America’s RAGING Civil War (#168)

Political partisanship is rife in most democratic countries, but nowhere has it more prominence and impact than in the United States of America at this time. USA’s internal politics matters, as its tortured ongoing political, partisan civil war, threatens not only the poisonously divided American population that is openly warring camps, but it affects current global order by impacting its decision making processes that will affect global trade, global alliances, and its military and social objectives, internally and externally.  

Not to mention, in the Democratic-World, America is considered to be the leader of the free and liberal World. Its recent moves under the new leadership, to go against the establish trends of progressive liberalism (encompassing for the most part all that is good in human nature), sets global liberalism back at a time when the forces of the racist, nationalistic far-Right are rearing their ugly heads across the globe, after decades of hiding since the WWII. As it is already obvious, Trump’s victory, in spite of his hereto unacceptable rhetoric and behaviour in modern America, have emboldened copy-cat wannabe far-right political leaders in Europe that are consciously emulating Trump, to try and replicate a similar political result in their own elections.

All of a sudden, it is alright to appeal to the baser nature of humanity after decades of pushing such instincts back. The silent majority, normally accepting and tolerant, are now the discontented, and the possible path to electoral victory for the radical fringe. These are the potential voters the new right-wing fascists are wooing with divisive and hateful rhetoric disguised as flag waving ultra-nationalism, purity of national race, security from all threats internal and external, expulsion of illegal aliens, and promising the most elusive of all national treasures - plenty of jobs, financial prosperity and security.

And in this vein, America under Trump and the Republican Party continues to set new precedents.

Banana-Republic-style nepotism is now so blatantly pervasive in the White House that it is breath-taking in its audacity and scope. There are now daughters and son-in-laws installed in the White House itself, with daily public exposure to important posts, and posturings with visiting World leaders. Through these positions, there is no effort to hide the personal aggrandizement, and present and future benefit flow to those that bear the Trump family mantle. And since normally America stood against such less than justifiable political appointments, and personal benefits from high political office, here-to-now it being primarily the domain of ‘Banana Republics’ and large but corrupt developing countries, it is distressing to see global leadership in political integrity being compromised by the Trump family, openly and without fear of legal or political repercussions. And this behaviour is adding fuel to the raging partisan fires in the U.S., and has emboldened the Republicans to undertake what under normal circumstances would be considered unacceptable support of an errant President with jaw-dropping faux pas.

The Democrats in government, and their supporters, are apocalyptic with this brazen and public display of nepotism, and daily glaring examples of conflicts-of-interest. On the other hand, the Republicans and their supporter base, find themselves having to make excuses and support Trump, his teams and his family’s inexcusably politically-incorrect behaviour that in different circumstances (if it had been a Democrat as the President and his family) would have  sent them into spasms of political outrage and convulsions. But these are truly unique times where an unacceptably boorish person, with stunning penchant for telling obvious lies and indulgence in constant high-school-level braggadocios self-congratulatory pronouncements, and an inability to focus on complexities of policy, is their long awaited Republican President. Some senior Republicans are not thrilled with their new President, but others feel grateful to him for bringing them into power, and are willing to run interference for him regardless of the unsavory nature of his personality, or his, at times, appalling deeds. This unique circumstance is made eminently possible by the virulent dislike of the ‘other side’ and forces the Republicans to defend theirs, and his, weak and more times than not indefensible positions, or lie along with him.

Such behaviour has cost the Republicans publicly. Newly appointed National Security Advisor, former General Mike Flynn, a Republican, had to be fired, albeit reluctantly, by President Trump for lying to Vice President Pence. And subsequently more damning information has come out showing him withholding critical information regarding his dealings with Russia in his disclosure forms.

Newly installed by Trump, the Attorney General of the United States of America, dyed-in-the-wool Republican Jeff Sessions, had to recues himself from all investigations regarding Russia for failure to disclose his meetings with the Russian Ambassador, at his Confirmation Hearings.

And most recently, Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, Republican Devin Nunes, had to step aside from the investigations the committee was undertaking as the Ethics Committee opened an investigation on him, for improper conduct due to his blatant and partisan effort to assist the President and the White House, with information provided by them in some form of bizarre subterfuge effort.

The list of the compromised in the highly partisan and scandal ridden Trump administration is growing on an almost weekly basis.  

President Obama was fastidiously proper in behaviour and scandal free in his entire two terms, and still had the Republicans in daily throes of accusations and some level of concocted outrage. If Obama had had the gall and incomprehensible audacity to appoint a family member to positions such as Ivanka and Jared Kushner hold in the White House today, the Republicans would have brought the country to a perpetual standstill (come to think of it - they actually did, but on something mundane like budgetary issues) instead of just expressing great displeasure and anger as the Democrats are now doing in a typical relatively muted Liberal - Progressive way.

On the appointment of Neil Gorsuch as the Judge for the vacant seat on the United States Supreme Court, the Republicans and the Democrats again split along partisan lines and pushed partisanship to the extreme. The Republicans had prevented President Obama’s pick, Judge Merrick Garland, from even coming to a hearing, and had held up the process for almost a year, based on strict partisanship. Republicans would not allow a Democrat appointed Judge to fill the deciding vote at the Supreme Court.

When it came to the appointment of Trump-nominated Judge Gorsuch, the Democrats did all they could to hold up his appointment. They forced the Republicans to change Senate rules (the nuclear option), waiving the rule requiring super majority of 60 votes to confirm his appointment, to requiring a simple majority of 51 votes, which they had. This battle was the kind of, no compromise, break all bi-partisan precedents, widen the divide that defines America of today.

The other ways America’s divisions are deepening are the long standing questions of Trump’s, his campaign’s, and his staff’s connections with Russia and its senior most officials and Oligarchs, who are close to Vladimir Putin, or are his proxy’s. Enough is now known about senior members of Trump’s campaign interacting in extensive meetings, conversations and financial transactions, to dispel any doubts as to the legitimacy of the concerns expressed by the American Intelligence Agencies, tasked with the responsibility of keeping the country safe from foreign hostile intentions, covert or overtly.  

The concerns of the top American Intelligence Agencies have morphed into active ‘counterintelligence, possibly criminal investigations’ into contacts, collaborations or coordination, between Trump’s senior most campaign officials and Russian officials, under the aegis of the Department of Justice and the FBI, with the view to determine possible criminal behaviour of Trump’s officials, and the extent of Russia’s impact on the American 2016 election. That fact, according to the FBI in open testimony, that Russia did meddle in the election to try and damage Hillary Clinton’s profile and chances of winning are indisputable, the only question being, to what extent, exactly, did the Russian meddling impact the election, and what role, if any, did Trump’s people play in it, to help the Russians accomplish what they did.  

These are explosive allegations against both Russia, and Trump’s campaign team, which if proven would be tantamount to ‘an Act of War’ on Russia’s side (Senator John McCain’s words) and possibly an act of treason for the members of Trump’s campaign team, according to various legal minds.

But once again, the country split along partisan lines regarding the importance of the issues under these investigations. The Democrats obviously focused on Russia’s interference, and Trump and his team’s possible collusion and coordination with the Russians, and the Republicans have been trying to convince the country, that it is the ‘unmasking’ of Americans who were caught talking to the Russians (accidentally in routine surveillance of foreigners, called incidental collection) is the ‘real’ danger here and not the possible collusion and coordination by the Trump team.

This bizarre division on the priority of focus in investigating the threat to the country is the disturbing manifestation of the depth of partisanship in America today.

Americans in power, or as normal citizens, are willing to change the meaning of treasonous behaviour (American’s tampering with free and fair election in cahoots with an adversarial foreign power) to safeguard their President if he and his team ensure their Republican Party’s position and power in government. The fact that they can convince their support base that disclosing names of Americans caught talking to foreign agents is more threatening than the possible acts of illegal behaviour or treason, is akin to a full blown civil war and the acceptance of the other side’s damage by whatever means possible, at the cost of the whole country.