King of misrule

I was fascinated to watch the unfolding events in Washington yesterday, as a Republican-voting crowd - some of them armed - stormed and occupied the Capitol, forcing the Senate then in session to temporarily suspend their ritual reading-out of each state's electoral results, and instead seek safety. It did indeed look (in the words of a reporter) like a mob attacking and occupying a hated dictator's palace. And all the signs of disrespect were there. Loutish rednecks sat in important seats with their feet up on desks; noise and confusion rang along marbled corridors and in halls; flags and banners were untidily waved for the benefit of TV crews; a few scaled the outer walls in a daredevil fashion; and all showed a truculent contempt for the security staff. Thank goodness the wooden boxes containing the certified voting results were spirited away by quick-thinking officials, otherwise they would indeed have been unceremoniously broken open and the contents burned in triumph. 

The heart of America. Invaded by a mob inspired by, and loyal to, a narcissistic man who had lost a democratic election, and wasn't big enough to accept the consequences. His ego wouldn't allow it. A man who couldn't bring himself to bow out with a show of grace and dignity, and wait for a future chance to get back into power. Instead, his way was to challenge the result by legal means, through the courts, and when that failed, to stir his supporters into an illegal assault on the American democratic process and the politicians still willing to uphold it. Not caring that if American democracy is seen to falter, all other democracies will be in danger. 

The mob made a mess, but it didn't achieve anything - this time. But it will have been emboldened, and there may well be more 'demonstrations' like this. 

It seems that no special preparations to counter trouble were in place at the Capitol, and military assistance was at first refused. President Trump's Pentagon nominees are said to have seen to that. True or not, the insurrectionists were allowed to make their unruly point, and the whole world has seen it on TV. What satisfaction there must be in Beijing and Moscow! America in the throes of mob rule! What a climax for President Trump's four years in office: a country clearly disunited; all progressive policies reversed; partisan dissent encouraged; the President behaving badly - and getting away with it every time. Mr Biden and his team will have to work very, very hard to restore America's standing and credibility in the world.

Has President Trump all along been in the pay of a foreign power intent on reducing America's status and influence? That seems to me like just another conspiracy theory. But what a mucker, what a spoiler, he has been. No foreign power, if really wanting to unbalance America's institutions and way of life, could have chosen a better agent. I don't think it matters too much who made sure that Mr Trump became President. An end has been achieved.

I said I was fascinated. There are also things that have puzzled me.

Why is it that America has this knife-edge stark split between Democrats and Republicans? Both types of voter are all-American patriots. Why isn't the country more of one mind? Why do Republicans hate the Democrats so very much? I can think of some obvious answers, but I would probably need to live in America, and to have been born and brought up there, to get to the heart of this. It's got to be much more than a straightforward contest between the Democrats' love of fresh ideas, social programmes, support for the underprivileged, and taxes to pay for those benefits on the one hand; and the Republicans' love of unfettered personal freedom, enterprise without conscience, low taxes, and a fundamentalist frame of mind on the other. Dare I say it resembles the emotional difference between being born black, or born white, in the Land of the Free?

Why was Mr Trump able to develop such a very strong personality cult, one that has persisted to the end of his Presidency, despite an abysmal record on effective governance and no leadership whatever during the raging pandemic? He looked like trouble back in 2016. He has indeed been trouble. Who respects him now, in the world's capitals? And yet hoards of supporters revere him. Are they sheep looking for a shepherd? Gullible people with weak minds, who can't think for themselves? 

Well, the seasoned (and presumably highly savvy) Republican politicians who supported Mr Trump, and have kept loyal to him, can't have the excuse of feeble intellect. Were they seduced by money and the promise of power? If so, they backed the wrong horse, and will now fall with their leader. Some have belatedly thrown off the fog that had clouded their judgement, notably senior figures like Senate Leader Mitch McConnell and the Vice-President Mike Pence. I think they saw that American democracy was in dire danger of falling into disrepute, and decided to save it, abandoning their personal loyalty to Mr Trump. Many more will follow their lead, and he will become more and more isolated. But I expect this will only strengthen his appeal for the Proud Boys and other ultra-patriotic groups. I'm sure they hope he will come out of the wilderness with a rifle across his shoulders and fire in his belly. In fact, he will want to play golf.

And if the 25th Amendment is invoked? That's primarly about putting the Vice-President in charge if the President dies, resigns or can't physically cope with his duties. It isn't - or at least hasn't been - the mechanism for removing a misbehaving President. And with only two weeks to go of Mr Trump's presidency, there is hardly time to make Mr Pence the new President for more than a few days. In any case, the mob would start shooting if the 25th Amendment, or any legislation whatever, is used against their hero. Let him fall by simply running out of time in office. 

I don't think he will press the nuke button in a fit of pique. Nor do I think he will trash the White House. I do think he will take a holiday at no notice at all, with no goodbyes or ceremony, and plenty of routine stuff left unattended. And just not come back. So no chaos for the new tenant, but lots of loose ends left dangling to annoy him.

It has crossed my mind that Mr Trump's arbitrary policy announcements, the sackings of staff who won't do what he wants, his creation of a personal court of sworn sycophants, all have the flavour of a big, all-powerful businessman who knows no rules or constraints, and follows no consistent line except whatever will generate profit and continued popularity. That's understandable for an American president. But his disdain for the law and constitutional procedure goes further, and I can't help seeing him as a man who would be king. I'm convinced that, if he had been re-elected, he would see to it that his term in office could be extended indefinitely. Just like Mr Putin in Moscow, and many other world leaders - past and present - who have engineered a situation where they can never be got rid of.

Surely the king-sensitive Republican Party must have seen how things would go, back in 2016? Why did they back Mr Trump? It wasn't a novel situation. All around the world, lately in South America of course, countries have in the past elected leaders who can tap into populist feeling, only to see that leader mess things up. Couldn't they see the danger? Or did hatred of Hillary Clinton and her vision provide the necessary nudge that made the Good Old Party embrace this deeply unattractive man, with his annoying hairstyle and serpent voice. 

The craziness of a divided America; the Republican Party's mad choice of a maverick candidate; his worship by a dangerous and unchecked armed group of extremists; his unappealing character; his unedifying departure - the bad loser who won't concede, and can't possibly show any weakness. How can the incoming administration heal the country? I just hope that Mr Biden can rapidly get a grip and clean things up somewhat. Just now I wouldn't like to do business with America.

One final thing, closer to home. 

Years ago, there was a great fuss made over Mr Trump's proposals to create a golfing resort on the coast north of Aberdeen. I remember getting a feel for the man back then. He seemed like a bully with a cheque book. He got his way, of course, despite a strong environmental lobby. Money talks, as ever. Now, with Scotland in the midst of a national lockdown against the spread of the coronavirus, he has been refused entry to that country. He can't retreat to that golfing resort. I can see him closing it in a huff, and possibly dismantling it, if his spite extends that far. Some local jobs will be lost if he does, but nature can return. Excellent.