FAFO

Let's set aside the simple reality that Donald Trump is hated by every Democrat and a fairly large number of Republicans. Let's set aside that he's the enemy of the deep state bureaucracy and the agencies that populate it. Let's set aside that most independents find him boorish and even repugnant and will likely vote for his opponent, regardless of his opponent's record or mental capacity. Let's set aside that he paid hush money to a porn star before he ran for president. Let's set aside that any payment is long past a statute of limitiations. Let's set aside that he is an announced candidate for the 2024 election. Let's set aside that the DA who concocted a criminal charge for his hush money payment ran for office on the campaign promise to "get" Donald Trump. Let' set aside the legal contortions the DA had to perform to shape a criminal charge, twist that charge into a felony, and then convince a grand jury that the charge was justified. 

None of it matters. With the criminal indictment of a former U.S. President, a precedent has now been set, and it bodes ill for our country. The Dems have decided that prosecuting an ex-president is a moral imperative. But more on all of that in a moment.

Although the propaganda media would have us believe that Trump's nomination is a certainty, that isn't the case. They'd also have us believe that Joe Biden has accomplished great things, is scandal free, and has the mental acuity of a chess grand master. That also isn't the case. It's a bit off-topic, but a reasonable summary of the accomplishments of both potential candidates is provided as a footnote.*

With today's indictment of a former president, we have what Democrats believe is the coup de gras—an indictment authored by a hyper-partisan New York DA for a hush-money case that was adjudicated in civil court and won by Trump. 

There's little point in discussing the legal technicalities or the merits of the DA's indictment—positions have solidified on both sides of the issue. But it is worth considering this historic precedent—the first POTUS to ever be criminally indicted by an administration of an opposing party. And please, spare me the sanctimonious argument that "no one should be above the law." I've lived long enough to have seen unequal justice when applied to preferred elites (think: Edward Kennedy at Chappiquiddick or Hillary Clinton and the missing 33,000 emails purposely deleted from an illegal server—to name only two of hundreds of instances).The Democrats, driven by hatred of Trump, will celebrate this indictment, but seem unaware that in politics, what goes around comes around. There will be a time when the GOP regains complete control of the Congress and the presidency. When that happens, the viciousness of the Democrat's Trump pogrom will be remembered, and firebrands within the GOP will want similar action taken against one or more Dem leaders. I hope that doesn't happen, but it will.

The Democrats often talk about "threats to Democracy." Like many of their talking points, there is an unintentional element of psychological projection to their claim. The true threat to democracy is acting as if the USA were a banana republic in which those in power attempt to persecute (via show trials) and imprison their opposition. It is a vicious attempt to destroy opposing views and to use an increasingly weaponized legal system as a substitute for a democratic vote. 

Of course, there will be millions of words written by supposed political experts about this indictment and its effects, but the words of comedian Chris Rock, directed a few weeks ago to a predominantly Democratic audience of big wigs and politicians, might be the best summary of all:

“Are you guys really going to arrest Trump? Do you know this is only going to make him more popular? It’s like arresting Tupac. He’s just gonna sell more records. Are you stupid?”

The audience roared with laughter, but apparently, the crazy left held sway. To answer Chris: Yes, they are that stupid, or maybe vicious and vindictive is a better characterization. They're playing with the latest social media acronym—FAFO—and I suspect what they find will not be good for them or the country. 

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FOOTNOTE:

*  The current POTUS, Joe Biden, is a cognitively disabled, corrupt Washington insider. He is an ally of the bureaucracy and a long time member of the deep state. For more than four decades, he has taken an 'every-man' stance while enriching himself and his family via business deals and cutout payments that are well-documented but never examined by a complicit media or any DA. Because he is a Democrat, the media protects Biden and makes excuses for his many serious failures. His administration has accomplished little of substance, but has presided over: (1) an authoritarian, rigid, and failed Covid policy and its ongoing negative impact on lives and livelihoods, (2) an increasingly partisan, weaponized, and corrupt Washington bureaucracy, (3) a divisive politics (particularly notable because Biden ran as a "uniter"), (4) an economy that is dangerously unstable, (5) high inflation due to profligate federal spending, (6) an open border, (7) a disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan that bequeathed $80 billion (!!) in weapons to the taliban, (7) trillions in unnecessary and ineffectual spending, and (8) an authoritarian climate policy that will do nothing to "save the planet" but much to reward friends and hurt others. As the revered Barack Obama is said to have stated: "Never underestimate Joe's ability to f..k things up."

The past POTUS, Donald Trump, is a bombastic narcissist and a Washington outsider. He is a man who does not choose his words carefully, is pugnacious to a fault, punches down when criticized and often speaks before he thinks. His business dealings have been questionable and his business ethics are in doubt. He is hated by elites in both political parties, and is outright despised by Democrats who never truly accepted his defeat of Hillary Clinton in 2016. They promulgated (with the assistance of their trained hamsters in the propaganda media) a number of outright lies and hoaxes in an effort to remove him from office and/or cripple his presidency. He has been impeached twice, investigated by a special prosecutor, accused of fomenting an "insurrection," and has had grand juries impaneled by three different (Democrat) DAs. He is persona non grata. Yet through all of this, his administration had a number of significant accomplishments—many benefiting the middle class:(1) high wage grow and (2) low unemployment), (3) criminal justice reform and (4) reduced poverty rates that benefited minorities. He emphasized (5) a program to increase vocational education training (again benefiting the middle class and minorities) and (6) revised trade policy with China, on-shoring many manufacturing jobs. During his administration (7) America became energy independent thereby reducing our dependence on Middle East sources. His administration (8) did much to control the flow of illegal immigrants across our southern border, (9) kept us out of foreign wars, and (10) authored the Abraham accords—an historic peace deal in the Middle East that had it not been jettisoned by the Biden administration, may have resulted in far broader benefits throughout the Middle East.

The bottom line is—consider the accomplishments and failures of each and then choose your poison.