% said they wanted Democrats to stop the Trump White House. As for current Republican favorability among the GOP faithful and conservative leaning Independents,  the Republican Party was standing at 48%.

A CNN/SSRS poll from March 18^th show that voters in general had a low opinion of both corporate owned parties in general with neither polling over a 20% approval rating. This is especially true of the nation’s largest voting bloc, Independents.

Republicans and conservatives gave themselves an 80% approval rating whereas just 63% of Democrats and those who lean liberal could say the same thing about the Democrat Party. The majority of Democrats and those who lean liberal---52%---said the biggest issues with the party is a lack of leadership.

Among Independents, the Democrats have a 19% approval rating while the GOP’s approval rating is a paltry 20%. In our current “winner-take-all” system, 90% of all elections, including Congressional races, are safe for one party or the other, meaning that the losing side forgoes any real representation for the duration of the office term (of course, despite a lack of representation, you can bet that the tax bills keep rolling in).

A February 13^th Gallup Poll showed that 45% of liberal leaning Independents and Democrats alike say the Democratic Party needs to adopt a more moderate or centrist course. 29% would like to take the party even further Left.  Just 22% wants to stay the course.

In dropping back to 2021, 31% of Democrats and progressive Independents wanted to stay the course. However, it was a tie at 34% each between those who wanted a shift further to the Left and those who wanted a more moderate approach.

In looking at conservative leaning Independents and party Republicans, 43% are happy where the party currently is. 28% would like to take the GOP further to the Right whereas 27% would prefer that the Republican Party tone it down a bit.

With Republican and conservative leaning Independents, 40% in 2021 want to see the GOP get even more conservative. 34% were happy where they were, but 24% thought the party should dial it back a few notches. Among all groups, each wanted theirs to take the lead with moderates wanting more moderation, liberals wanting to be more liberal, and conservatives wanting to be even more conservative.

So, where does this leave us? President Trump has hit the ground running full tilt, much to the delight of his MAGA supporters while the Democrats are still suffering from election shell shock. They have yet to come up with an effective massage to counter Trump, primarily because their leadership is completely out of touch with the American People.

Meanwhile, the nation’s largest voting bloc---Independents---have had enough of the extreme partisanship of both corporate controlled parties. Remember that both the Democrats and the Republican constituted minority parties, which reflects why both are struggling with the American voter.

 Until one or the other party can tap into the large centrist bloc, this national divide will only continue to worsen. Perhaps now, more than ever, it’s time for a third party. 58% of Americans agree.

 

Thank you for reading "Another Opinion", the Op/Ed blog page for the "militant middle".  Here at "A/O" we truly value our readers. At A/O we seek the facts as they exist, not partisan talking points.  We hope you find our articles informative and engaging. Comments are welcome, provided they are not vulgar, insulting or demeaning.  Another Opinion is offered without charge and is directed toward all independent and free-thinking individuals. We ask, however, that you "like" us on whatever platform you found us on in order to keep our articles available for free to others. Lastly, in order to keep costs down, we depend on passive marketing, and therefore, depend on our readers to please forward our posts along. Below you will find links to the sources we used in writing this article. Thank you. 

 

Trump makes 13-year-old cancer survivor  a Secret Service agent during speech to Congress

Polls Show Democrats Losing Popularity, Yet Making 2026Gains

CNN Poll: Only 19% of Independents View Democrats Favorablyand Don’t Think Much Better of Republicans

More Democrats Favor Party Moderation Than in the Past

Gallup: Support for Third Party Dips Slightly: Still Close to60%

 

 

 

The National Divorce: Trust in the Government

When Donald Trump was first elected President, his campaign mantra was “make America great again”. Now that he’s back, it’s once again the mantra of his followers, but did you know the phrase didn’t originate with “The Donald”? It was actually first used by President Ronald Reagan in his 1980 presidential campaign. It was also included in his acceptance speech at the 1980 Republican National Convention.

The expression seemed to catch on and was later adopted by President Bill Clinton during his 1992 Presidential campaign, and again used in a radio commercial for Hillary Clinton during her run in the 2008 Democratic Primary. Ironically, we now hear from the Left asking, “what’s so great about America?” and “when was America ever great?”

Both Trump’s and Bill Clinton’s use of the phrase was to intentionally harken back to the popular myth of “the Gipper” who emerged from the anger and apathy of the preceding years like a candle leading the nation out of darkness.  America was still recovering from the hangover of 60's and 70's, the Watergate scandal, the defeat in Vietnam, stagflation, the OPEC oil crisis, the Iranian hostage crisis, and what was widely view as governmental incompetence.

Under President Eisenhower’s two terms, 73% of Americans said they trusted their government. Going along partisan lines, the trust level of government was 79% among Republicans. Even Democrats were happy (yes—actual “happy” Democrats. They did once exist). 71% said they trusted in the government.

The overall trust level had jumped to 77% by the time Lyndon Johnson took office. But as the war raged on and the causality rates rose (as well as lies by the military and government became public), those numbers started to drop. Still, they would be regarded as high by today’s standards with 66% confidence level by Democrats and a 60% by Republicans.  By the time Johnson left office, and Richard Nixon took over, public trust had dropped but still remained strong at an overall 68%.

Following Nixon’s resignation and the advent of Gerald Ford’s “caretaker” administration, public trust was floundering at 36%. Among Republicans, just 38% had any confidence in the government. The Democrats weren’t far off with 36%. Jimmy Carter was elected as the “anti-insider” in 1976. The American People had had enough of Washington insiders and Carter took office with a new high---40%---before falling to 28% by the time he left office.

Despite Reagan’s perceived popularity over his eight years as president, trust in the government never did any better than 46%, a pale reflection of the Eisenhower days which he often recalled in his speeches. By 1994, during the Clinton Administration, the public’s trust in the government hit a record low of 19% before rising to 49% by the end of his second term.

President Reagan was well known for his often quips. One involved his switching parties. When asked why he left the Democratic Party and joined the Republican, he famously said “I didn’t leave the Democratic Party. The Democratic Party left me”. I guess this was the time when the American People could say the same thing about both parties and the government in general. Government had left the American People. The national divorce had begun.

Sadly, it took a tragic event like 9/11 to rekindle America’s faith in their government, and it came shortly after George W. Bush (aka “Dubya”) took office. Poll numbers vary slightly, but trust in government ranged between 55% and as much as 60% according to some polls. Since then, confidence in the government by the American People has been on a downward trajectory ever since. As some have said, “we're on a roller coaster ride in a handbag to Hell and no one is driving”

The best Trump did in his first term was 27%. Under President Biden, levels of trust in the government again repeated lows of 19%. Even among Democrats, the trust factor never rose above 35%  while for Republicans, it remained at levels one could only call abyssal---11%. Today, Americans barely tolerate each other. We tend to live in our collective bubbles and regurgitate what we see and hear without bothering to question or investigate.

Even when we break down trust in government by race, we don’t see much of change. Using the Eisenhower/Kennedy/Johnson administrations as the starting point, Blacks and whites intersected in October 1964 with a 77% each having an overall government trust.

Staring in 1968, that trust among blacks plummeted. The next time it peaked was in 1993, corresponding with Clinton’s inauguration, when it hit 43%. Even under Obama, it didn’t do any better than 39% in February 2013. Biden got close in April 2021 with 37%.  Trust levels hit rock bottom in March 2019  during Trump’s administration when they dropped to 9%. 67% of blacks said they believed the political system as it exits is designed to hold them back. 

Among whites, their highest trust level in government following October 1964 wasn’t until October 2001 under George W. when it reached 61% (this was just a few weeks after the 9/11 attacked).   For whites, their low point was 8% in October 2011 under Obama.

According to this Pew poll, Hispanics weren’t tracked until December 1990 while “Dubya” was the president. Their initial start point was 39%. They quickly reached their highest level of trust of 57% in December 1998, late into Clinton’s tenure as President before rapidly dropping off. Their next high point came in January 2013 when it reached 44% under President Obama.  Interesting, their lowest level of trust in the government came near the end of Biden’s term when it hit 23%.

Lastly, Asians. Apparently, they didn’t reach ample numbers to poll until first appearing in August 2020 when they were polled with a trust level of 27%. They peaked in May 2022 at 37% under Biden and bottomed out a month later at 23%. Native Americans and Independents weren't included in the poll.

Now, President Trump promises to make us “great” once more. That would mean taking us politically, socially, and economically back to the       post World War II years of Harry Truman and Ike. The American economy was booming and we had taken center stage as empires of old, England, France, and Germany faded from the limelight. We had become a “superpower”.

Barely a month into office and Trump has already begun implementing many of campaign promises (a rarity in itself). He has started deporting illegal residents by the thousands (many of whom had previously just laughed at the usual empty rhetoric about deportation). He has started purging the government of useless and redundant bureaucrats, saving taxpayers millions in the process, and having an eye towards shutting down unneeded agencies. President Trump is, as promised, “draining the swamp”.

Of course, in his zeal, he needs to be careful of not overreaching into areas vital to ordinary citizens such as Social Security, unemployment, or WIC, while ensuring that those who actually need government services receive it. Often reformist zeal can turn into blind zealotry. 

Politics is a delicate balancing act between achieving results, which isn't popular with the vested interest, but necessary to the public at large, and being "Mister or Mistress Popularity". However, trust in the government is something altogether different. It’s based the public’s confidence in the government’s ability to get things done fairly and honestly irrespective of any other factor.

 For too long, the bulk of American citizens have seen government as inept and corrupt. Over 65% of Americans are unhappy with our position in the world. 72% of America agree with the statement that "America was once a good example of democracy, but no longer".  Among the OECD nations, the United States ranks near the bottom when it comes to trust in government at 31%. Only Columbia and Chile rank lower. Switzerland ranks the highest with 83.78%. 

We’ve watched the government slide from a Republic responsible to its citizens to a neo-fascist corporatocracy which serves Wall Street. Much of what President Trump has done so far bears that out. The question is, or will shortly become, “what now?” How do we keep the Status Quo in check? Can we root our the "Deep State"? How will other nations, especially the rising BRICS nations, react as the U.S. tries to reassert its global dominance?  

America has become so deeply divided between those who want to keep the size of government at a minimum…and at arm’s length…and those who want expand the “nanny” or “welfare” state. That means reform if not an all-out overhaul of government and maintaining the corporate-government status quo. Those who would seek balance---the Center---have been largely purged from both parties, yet comprise the nation's largest voting bloc as Independents. Who will prevail remains to be seen.

 Perhaps, like empires of the past, we are destined go our way separate ways. We are, as our Founding Fathers often said, a “grand experiment”. Our future was not pre-ordained. I suspect that we’ve already exceeded their expectations. One thing is for sure though. If we are to “make America great again”, we cannot continue to limp along as we have been and hope to maintain what remains of the Republic. Extremism and intolerance has no place among a free people. 

 

Thank you for reading "Another Opinion", the Op/Ed blog page for the "militant middle".  Here at "A/O" we truly value our readers. At A/O we seek the facts as they exist, not partisan talking points.  We hope you find our articles informative and engaging. Comments are welcome, provided they are not vulgar, insulting or demeaning.  Another Opinion is offered without charge and is directed toward all independent and free-thinking individuals. We ask, however, that you "like" us on whatever platform you found us on in order to keep our articles available for free to others. Lastly, in order to keep costs down, we depend on passive marketing, and therefore, depend on our readers to please forward our posts along. Below you will find links to the sources we used in writing this article. Thank you. 

 

Pew Research: Public Trust in Government: 1958 - 2024

72% of American say the US used to be a good example ofdemocracy but isn’t anymore

WEF: Trust in Government by Country 2024

Make America Great Again

The American Experiment

 

Gallup: A Third of Americans Satisfied With Global Position

Black Americans mistrust the US political system

2024: A Year in Review and a Look Ahead

There's no question that 2024 was one of the most pivotal years in recent history. It seems that practically everything was happening all at the same time, and the ripples it left with be felt for weeks, months, and even decades from now. In writing this week's article, it was difficult to decide what to include and what to leave out. Much of what we will witness over the upcoming 12 months and beyond have their roots in what we've jointly experienced. Here, then, are our top choices for the most significant events of 2024. 

Hamas and Israel

Perhaps one of the most noteworthy event of 2024 has been the war between Israel and Hamas. Since its founding in 1948, Israel has been involved in 19 wars and conflicts. Beginning with its War of Independence, Israel has faced the combined military might of the Arab world (with Russian and Chinese aid) or financially.   In every encounter (with the exception of one, which was a preemptive strike), Israel has been attacked with little or no prior notice by members of the Arab League. Each time it has prevailed thanks to the support of  the West, and most notably the United States.

On October 7th, members of the Iranian backed terrorist group, Hamas, secretly attacked a group of mostly civilian men, women, and children who had turned out for a concert and family oriented events. The attack was a brutal as it was sudden with over 1700 Israelis viciously murdered. Some were shot in cold blood, while others were raped before being burned alive. Others were taken captive. Beaten and repeatedly rape, they were to be used as bargaining chips to avoid repercussions against Hamas leadership. 

Since then, the Israelis have been relentless in the retaliation, which many have called "justifiable". However, while the Israelis have been winning in ruble of Gaza, they've been losing the public relations war. Hamas and their supporters have been able to portray Israel as the aggressor and guilty of genocide against Palestinian people while Hamas characteristically uses them as human shields and routinely attacking or hijacking relief trucks carrying medicine, food, and fresh water, which they often sell on the black market.  

Israel has seen a serious loss of support globally, and most notably in Europe and among NATO, which has historically backed the Israelis. The situation is so serious that Turkey has subtlety threatening to intervene to prevent the ongoing "genocide" of the Palestinians in Gaza. If that were to happen, how would it affect NATO? Besides having the second most powerful military in NATO behind the U.S., it also serves as a major bulwark, preventing hundreds of thousands of "migrants" from invading. Such a influx could collapse the European economy, which is already teetering on failure. 

Of late, Turkey's President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, hasn't been shy about threats to throw open its doors to these migrants should NATO or the EU impose any sanctions for its actions against Israel, the Kurds, or Syria. A threat by the way which has all the earmarks of political and economic blackmail. How would a greatly weakened U.S. military and NATO react should Turkey decide to intervene?

Syria, Iran and U.S. Foreign Policy: A Deadly Game of  Political Chess 

Iran, which is behind Hamas as well as Hezbollah in Lebanon, Al Qaeda, the Taliban, and other terrorists groups, has made it crystal clear that it will "wipe Israel off the map" at the first opportunity even if it meant the complete destruction of Iran and all its people. It's no secret that Iran has aggressively been working on a nuclear bomb with the intent of hitting Israel even if it meant that Israel responded in kind. The major stumbling block for Iran has been a delivery platform and defeating Israel's famed "Iron Dome". The fall of Syria may have helped alleviate one portion of that problem.  

It's no secret that U.S. foreign policy has been the control of Middle Eastern oil and gas and transportation lanes as well as destabilizing Russian regional interests and removing Iran as a regional and possible global threat (we've never gotten over the humiliating 1979 "hostage crisis"). Our principal allies, like the Saudi and Kuwaiti royal families, are very nervous about the spread of Iran's radical religious extremism and its threats to destabilize or even topple their governments. 

As a result, Neocons in the U.S. State Department, in conjunction with the Pentagon and intelligence agencies, carefully laid out plans to reshape the Middle East in their image several years ago by first going after Afghanistan, then Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and lastly, the cherry on top---Iran (of course, the Pentagon and intelligence agencies are all in for any war or conflict. Besides, it's good for business).

Unfortunately, we didn't do so well in Iraq. Not because of any military defeat, but for not properly planning for a post-war government.  In Afghanistan, we lost because our arrogance and failure to learn from history. Everyone from King Cyrus the Great and Alexander to the British Empire and the USSR has failed to conquer Afghanistan. The result, after 20 years of fighting, was a stronger and better armed Taliban, an intact Al Qaeda, and a PR disaster for the Biden Administration.

 Meanwhile, the U.S. has been trying to overthrow the Assad government since 1971 when Hafez al-Assad became president.  His son, President Bashar al-Assad has never been a friend of terrorists and opposed Iran's radical form of Islam. Syria has been the nemesis of our NATO ally, Turkey and our trading partner, Saudi Arabia, yet it was also a buffer to Iranian expansion. 

Most importantly, is that Syria has been a close ally of Russia going back to the early 1950's. The fall of Bashar al-Assad was been on the State Department's and CIA's. "things to do" list for a very long time. During the Syrian civil war, U.S. intelligence agencies have been aiding the Al Qaeda affiliated militia, HTS, and other paramilitary groups in destabilizing Assad's government as part of the efforts. 

Now with Assad out of the way, a number of different militias are poised to battle for the control of Syria, or at least large swaths of it, including ISIS, which stands to benefit greatly from the instability. The leader of the U.S. backed HTS, a spin off of Al Qaeda, Abu Mohmmad al-Jolani, is now downplaying his anti-Western terrorist past in the hope that U.S. aid will buy him a place at the table when it comes time to divide Syria up (either by pen or bullet).  

Meanwhile, as mentioned earlier, Iranian backed militias are now securely in Syria (most notably ISIS). This will allow Iran to extend its influence further, not to mention its missile launchers. ISIS has already launched several rocket and missiles at targets inside Israel. While the fall of Assad benefits U.S. foreign policy interest, at least for the moment, it puts Israel at greater risk. Israel has moved troops pass the Golan Heights buffer zone into Syria while Turkey has extended its reach deeper into northern Syrian territory, pushing the embattled Kurds further into the surrounding hills. Of course, all this sets the stage for even more "migrants" to invade Europe via Lebanon and bypassing Turkey. 2025 should prove very interesting as this situation continues to play out. 

Russia and Ukraine: A Game of Nuclear Chicken

Another event to keep a close eye on is the situation between Ukraine and Russia. The war, which began in February 2014, was thought by most political and military observers, to be over in a matter of months at best, given the easy in which Russia forces seized control of the Crimea. Yet, ten years later and both sides are still slugging it out. For Ukraine, its ability to holdout is due to being heavily supported by the U.S. and NATO members, who are also augmenting American aid with equipment and material of their own.  

Since February 2024, the U.S. has provide Kyiv with some $61.4 billion dollars in military aid according to the U.S. State Department. When other forms of aid are added in, including money to prop up Zelensky's government, American taxpayers have ponied up $106 billion dollars without so much as having say about it. Many analysts believe the goal is to bleed Russia dry militarily, thus removing or at least decreasing its super power status military, and maybe with some luck, even destabilize Putin's government. 

Some former Warsaw pact nations like Poland have become increasingly belligerent toward Russia and are threatening more direct assistance to Ukraine (Poland and Russia have a long and antagonistic history with each other). Putin has urged the Poles and others to seriously rethink their positions and tone down their rhetoric. There has also been hints by the Russians that any such intervention could result in a military response up to and including the use of nukes. 

In a bit of a surprise, North Korea has begun sending troops to support the Russians in exchange for desperately needed economic aid (it must be serious, Kim Jong-Un looks like he's losing some weight). It should be noted that the North Korean soldiers have proven to be mediocre at best. Nevertheless, even as cannon fodder, you can't fault their commitment. Many have chosen suicide to being captured.  

It's unlikely that Putin will allow this drain on his military or economy to continue much longer, That doesn't mean Putin may throw in the towel. Far from it. Putin may go all in, including the possible use of limited tactical nukes in key areas. If so, what then? Will the U.S. and NATO react in-kind or with a all out ground invasion of their own? Sanctions against Russia have proven to be of little use, especially given the rapid growth of BRICs. Since China, a Russia ally and our largest trading partner, is a member of BRICS, sanctions against the U.S. and the EU would have a more profound impact.

The Pentagon has already stated that, following the debacle in Afghanistan, the U.S. military was unable to conduct an effective war on multiple fronts, and with the situation in the Middle East spinning out of control, the rise of the Chinese military and its economic clout, that doesn't leave many options. If we get occupied in the Middle East, that could open door for a Chinese takeover of Taiwan or a North Korean invasion of the South for instance. 

Incoming President, Donald Trump claims to have a good working relationship with Putin, which could result in a ceasefire until a compromise is reached (NATO membership for Ukraine will likely remain off the table). Trump has made similar claims about Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu and North Korean President, Kim Jong-Un, but is that just ego talking or can he pull it off? 2025 will likely reveal the reality behind the rhetoric.

 Artificial Intelligence and Humanity: Will the Creation Replace its Creator? 

Another huge development in 2024 is the "sudden" rise of artificial intelligence. Many tech heads hail "AI" as the greatest thing since the invention of the abacus. Others see it as the creation of the golem. What was once found only in the pages of Azimov, Herbert, Clarke, and Le Guin, we now have machines capable of analyzing and manipulating genetic conditions, altering manufacturing, serving as our surrogate on far away planets or deep in the ocean. They can manage not just our businesses, but our lives. In many ways I'm remined of movies like "Total Recall", "Blade Runner", and "I, Robot".

We have technology that can monitor and regulate, if needed, practically everything from diabetes, the heart, and kidney functions. We can now grow not just new skin, but organs! Individuals previously unable to walk, can do so now.  Technology can help us overcome a wide myriad of diseases and disorders. Some have proposed linking humans with technology, thus creating real life "Borg".  There are those already proposing that we turn over governments (especially the judicial system) to AI since it presumably could manage society better than we can.  

A few have experimented with linking the human brain with the internet in order to provide near unlimited knowledge. We can strap on exoskeletons which gives us 10x times the strength of the average human.  A growing number of AI developers are promoting the addition of chips into the human body to monitor things like blood pressure or sugar levels, but these chips could also contain our personal information; everything from our employment and medical history to our financial information and credit score. Yes, it could potentially cut down on identity theft, but is it really a good thing for us? 

Banks and other financial institutions are pushing hard to do away with cash. As it is, practically everything can be done electronically, from work to shopping to doctor appointments to banking and paying bills. In fact, businesses are increasingly urging automatically deducted payments. Think about it. You can run your home electronically. You can work from home, get paid automatically directly to your bank account and pay your bills automatically. You can buy your groceries and shop online, and even have them automatically delivered to your door. Plus, while personal information was once private, now everything is stored in the "cloud" and practically any financial institution---or government agency---can gain access to it.

Technology can provide you with all the "adventure" you'd want with highly realistic programs taking you everywhere and allowing you to interact! You'll be able to sense heat, cold, smell, or taste. Games, music, or books, they can already be downloaded to your computer, iPad, or Smartphone. Thanks to AI, and with the level of existing technology, the need for human contact is all but passe'.

Today, the United States has become a virtual surveillance state. Privacy is nowadays a rare commodity and talk about "escaping from the grid" is nearly impossible. You are already watched, monitored, and analyzed nearly everywhere you go. A feature like a chip would simply be one more way to track you. 

However, while chips could be used track us, they could be used to find  children prone to getting loss or adults with diseases like Alzheimer's of mental disabilities who tend to wonder off, especially those in need of special medication. It could be used to monitor former felons on parole. No more "ankle bracelets". Thanks to retina scans, facial and voice recognition software, and the ubiquitous security cameras,  you can be found no matter where you are.  Even drones can be used to find you. Heck, you car even has a tracking device! 

We're developing robots which are nearly indistinguishable from humans in appearance and mannerisms. We have video games which are so accurate they could pass for the real thing.  There are even operational protypes of sexbots! Our military is heavily dependent of AI or related technology to our fight wars in order to minimize human loss and injuries on the battlefield. Yet, without the experiencing the horrors of war, where are the incentives to prevent them?

In the United States and in much of the world, people have become essentially "chained" to their Smartphones. Businesses, like doctor offices or hospitals, expect to be able to text or leave a message for you on your phone. In some countries, such as China, its mandatory that they carry their Smartphones with them at all times. We are increasingly turning over our lives to technology to the point where the line between "master" and "servant" has become almost so blurred as to nearly indistinguishable between the two.

Scientists predict that human level Artificial Intelligence will reach "singularity" or self awareness sometime around 2040. It will exceed human level intelligence within ten years after that and continue to grow exponentially.  Within 20 years following singularity we will have as much in common with AI as we do now with a worm. The question is then what? Will AI seek to serve us or enslave us (for our  safety of course), but  later, seeing us as hopelessly inferior and unwilling or able to change, will it simply replace us? It wouldn't be hard. Will the creator be replaced by its creation? The growth of  AI will be an important issue to watch closely in 2025.

The MAGA Revolution: The Election of Donald Trump

I thought about entitling this section "The Messiahship of 'The Donald' ", but I thought that might be taking it a bit too far. Nevertheless, there's no question that some diehard "Trumpeters" out there  who wouldn't object.  For over ten years, Donald Trump had endured nearly every from of attack the Status Quo could throw at him. They've attacked his character, his businesses, members of his family, and even his friends. They've publicly maligned him at every turn. 

They've tried to break him financially with countless bogus lawsuits, and all without success. Finally, they've managed to create a public atmosphere so poisonous that there have been attempts on life. Never, in the history of our country, has there been a person as loathed by the ruling class as Donald Trump. But who can really blame them? After all, Trump has not only promised publicly to rid the country of the controlling oligarchs, he's promised to restore the Republic and end the neo-fascist corporatocracy. In fact, in his previous term, he tried to back up his words with action. 

However, Trump found out that "draining the swamp" was a lot harder than it first appeared. Our Republic had previously undergone a quiet coup, having been taken over by Wall Street in a approach known as "gradualism". It was slow, happening piecemeal, but it was no less insidious as any other putsch.  It was also through in every detail. It included both political parties, every government agencies and departments, NGOs, and especially the media. 

Nothing was left to chance. What could not be controlled, was made impotent. Those who challenged it was ignored, ridiculed, humiliated, and if necessary, destroyed. What made it worse was the fact that it has been going on for decades. So much so that the corruption has become institutionalized. 

The corruption was given veneer of civility and the weight of law. Wars and conflicts were fought for noble sounding goals just when in truth they were waged for profit. Treaties were nothing more than business contracts designed to benefit the few. Government no longer represented the people. It serves the interests of the controlling elite to the degree where they line separating them has blurred beyond recognition. 

Many consider Trump to be a ego-driven blowhard. Others consider him pompous and volatile, while some even believe him to be dangerous. There is no question that Trump has, at least, some of these qualities, and quiet likely much more than some would consider disagreeable. However, Trump is not part of the Status Quo which we've been made so comfortable with. We've been made afraid of freedom to the point where comfortable servitude is preferable to independence.  

In many ways Donald trump reminds be of Julius Caesar. Caesar was a successful general while Trump is a successful businessman. Both appeared at the end of their respective Republics. Like Caesar, Trump is a political outsider. Caesar sought to restore the Republic, which had become hopelessly corrupt and ineffectually. The Roman Senate promised much but delivered little except bread and distraction in order to buy off its citizens.  

Any real attempts at reform were brutally crushed such as with Tiberius Gracchus and his attempt at land reform around 133 BC as was his brother, Gaius's efforts at agarin reform in 123 BC., and, of course, the Three Servile Wars, made famous by Spartacus in the third war, to end servitude in its many forms. Like the U.S., Rome faced a massive influx of migrants which threatened the stability of the Republic. Efforts to curtail it were half hearted at best. But, as those with a basic knowledge of history should know, each of these individuals were killed in order to preserve the Status Quo. 

Caesar was awarded the title of "dictator" in the hopes that he could be appeased with the title and would leave the rotting Republic and its Senators alone. It failed. Caesar, it's claimed, said that in order to save the Republic, he would have to destroy the Republic, meaning that reversing the level of institutionalized corruption to restore the Republic would take a thorough and unpleasant bit of housecleaning. 

We generally choose to call it "draining the swamp", which is something Donald Trump has repeatedly promised to do. In just a few weeks, he will be sworn in and his second term will begin and then we shall see what his intentions truly are. One thing is for sure, the Status Quo will fight him every step of the way.

As we head into our 20th year, we here at Another Opinion would like to thank each of you, our dear readers, for all your support, encouragement, and comments over the past 12 months. We are deeply appreciative. The articles above are but a small glimpse onto the many exciting and tragic events of 2024 and whose ripples we will feel for weeks, months, and even years to come. No doubt this coming year will be no less eventful. We hope you all have a happy, healthy, and safe 2025.  

Thank you for reading "Another Opinion", the Op/Ed blog page for the "militant middle".  Here at "A/O" we truly value our readers. At A/O we seek the facts as they exist, not partisan talking points.  We hope you found our articles informative and engaging. Comments are welcome, provided they are not vulgar, insulting or demeaning.  Another Opinion is offered without charge and is directed toward all independent and free thinking individuals. We do ask, however, that you be sure to "like" us on whatever site you found us on in order to keep our articles available for others, and that you please pass our post along. Below you will find links to the sources we used in writing this article. Thank you. 

From Syrian jihadist leader to Syrian politician:  How Abu Mohmmad al-Jolani reinvented himself 

Who are the Syrian rebels that have toppled Assad and taken Damascus? 

US sends more troops to the Middle East as violence rises between Israel and Hezbollah

Russia-Ukraine War

U.S. Security Cooperation with Ukraine

Technological singularity 

The new surveillance state

The Trump agenda: Here's what to expect from his second term

The reform movement of the Gracchi (133 - 122 BC)  

A Case of Misplaced Priorities and False Promises

I've been a political activist, candidate (won three lost two), a congressional aide, and a community organizer for over 40 years. There's not much I haven't experienced or seen. But if there's one thing I've learned, and it's been exemplified more this election go around than ever before, is that today's politics, in its final analysis, is really nothing more than a popularity contest. Not much different from when you were in junior high school.

Like those junior high school popularity contests for class president and the student council or homecoming king and queen, it's all about working the crowds and making promises you either can't or have no intention of fulfilling like less homework, open book tests, more pep rallies, and so forth.

In truth, I guess no one really expects you to actually follow through on your promises, it's just that they get so caught up in the campaign speeches (usually accompanied by free pizza), balloons, flyers, confetti, and all the rest, we just overlook the fact of the matter. That is, there's not much of what they're promising they can make happen.

 After all, most everything has to be approved by the teacher, the principal (who may have to deal with multiple teachers and staff members ranging from the janitor on up), the coaches, and perhaps even involve the School Board. There's not much in life, and particularly in the world of politics, which is as it appears to be.

How often have you heard candidates say something like "when I'm (re)elected I'm going to lower taxes" or "I'll stand up to the powerbrokers (or substitute "corporate lobbyists" "special interest groups", etc) and make them pay", "I'll fight higher gas (utility, grocery, or whatever) prices" and best of all, "I'll be your voice" and "I'll be answerable only to you". 

They talk about encouraging or restricting development (depending on what the pollsters say), illegal immigration, foreign aid, or simply trying to pigeonhole some scapegoat (which is always someone or something already unpopular). But, in truth, can they really do anything about it? The short answer is no, but let's take a moment and look at why.

No one in politics or business (or indeed life) exists in a vacuum. They don't take actions arbitrarily. Everyone has a boss, especially politicians. Everyone elected is assigned to committees and have to follow the committee structure, and that means getting the approval of the committee chairperson, and up the food chain. There's a party whip to ensure bills are voted on in a certain way. Of course, there a large chunk of their time dialing for dollars, not for themselves, but for party bosses and the party itself.

If there is any candidate who thinks they're going into Congress, the State House, or local council and play the part of a rebel, they are sadly mistaken. First off, the committee system virtually guarantees they won't have the time. Most members are assigned three or more committees which occupies most of their day, and sometimes even into the evening.

Secondly, the party system is partly designed to weed out anyone who isn't a "team player". Party leaders are more than willing to work against an individual, including getting someone to run against them in the primary (called "primaring"). Troublemakers can be excluded from media events.They can even be reassigned to some obscure and worthless committee, virtually guaranteeing  they'll never be heard from again.  

They can be cut off from the financial spicket of corporate donations and endorsements (bear in mind, to get reelected the average U.S. Senators needs to raise a minimum of $14,000 per day for the six years they're in office)  So the next time you hear some candidate saying they'll stand up to whomever, tell them to set down and shut up. They aren't "standing up" to anybody.   

As an aside, in Congress, corporations are responsible for underwriting political campaigns, filling the coffers of the both parties and the so-called "leadership PACS" (ie: political slush funds). All thanks to the 2010 Citizens United ruling. In 2022, both parties received $8.9 billion dollars, with the GOP receiving just slightly more than the Democrats.

Another $344 million came from company PAC's and trade associations. In 2023, corporate donors gave a record $4.2 billion dollars to Congress (most of the money came pharmaceutical and healthcare companies). Now, tell me who Congress represents.  

Spending $4.2 billion dollars should buy a lot of Congressional members, so you'd think we would have a pretty good healthcare system wouldn't you? Well, if so, you'd be wrong. Dead wrong. The U.S. healthcare systems ranks last compared to other top tier nations in 70 performance measures.

Our hospitals have fewer available beds per patient than other countries. We also have fewer doctors and nurses per patient too. We fail in preventative care (focusing more of treatment after the fact) and in access to care. We face higher costs for care than in other nations and poorer administrative efficiency. One reason is that most other countries have some form of nationalized healthcare while we have "pay-as-you-go" system. The closest we come to nationalized healthcare  is so-called "Obamacare" which is considered mediocre.

Corporate lobbyists also "help" draft legislation for legislators. They also review various bills and provide summaries of their content and even recommendations on how to vote.  Now isn't that nice of them? It bears mentioning that roughly 90% of Congress members go on to become lobbyists when they leave office. Why? Well, besides all the usual perks, the average member of Congress can expect a 1,452% pay raise over the $150,000 they made while in office.   

Politicians like to make all sorts of claims and promises when they're running for office. They always try to make it appear they're "one of the people". Some "dress down", appearing in blue jeans, rolled up sleeves, eating at some local diner, or using working class phrases, etc. These people have as much in common with the working or middle class as Martha Stewart would at a White Castle or McDonald's.

Donald Trump, for instance, has a net worth of about $4.6 billion dollars while Kamala Harris is worth about $3.5 million (and her net worth is only 38th in the Senate). "The Donald" as he is called, doesn't play down his wealth. If anything, he waves it like a flag. He's proud of his accomplishments. Harris, on the other hand, wants to sounds like she's one of the "working class stiffs".

Congress is called "the Millionaire's Club" for good reason. Almost everyone in Congress is a millionaire. In fact, the median net worth of Congressional members is one million dollars. Some are worth far more than a million dollars, and those who aren't, are pretty close going in and are certainly worth a million or more coming out. Not bad for a job that pays $150,000 annually.

Kamala Harris speaks about "a new way forward" on her campaign website as if the country is heading down the wrong path. Well, I think we're owed an explanation since Harris and her boss, Joe Biden, have been the ones driving the proverbial "bus" for the last four years. Exactly what kind of "new path" does she mean? A new path different from what Biden and Harris has been skipping down over the last four years?

Trump's campaign slogan in 2014 was "Make America Great Again"; the same as it is now. That's pretty straight forward. He sees an America which once was the envy of the world. We were number one in production, top tier in education, had the highest quality of life of any country, the lowest child mortality, one of the longest life expediencies, and the world's best military bar none. None so much anymore.  

The majority of our manufacturing jobs were shipped overseas ("offshoring") as early the late 1960's and 70's, but it was in the 1990's that it went into high gear, especially during the Clinton Administration and the package of NAFTA, and with it a lot of solid middle class incomes. The worst segment hit were women and minorities. America transformed from a major manufacturer nation into a service economy. From 1998 to 2021, the U.S. lost 5 million manufacturing job (2.8 million between 2001 and 2018), with the majority going to India, Malaysia, and China.

We're second tier (13th) in education and near or at the bottom when it comes to mathematics and science among other industrialized nations. We're 75th overall in mortality and 57th out of 195 countries in infant mortality. That's the highest among the world's industrialized nations. In terms of quality of life, we rank 12th, just behind Australia and the Scandinavian countries.

Even our seniors, who used to be considered politically "untouchable" have faced low cost of living increases ("COLAs"), fewer exemptions, and even Social Security, once regarded as "sacred" is under attack. Starting with President George W. Bush, there's been regular raids on Social Security, starting with a "borrowed" $1.37 billion to pay for the war in Iraq and cover the costs of tax cuts for the well-to-do.   To date Congress will owe Social Security over $804 billion dollars in interest alone by 2027. Instead, Social Security and Medicare are facing a deficit.

According to a Pentagon assessment following the disastrous end to our 20 year involvement in Afghanistan and embarrassing withdrawal under President Biden, our military is exhausted and in serious need of a total overhaul and refit. The only branch rated "battle ready" was the U.S. Marine Corps.  Nevertheless, we are presently not capable of successful dealing with multi-front conflicts.

We are currently struggling with the aftermath of two severe weather events, and yet we can send billions overseas to prop up juntas and wannabe dictators. We sent Ukraine and Zelenskyy $12.1 billion alone in 2023. We face rising poverty rates--12.9% or 37.2 million individuals living at or below the poverty line. In 2023, there was 653,104 homeless individuals in the U.S, especially among our veterans. Between October 2023 and August 2024, there were 43,116 U.S. veterans living on the streets, and yet those entering the U.S. illegally are given preference.

 We can no longer tolerate substituting popularity contests for serious leadership in Washington. We can no longer afford the corruption of a neo-fascist kleptocracy in lieu of a republic. We need real solutions to address real problems here at home. No one appointed us the world's policeman, banker, or arbiter of morals. We need to accept the choices other nations make whether we agree with them or not. Until then, is it any wonder that we are rated as a "flawed democracy" teetering on a "failed democracy"?

 

Thank you for reading Another Opinion! We hope you enjoyed this article and will pass it along. Please don't forget to subscribe. It's free! Lastly, please "like" us on whatever platform you use to read anotheropinionblog.com. It helps beat the algorithms and keeps our articles in circulation. Please find below the links we consulted in researching this article. 

 

Offshoring

 

Botched Policy Responses to Globalization...

 

Not Prepared for Major War: Commission Slams U.S. DefenseStrategy

Measuring U.S. Military Readiness

Group spent record $4.2 billion in 2023lobbying federallawmakers, report says

US Healthcare System Ranks Last Overall Among Other HighIncome Countries

July 13, 2024: What Did America and the World Actually Witness?

What did America and the world witness on July 13, 2024, in the deeply red community of Butler Pennsylvania, home to 13,000, mostly strong "MAGA" supporters? It was more than an assassination attempt by the almost obligatory "lone wolf"  assassin we've come to expect in these situations.

Trump, who was in the midst of giving one of his usual rousing speeches to a eager crowd when several shots rang out (the exact number still being debated), wounding two attendees, killing a third, and piercing the upper portion of Trump's right ear and grazing his scalp.

At the near instant when the shooter, 20 year old Thomas Matthew Crooks, squeeze the trigger of his semi-automatic AR-15 style rifle, Trump had been looking to his right and leaning forward just slightly, when at the instant, too fractionally too late for Crooks to adjust his aim,  Trump turned his head  slightly forward, taking the hit in his ear.

Had Trump remained in the same position as he was when Crooks sighted him in through is rifle's scope,  the 5.56mm NATO style bullet would have slammed into the former president's head, hitting him just behind his right eye or temple area. The impact would have travelled  threw his brain and resulted in blowing off the back of Trump's head. All eerily reminiscent to the shot which killed President John Kennedy that tragic day  on November 22, 1963 in Dallas and catapulted Lee Harvey Oswald into history, forever linking him to the late president.

But, unlike Kennedy, the shooter missed, and Trump lived. The attempt, without a doubt, galvanized an already loyal legion of "MAGA" followers as no other event could,  it also moved thousands, if not millions, of undecided voters into Trump's camp, having all but guaranteed Trump's victory in November.

I think it's important as a reference point for non-gun aficionados to understand something about the weapon used to shot Trump since it will be talked about weeks and months ahead.  The rifle used by the would be assassin, Thomas Crooks, was an AR-15, made, in this case, by Defense Procurement Manufacturing Services ("DPMS"), the parent company of Palmetto State Armory (Trump visited there in 2023 on a campaign stop).   

The "AR" doesn't mean "assault rifle", but is the abbreviation of the name of the original manufacturer, ArmaLite, and is considered to be a modern sporting rifle. What sets it apart from other semi-automatic rifles is its unique military styling, which is nothing more than sales gimmick to make it look "cool".

The rifle is a semi-automatic, meaning you have to squeeze the trigger for each shot (a proficient shooter can shoot roughly 60 rounds in about a minute).  AR-15's can be easily refitted to shoot most types of ammo, however, the most common is the NATO style 5.56mm (.223 caliber) bullet.

Most AR-15's are sold with a 30 round magazine, however, drum magazines holding up to 100 rounds can be purchased and may be fitted with a variety of scopes for close up(1x magnification), intermediate (4x magnification), and long range shooting (5x magnification). They are slightly high in price, ranging from $800 to a $1000 dollars. 

They have a high muzzle velocity, creating a large air cavity or "cavitation" on impact, which results in massive internal injuries as the bullet tumbles through the body before existing, typically leaving a large gaping exit wound, which is probably the top reason mass murders tend to favor this type of rifle.

A great deal of finger pointing has been going on since the shooting, with various law enforcement agencies coming under extreme criticism for their failure to properly prepare in establishing a secure security perimeter and establishing a clear line of communications between the various law enforcement agencies along with specific designated coverage areas.

The Secret Service, whose duty is to protect government officials, claim to have checked out the roof used by the shooters about 30 minutes before the event began. They also claim that local police were responsible for securing the outer portion of the security bubble (which they've denied). They had previously advised the Secret Service that they didn't have enough officers to securing the outer ring, however, they did have available officers in the area working. 

Just prior to the assassination attempt, a local police officer spotted someone on the roof and attempted to investigate by climbing a ladder attached to the building. When he looked over onto the roof, Crooks allegedly  turned his rifle on him. The officer ducked and jumped down to avoid being shot in the face. Following the shooting, local law enforcement were around and inside of the same building looking for the shooter.

The Secret Service failed to employ surveillance drones, which are commonly used to provide a bird's eye view of the event and surrounding area. Another failure was taking advantage of securing the nearby high ground. Roughly 200 yards from the speaker's platform was the town water tower, the tallest structure in Butler, yet no one apparently thought of posting spotters there. As one commentator put it, "a 10 year old playing 'Call of Duty' would have known to post lookouts there".  

Additional criticisms have been made in how the Secret Service responded following the shooting. Their coverage of the former president seemed haphazard and cumbersome, especially when compared to the attempt on President Ronald Reagan's life by John Hinckley in 1981. Several of agents appeared confused and not sure of what to do. Had Crooks not been taken out, it's likely Trump could have been hit again.

There's an additional serious issue regarding a failure of communication and decision making leveled against the Secret Service. There were several similar posts on Gab, which were allegedly sent by the Secret Service sniper using Messenger. According to the text, he had the shooter lined up in his sights for two to three minutes and could clearly see the weapon. However, his repeated requests for authorization to fire were repeatedly denied.

Finally, after Crooks opened fire, the Secret Service sniper took his shot and killed Crooks, but, again, without authorization from his superior.  As a result, the text goes on to say, since he acted without approval he may face disciplinary measures.  What's not in question is that 20 minutes elapsed between the time Secret Service snipers spotted Crooks and when Crooks open fire.

Whether that story is true or not (I suspect the latter), what is beyond dispute is that the crowd repeatedly alerted law enforcement ---local and Secret Service---that there was someone on the roof who appeared to have a rifle and even point to his exact location on the roof.

Some in the crowd were actually able to record the shooter on the roof with their Smartphones just before the first shots rang out!  Yet, for some reason, no one in the Secret Service seemed inclined to act. A few event attendees reported that Secret Service officers seemed almost uninterested.  Most all of them failed to act  until after the shooting began.  Maybe it's just me, but I would prefer my security detail be a bit more proactive!

So, where does that leave us? Frankly, it leaves a key federal law enforcement agency with egg on their face and facing investigation by the Department of Justice. I suspect that members of Congress will also want a piece of that action, so expect a few Congressional hearings.

The head of the Secret Service, Kimberly Cheatle since September 2022, may also find herself unemployed (I suspect she'll quickly be given another high paying job in Washington). Besides, with an estimated net worth of $10 million dollars, I don't think any tears need be shed. A Congressional Oversight Committee has already summoned her to a investigatory hearing.

Ms. Cheatle joined the Secret Service in 1995 and was involved in the evacuation of Vice President Dick Cheney during the 9/11 attack. She was later assigned to Biden's protective detail during the Obama administration. From 2019 to 2022 Cheatle was the senior security director for PepsiCo's global security.

In 2021, she was given Presidential Rank Award by President Biden. In 2022, she was appointed Director of the Secret Service (as a side note, PepsiCo gave Democrats around 548K in 2020. Just saying). In a interview with CBS News in May 2023, Cheatle pointed out that there was 48% "departure rate" of Secret Service agents and administrative personnel.

Accordingly, the agency was henceforth going to redirect its focus to diversity with the aim of hiring more individuals of color and women (with a goal of having 30% women in the agency by 2030).  Even their website emphasizes diversity first and foremost. The performance of her agents on July 13th, made it obvious that the agency's primary goal should have been on recruiting the best qualified individuals rather than trying to meet quotas.

It also needs to reevaluate its mission and rededicate itself to start providing high performance training (including mandatory remedial training. To get an idea on how to implement that, she might want to talk to the Marines). The same can be said of the FBI, which has undergone as series of snafu's over the past decade or so. Law enforcement, judicial, and other non-policy making agencies need to focus on the job at hand and get out of the business of partisan politics.

Ms. Cheatle has stepped forward and acknowledged that her agency has failed.  As the boss, it's her job to accept responsibly for her agencies and its personnel. Nevertheless, all of the agencies continue to figure point. Ms. Cheatle is continuing to grasp at straws and now claiming for instance that the rise of the roof prevented them from taking any action previously, and yet their own sniper provide otherwise.  

Perhaps the least culpable is Butler's police department. They alerted the two federal agencies  that they didn't have the manpower needed that the job required. They provided who they could. However, they too failed in taking charge of the situation once the possible suspect was located. They could have immediately alert the security detail surrounding Trump in order to cover him and get the former president to a safe location.

As they acknowledged, one officer actually claimed up to roof but ducked down and left the scene. Why? It makes no sense. They could have swarmed the building using internal access ladders or immediately put an officer (or their own sharpshooter--who was present on the scene--on an adjacent roof and eliminated the threat.  

The FBI's "Response Team" was dispatched immediately to the Butler to assist with the investigation. They are also conducting their own inquiry of events as well along with the Department of Homeland Security's inspector general. The FBI has been in deep dodo with Trump and the Republicans since early on in Trump's administration. No doubt they're hoping to get back into Trump's good graces.

Lastly, perhaps the biggest beneficiary of all this is Trump himself. Trump has been saying for months that Biden and the Democrats were "out to get him". In a fundraising email sent out to supporters in May, Trump alleged that Biden had secretly approved of the FBI's use of "deadly force" against him.

He also claimed that two FBI agents tried to "kill him" in a raid on his Florida residence, Mar-a-Largo. in August 2022. Given the fanaticism of some of Trump's supporters, the event of July 13th was all the proof they need. If anything, the shooting attempt has only elevated "The Donald's" persona further into a near mythical status among the faithful.

Most of the politically motivated lawsuits against Trump have either been dropped or thrown out. The Supreme Court essentially gave him a "Get Out Of Jail" card when it recently ruled that a president could be charged with actions undertaken while in office.  Even many of those on the fence has slid on over to the red side of the grass.

Regardless, the attempted assassination of Donald Trump, coupled with Biden's dismal public appearances and lingering questions about his mental and physical health and retaining Kamala Harris on the ticket, may have all but sealed the reelection of Donald J Trump.

As for the American public and the world, we saw on vivid display the vindication of an individual many call a "depot", an "enemy of democracy" or a "potential American Hitler".  They've witnessed a nation in turmoil over alleged massive voter fraud and supposedly an attempted coup (or was it a "false flag"?).  They witnessed the end result of manufactured division and hatred created in earnest by the ruling Stat Quo some 15 years ago play out for all to see. 

They also vividly saw a near total failure of our federal law enforcement agencies to protect a former president and current presidential candidate, which just reenforces the image of a nation in decline and unable to adequately protect its past and possibly future president (whether that was intentional or just incompetence due to a lack of proper preparation remains to be determined. But what's beyond question is that this certainly hasn't been our "finest hour". 

We must remember that as Americans we have more in common with each other than not. The ruling class wants us divided. Divided and we're more easily manipulated and controlled. We are less focused on their dismantling of the Republic. Divided, even if we are aware of the destruction of our nation, we're to weak to act. Only by coming together can we save this country and restore our democratic Republic and Constitution to its original meaning.

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