Looking Beyond November 8th - A Song of Oligarchy and Doom

Hello again ATS!

Though we are two weeks out from Election Day as I sit to write these words – I find myself already looking beyond Tuesday, November the eighth and at some of the things that I think will happen between now and 2020 as well as what I think the landscape will look like in the year leading up to that year's election.

It won't be a popular opinion here on ATS, I am sure... But as of today I feel confident in saying that, short of some unprecedented and wholly unforseeable revelation or event – this years election is very likely a done deal. Hillary Clinton will almost certainly be the next President of the United States. With just two weeks remaining before Election Day ( as of this writing ), the meta-analysis of polls shows Clinton possessing nearly an insurmountable lead. While it is true that Trump enjoys a very passionate and enthusiastic base, he has done little to successfully expand that base. The potential for him to find a means of connecting with undecided and uncommitted voters is minimal and shrinks with each passing day.

Having come to this view, I find myself free to look beyond the coming weeks and to try and get a handle on what a post 2016 world will look like.

Frankly, gazing into my allegorical crystal ball, I see dark and threatening clouds gathering on our horizon. Clouds that could very well bring a storm of epic proportions our way.

Election Night Blues

The night of Tuesday, November the eighth could well be historic – in the worst of ways. This election cycle has broken several taboos and lowered the bar of political discourse in unprecedented ways. It has been a season of highly divisive hyperbole and rhetoric that has built-up a great deal of social tension.

We currently sit atop a very, very dry powder keg of anger that is seething and highly volatile. Passions will be flaring among many as we watch the Election results stream in on our televisions, computers and phones. Many of those watching will be deeply, deeply emotionally invested in the outcome of this race. In this climactic moment we, as a nation, will be perilously close to critical mass.

One spark away from potential disaster...

Four years ago a man with some degree of fame was emotionally invested in that years election and he took to social media, Twitter, to vent his reactions in a paroxysmal spasm of emotion...

That minor celebrity was one Donald J. Trump:



Source

Imagine for a moment what could happen if history repeats itself and this same man goes on a similar rant this Election night. Imagine the violence such a display could potentially trigger.

Then stop imagining and take a deep breath... Such a reaction is not just possible – given the evidence, it is more than likely the probable outcome. Trump is currently heavily invested in telling his followers that the election is rigged, that they have no voice and that he is "the only one" who can save them.

This is a very, very dangerous and unstable bit of social chemistry.

Most Trump supporters, obviously, will not lash out in violence if their candidate loses the race – even if they personally feel that the outcome of the Election was not legitimate.

However some Trump supporters, those in the extremes of what the media is currently calling "the alt right" very well could take to the streets in rage. Given some of the fringe support that Trump enjoys, I would honestly be surprised if such things were not already being planned by a handful of those on the fringe. The rhetoric of revolution has been abused of late – and there are always the few who take such statements far too literally... Across the line.

Blunty put – if Election night comes and Trump loses – and if he takes to Twitter as he did four years ago – it could well result in a very long and bloody night. A catastrophic night that we will look back upon with shame. A night that could well poison our nation for years to come.

Much Ado About Trump TV

Many pundits and wonks have mused over the fact that it truly does appear that Trump has been laying the groundwork for a future media operation... Presumably a news network or service of some kind. I count myself among those who have been suggesting so for a fairly long time.

However where I differ is that I don't see it as being quite so cut and dry any longer. While I do think that Trump's original thoughts ( or more the thoughts of those who influence Trump ) was to create a new media Conservative news venue... I think that it's now grown into something more.

I think that Trump TV ( Or whatever they end up calling it - "Trump TV" is too generic. There's no inherent propaganda value in the name. I think something more like "Trump's MAGA Network" is probably more on point. ) will be used as a device to begin a new political party. More accurately to succeed where others have previously failed ( I’m looking at you Sarah Palin and Glenn Beck ) by congealing the various "Patriot", "Tea Party" and fringe right wing groups into one collective and singular entity – a party firmly rooted in extreme nationalism with enough religion and conservatism thrown in to gain wider appeal.

My prediction is that Donald Trump will remain the focal point and figurehead of this coming movement – using this new network much as he currently utilizes his Twitter feed... A platform for him to vent his late night frustrations, angers and insecurities. His name will be predominantly used in the branding and messaging and Trump will be the face of it all. The most frequent speaker and guest. Imagine if The Apprentice had been a 24/7/365 live streaming show – and Trump had the power to walk in at any moment to say whatever happened to be on his mind... That is how I see Trump TV.

However I don't see Trump being the driving force behind the actual message. Trump is a brand, after all. He has made his place in this world by putting his name on buildings he didn't build, shows that he didn't create and ideas he didn't originate. Trump works as a spokesperson – the guy who says "I’m not only the President of... But I'm also a member". The real people behind the curtain will be The Mercers ( Robert and Rebekah ), Steve Bannon and, to a lesser degree, Roger Ailes.

As for on camera talents? I think the current obvious potential faces of this new media enterprise will be Hannity, O'Reilly and Lahren – though I'm honestly not personally sure if O'Reilly will make the jump. Money is money, after all, and Big Daddy Bill is sitting pretty comfortably atop the Fox news heap as his career winds down.

Regardless, however, of who wins the backstage power war ( Other than the Mercers who are a lock ) and the on camera positions... The network itself will be the propaganda arm of the extreme right wing and I think it very well could end up pulling the national discourse much further to the right in the coming 4-8 years. Particularly with the subjects of national isolationism and national identity politics.

2020 – Trump 2.0

Much to the chagrin of my Trump supporting friends, I don't believe that 2020 will see Donald Trump seeking the Presidency again. It is possible that another Trump could run, or try to run in 2020 ( Donald Jr or Ivanka I'd guess ) - however the people behind the scenes could very well choose to relegate the Trump dynasty to being symbolic or spiritual leaders – and choose to enter the next war with soldiers more suited to the battle.

A Trump version 2.0 if you will... Somebody from a more political background... Younger... Better looking... More intellectually gifted... Somebody with real natural aptitudes who has been bred and groomed for the life.

Imagine a polished and well spoken younger person who takes Trump's rhetoric, polishes it, turns it's volume up exponentially and then presents it all in a much more likeable, compelling and digestible manner. A person who could make independent and moderate voters listen...

When this person rises, in 4 or 8 years, America will have had either 12 or 16 straight years of Third Way Democrats and we will all be sick of the corruption and corporatism. Thanks to propaganda and rhetoric from both sides of the aisle, most Americans will remain unaware that this particular strain of the Democratic Party is not what the base of the party is about at all and they will be ready to clean house... for a massive change. Trump 2.0 will enter this situation on this wave of populism and rebellion and could very well be an unstoppable force from day one – regardless of messaging or policy position.

Trump himself quipped that he could "...stand in the middle of 5th Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn't lose voters..." - obviously an exaggeration. If things follow the path I foresee, Trump 2.0 could likely make the same claim, seriously, and be 100% correct.

The allegorical long story short... Donald J. Trump is not your Messiah... But he may well be your Moses. He will set the tone, give the law - and his own hand may well anoint the coming and as yet unknown "chosen one".

As a progressive, this is the war I prepare myself for. Not 2016 but 2020/2024. For those with my views, 2016 is and has been a lost cause.

( I would devote a chapter to Clinton here... But honestly, why bother? There are no surprises to be found in a Clinton Administration. No need for me to prognosticate. It would simply be 4-8 more years of the same BS we've had for the past 35 years. The rich will get richer, the poor will get poorer. The middle will continue to disappear and we'll all just keep getting lost in arguments meant to distract but that actually have no consequence on the big picture )

My Conclusions

I honestly get a bit nauseous thinking about the coming 4 to 8 years. For me it honestly has boiled down to a rather disgusting choice – One Corporatist with somewhat inclusive rhetoric in Hillary or one Corporatist with somewhat Nationalistic rhetoric in Trump. Either way Wall Street and the usual suspects will win again – entirely at the expense of all of the rest of us.

Oligarchy is the new black, don't you know.

There is an oft cited allegorical quote – often attributed to Jay Gould – that I am currently very mindful of: I can hire one half of the working class to kill the other half. To me this concisely sums up the current state of things. Of course it's the age old concept of divide et Impera - only after millennia of distillation, perfection and weaponization. People with wealth and power have had a very long time to study, compare notes and to perfect their game to a laser like proficiency.

With the advent of cheap and instantaneous global communication and information dissemination – the ultimate delivery system for their weaponized lies fell into place. The need to build walls around the serfs... around the plantation dissolved. Our walls now exist within our minds – constantly being adjusted and reinforced by the endless diet of digital propaganda we willingly consume.

If I stop and objectively view the world around me, particularly through the eyes of a passionate student of history, I can't help but realize that it's an amazing time to be alive. Future scholars will no doubt look back upon 2016 with keen interest and dissect even the most minute details down to the core essence. I can wholly imagine some future history buff, hundreds of years from now, reading about our society and thinking "I wish I could have been there to see it for myself..."

However through the lens of subjectivity – the charms of 2016 quickly fade. I personally find many periods of history to be fascinating and often wonder what it would have been there... Alexander's Conquests...The fall of Rome... The dark ages... The Crusades... The discovery of the New World... The American Civil War... WW1 and WW2... and many, many more. But I always understand the truth. If I suddenly found myself with a time machine and able to actually visit these historically tempting periods – I would likely regret doing so mere minutes after arrival. Reading about the Battle of Gettysburg is one thing – finding oneself standing in the midst of the carnage is another entirely.

Would future historians have similar thoughts about this world? The world we currently inhabit? Only they will know for sure – but I certainly do think that it's possible.

We are entering into a very perilous place as a species. Globally. This war of ideas in the United States is just one of many such battles currently being waged. The drums are beating and their cadence forebears war.

Given the way things are going... The divisiveness and polarization being foisted upon us as a species, on so many different levels... culture, race, religion, socio-economic status, political views and so on - 2016 could well end up seeming like the "good old days" - sooner rather than later.

As always, thanks for taking the time to reading my ramblings and my best to you all.

a reply to: Hefficide

Most Trump supporters, obviously, will not lash out in violence if their candidate loses the race – even if they personally feel that the outcome of the Election was not legitimate.

I have a feeling that it does not matter what anyone does, for the State to create a false flag scenario and blame it on radical "trump supporters" is all that it would take to spark off a civil war.

The perfect primer for all the executive orders Obama/Bush/Clinton have passed in the last 20 years.

You prediction about his TV show, has reminded me of the show in V for Vendetta, with the maniac playing upon the people's fears and trumpeting (pun intended) the divisive rhetoric. The social engineers are always thinking ahead and are quite masterful with their strategy.

Wise words as always Heff, thanks for sharing!

Hey, that was a good read. Sober and refreshing. Thanks for doing that; much appreciated.

To be fair to one Donald J Trump, he also said he also said he would take a very very long vacation back in August, and that he would support Clinton's presidency in one of the debates. He is not a revolutionary nor a dictator, and the doomsaying about the danger and fear in a Trump win (or also loss), is the very same cult of personality that might treat him as some playboy messiah. Except no one actually does treat him like a messiah.

a reply to: LesMisanthrope

Except no one actually does treat him like a messiah.

How would that work? TPTB crucified the last messiah!

a reply to: Hefficide

2016 could well end up seeming like the "good old days" -

Holy crap... That's sobering. Great thread, feels true.

As someone voting for neither of them, and watching the last year unfold with more than a little awe and dismay, I share your concerns. As I said recently in another topic, I'm not concerned about which of them wins or loses, or which "side" wins or loses, nor even about whether one considers themselves a progressive or sees progressive as a dirty word... so much as I am concerned about this being prophetic:



In my opinion, it is critical that we 1) know who has what responsibility for what, 2) know how we can go about affecting that (if we still can, which I know has been called into question of late to a greater extent than ever before,) and 3) return to a true spirit of civility and discourse rather than mere rage and consternation.

My only tiny, minuscule attempt to affect that, is merely to encourage those I interact with daily to find ways to hold civil dialogue and genuine concern for the wellbeing of all, even those they profoundly disagree with. But in the long term, that's a fraction of a drop in an increasingly worrying sea of upheaval that I too fear may soon become inevitable. I don't want to live in that future.

Peace.

Great OP. I see this election as nothing but trouble. Our system is getting really bad, on the Dem side we have the worst liar I have ever seen, one that is very educated in Ad Hominum techniques and is not afraid to use them. Someone who feels she is above the law. On the other side we have a guy with such a big head that we can't create a hat to cover it.

I just want to turn off the news and internet after the elections and become a hermit.

a reply to: AceWombat04

But in the long term, that's a fraction of a drop in an increasingly worrying sea of upheaval that I too fear may soon become inevitable. I don't want to live in that future.

Well spoken (as well as the OP). I dread the world that will be left for my children and grandchildren. Wm Casey's words: when everything the american public believes is false we will have won. Well seems at least half the population is there...as well as our illegals who are given immediate citizenship and right to vote.

We are in so deep i can think of any way out.

Your thoughts mirror my own, heff. Personally, I can only hope to shelter me and my own from the fallout of this election and do what's necessary to make it to the next. My faith is not in our leaders, nor the people who choose them, but in my ability to survive both. It will have to be enough. Thanks for lending your typically elucidating perspective to the subject.

Excellent post filled with well articulated thoughts as usual heff!

If I had one suggestion I think the title
"Looking Beyond November 8th :A Song Of Ire and Strife" works better .

Now, if we could just get all these corrupt politicians to off each other Game Of Thrones style....


~meathead

I agree that it's going to be a nasty aftermath. I expect there may be demonstrations or other ugliness at Clinton's inauguration, and it will basically be a repeat of Obama's First Term With Added Ugliness.

I expect that Congress will act as it has for Obama, stonewalling Supreme Court nominations (leaving us with an 8 member court, which will slow thing considerably.

Expect lots of nasty photoshop pictures of her showing all sorts of ugly brutality (which is going to start annoying the women even more.) Expect a number of angry men threatening revolution. Expect an endless attempt to find SOME sort of crime to set on her head (we've already had 30 years of this that produces nothing.)

Expect more nasty hoaxes.

Expect a flood of "Hillary is furious about this!" hoaxes and fake emails.

Expect Bill to be monitored by the world 24/7.

Expect that any cough or sleepiness will now be diagnosed as cancer, parkinsons', atrial fibrillation, brain tumor, alzheimers, pneumonia, plague, black death, shingles, Zika, signs that she's turning into a werewolf, signs that she's turning into a robot werewolf, signs that her robot werewolf form is shedding... etc, etc.

In the end, her term will be no worse than Bush's (and we survived that) - she will manage to get things done but the dialogue in the country will remain ugly and constant attempts to smear her mean her approval rating won't get much higher than 50% by the end of her term.

Trump... will throw a snit fit. It will turn out that he's managed to drain the Republican war chest and they don't have much resources to fight back. Cruz will try to emerge as a leader. Trump may try to run for Senate, but he's not that popular in New York.

Eventually he may try Trump TV, but a more likely scenario is that he will have to declare bankruptcy again. His kids' cutthroat business practices will not mesh well with the new "Scion" brand name and that will also fail.

Sigh... Just came across this Tweet ( video in Tweet ) - that shows Trump saying the following yesterday"

"We should just cancel the election and just give it to Trump, right? What are we even having it for? Her policies are so bad!"

When I get a few free minutes I'll try to hunt down a video source to embed here.