We are protesting (rightly) about the Babies, the Court, the Shootings and on and on. Everyday we must fight new battles. But while we are fighting the latest injustice I'm afraid we're playing Trump's game just as America did during the election. He keeps us off balance reacting to his daily tweets and distracting us from the big picture: Trump's steady march toward despotism, his march to the day when he will be our Supreme Leader. He disses the elected European leaders (Canada most of all) while admiring dictators such as North Korea’s Kim Jong Un or Turkey's Recep Erdoğan or Philippines' Rodrigo Duterte, or Russia's Vladimir Putin.
Putin has elections just like we do, the only difference is that other candidates are picked by Putin and potential adversaries are locked away. LOCK HER UP isn't just a rally cry, it goes much much deeper. It is the essence of Putin. We need to be listening to what Trump is saying, really listening. Personally I cannot imagine Trump giving up the White House when he loses at the polls, his ego could not take it, he knows it, and he will do whatever is necessary to prevent that vote from happening.
So what do we do? Fight like hell? If it gets really dicey don't forget that the Trump supporters are the ones with guns. Or do we give up in despair? Move out of the country? Pray? Or do we prepare, and if so how?
I do not have the answers. Not any of them. Not a one. I urge each of us to spend some time zooming out and looking longer term than the latest Trump-made disaster. Are we marching while Rome burns?