THOMPSON: American presidential election feels like a life-and-death situation

  OPINION Most of us don’t face a life-and-death situation very often. Oh, some of us do, those awaiting organ transplants or treatment of serious diseases, or members of the military serving in combat, are among the most obvious. On Nov. 5, most of the 342-million Americans will know exactly what a life-and-death situation feels like. Small children won’t know, of course, at least not right away. But many adults will be awake late into the night, perhaps ’til morning, anxious over who will be the 47th president of the United States. It’s likely that more than 162-million voters will cast ballots…about two-thirds of those eligible to vote. It will be - and I write this with no intention of hyperbole - the most critical life-and-death situation for not just Americans…but for people worldwide. Why? There’s more at stake than in any other presidential election in America’s 240 years. You could not have two more disparate choices. Quite simply, one man and one party - Joe Biden and Democrats - want to continue freedom and democracy. The other - Donald Trump and Republicans - want to end them…and dictate to all Americans…their versions of religious freedom, personal relationships, emotional freedom, citizenship, justice and how the government works. It remains to be seen who among those who identify as Republicans will help the Make America Great Again cult of Donald Trump overthrow freedom and democracy. Millions of Republicans already carry the banner of insurrectionists…even if they weren’t among those who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 to overturn a legal presidential election. If you haven’t considered what Americans will lose under a second Trump presidency and Republican rule, here - at a bare minimum - is a short list. Trump and his MAGA Republicans crowd will restrict voting rights and change election laws, taking millions of people of colour, young people and legal immigrants off voting roles, ensuring a Trump and Republican dynasty. Free and fair elections will be lost and American elections will more closely resemble Russia, Hungary, North Korea, Turkey and other dictatorships. Trump Republicans will do away with individual decisions on abortion and reproductive rights, contraceptive rights, and the legal right for same-sex couples to marry. Trump’s America will not be a nation of equal justice for all. He already claims every election and court case is rigged against him. Trump has asked the U.S. Supreme Court - with three of his appointees and a majority of Republican Conservatives - to rule that a president can’t be prosecuted for any crimes committed in office. America will be less safe under another Trump-Republican rule. Trump has already said he will de-fund the Justice Department and F.B.I….revenge for investigating and charging him with his crimes. Crime rose under Trump’s first presidency, including the highest one-year homicide rate since statistics were first gathered in the 1960s. By the way, violent crime has dropped to a 50-year low under President Biden, including a 26 percent decrease in homicides. The economy was the worst in decades under Trump…largely due to his bungling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Trump poses a further threat to the majority of Americans by promising policies that would increase inflation, boost the national debt and cut funding for federal programs by giving big corporations and rich people huge tax cuts. Last week, Trump proposed a 60-percent tariff on Chinese imports and a 10-percent tariff on imports from all other countries. Trump’s lack of fundamental knowledge about tariffs would mean a $1,700 annual cost to every middle-class household on the Chinese tariffs alone. Trump’s isolationist policies - typical of autocrats - would cut aide to Ukraine, helping his friend Vladimir Putin…and could lead to the dismantling of NATO. The world would be dramatically more unsafe under Trump, who has promised to pepper his Cabinet only with those loyal to him. It would be scary enough to endure another Trump presidency…knowing all of the above as well as his penchant for vengeance, serial-lying and megalomaniac behaviour. But consider that his mental fitness…at 78…makes him seem unhinged as he speaks - often incoherently - at rallies and political gatherings. His father, Fred, suffered from dementia, and at 86 suffered from full-blown Alzheimer’s. Despite Trump’s performative antics in public, he appears to show signs of dementia, as well. For example, last week as he was talking about his “perfect” mental acuity, he mentioned his doctor, former Presidential Physician, Ronnie Jackson…only he called him Ronnie Johnson… three times within a minute of stream-of-consciousness speaking. In every political rally…Trump starts a sentence…seems to lose his way…forgets how he started and finishes in a non-sequitur…what listeners have come to recognize as the Trump Word Salad. It is a sign of dementia, according to experts. Trump still contends, with no credible evidence, that he was reelected in 2020. More than 60 courts, and scores of state and Federal government officials, prove otherwise. Trump claims fraud…that it was a rigged election yet no evidence exists…at all. Trump tells supporters he just might not accept another loss to Biden…hinting that Trump supporters might have to resort to violence to put him in the White House. The MAGA cult believes Trump. They refute clear facts and truths with a brush of a hand. They actually believe this twice-impeached, serial liar, rapist, racist, mentally unfit convicted felon. We’re not talking tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of people…we’re talking millions…tens of millions of voters. The Right Wing has tried - somewhat successfully - to position Joe Biden as too old…mentally failing. This is not true…those who have been in the room with Biden and observing his thinking, behaviour and decisions know he’s more than competent. Trump - on the other hand - Is dangerous…not like your weird uncle Bob at Thanksgiving…but someone who cannot be trusted…incompetent and unfit to be a world leader. Every American…every world citizen…who relishes freedom and democracy should be worried. This is a life and death situation like the world has rarely faced. Quite frankly, I wish I felt better about America’s ability to fend off the MAGA cult and Donald Trump. I don’t. Millions of Americans - Republicans - who should know better could easily put America on life support in November. If that happens, the survival of freedom and democracy is in doubt. I’ll be up all night on Nov. 5. — Don Thompson, an American awaiting Canadian citizenship, lives in Vernon and in Florida. In a career that spans more than 40 years, Don has been a working journalist, a speechwriter and the CEO of an advertising and public relations firm. A passionate and compassionate man, he loves the written word as much as fine dinners with great wines. We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor. mailto:news@infonews.ca