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KAHNTENTIONS

KAHNTENTIONS is a blog post written by Gilbert N. Kahn, Professor of Political Science at Kean University in Union, New Jersey. Beginning in 2011 KAHNTENTIONS was hosted by the New Jersey Jewish News which recently ceased written publication. KAHNTENTIONS presents an open and intellectually honest analysis of issues facing the United States, Israel, as well as Jews world-wide.

BY GILBERT N. KAHN

"These are the times that try men's souls."

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Total Disbelief


If America were indeed a socialist state and the leader of the country went off to play golf the citizens would be rioting in the streets. As President Trump enjoyed a day on the links, many of his Republican supporters—who had called Democrats socialists-- were facing the cold winter with no money for food, their electricity being cut off, no immediate prospects of returning to work, and the possibility of eviction or foreclosure on their home. In addition, like everyone in the world they fear becoming infected with the coronavirus before they received their call for a vaccine; assuming they are among those who are prepared to trust the Government and believe that the vaccine is not a hoax.


There is literally a sense that the outgoing President does not care even about his own supporters He believes that they will follow him even now into the abyss. Donald Trump is totally comfortable watching the country self-destruct and his base suffer.

At the same time, Trump’s congressional supporters continue to be afraid to challenge the President even as he exits the White House. They either are so callous in their feelings for the American people or they believe that with these gestures of support it will enable them to march off to victory in future campaigns. They will be the winners who stood by Trump to the end.

The President’s willingness to play cynical games with the lives of the American people is criminal, but that they should be complicit in this Washington game of one-upmanship is outrageous. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, who carried the President’s water throughout all the negotiations on COVID relief was thrown to the wolves by Trump without a second thought. It is remarkable that so many of Trump’s allies and congressional backers have continued to support his post-election charade. (Even if the latest reports indicate he now will sign the stimulus and relief bill why did he torture the American people as they celebrated Christmas?)


It is easy to comprehend why Donald Trump is pushing his tawdry strategy. He wants to destroy President-elect Joe Biden’s chance to govern. The President never accept a defeat and he does not want anyone to succeed when falls. This pattern of behavior has been Trump’s throughout his life.


The question that begs answering is why Republican Party office holders and loyalists continue to be willing to permit Trump to carry on in this manner to the end. Millions of American are sick and dying of the coronavirus, are enduring gross economic hardship, and with very few exceptions the Republican Party is willing to permit President Trump to get away with it.


The remaining battles that the nation must endure from President Trump, after the current legislative struggle is completed, will occur when the results of the two Georgia Senate run-off races are declared on January 5. Regardless of the results of these contests, which might not immediately be finalized, the Electoral College vote will be officially announced by Vice-President Pence on January 6 when he presides over the joint session of Congress. At this point there appears to be a distinct possibility that some of Trump’s congressional allies will challenge the electoral vote count in some of the states. While his congressional supporters will lose that battle too, the very fact that there are Republican Members of Congress who are willing to continue Trump’s absurd tactics is incomprehensible.


There is really a sense that like the Roman Emperor Nero, Donald Trump is fiddling as Washington and the nation is burning.

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