This upcoming electoral battle is poised to be the most contentious and tumultuous in our lifetimes. It promises to be a disconcerting spectacle, characterized by sordidness, corruption, and a level of dishonesty that exceeds the imagination of decent citizens. Brace yourselves, for this election will be inescapable. Week by week, and eventually almost every day, the relentless drumbeat of developments, actions, or statements from Donald Trump and his supporters will plunge millions of democracy enthusiasts into deep despair.
Joe Biden and the Democrats are confronted with a historic challenge, unlike any faced by a U.S. presidential campaign before. They find themselves pitted against an openly fascist candidacy, a term that sparks disagreement but has been fueled by Trump’s rhetoric about eliminating the “vermin” and leaked plans to weaponize the federal government in a second term. It’s a situation many never envisioned, yet here we stand.
The guiding principle behind the Trump campaign is chaos. History reveals that fascists, given the opportunity in democratic campaigns, thrive on creating chaos. They do so because chaos works to their advantage, unsettling democratic-republicans who believe in the fundamental principles of American republican democracy. Fascism seeks to pulverize neutral rules, insisting that the rules of republican democracies are not neutral but rigged against them.
The Trump campaign explicitly intends to instill chaos, audaciously proposing that the only solution to the chaos they either exaggerate or create is to vote for them, claiming, “There is nothing but chaos afoot, and only we can restore order!”
In 2016, Trump hinted at this argument with his “I alone can fix it” convention speech. However, in this election, the chaos narrative will not merely be a theme but the driving force of his campaign. The focus will be on issues such as crime, the border, racial politics in schools, transgender rights, and the narrative that America has lost its way—asserting that only by discarding democratic rules can the nation be saved from the perceived threats of “Communists, Marxists, fascists, and the radical left thugs.”
As Trump’s rhetoric escalates, especially with the possibility of legal issues looming in September and October, the political landscape will become unlike anything witnessed by any living American.
The Democrats’ Additional Hurdles
The challenges facing Biden and the Democrats extend beyond countering Trumpian chaos. The Democratic Party is experiencing factionalism instead of rallying together to combat the fascist threat. Centrists aligned with the No Labels movement have even floated the idea of a “coalition government” in the event of no candidate securing 270 electoral votes, a prospect reminiscent of the notorious “corrupt bargain” of 1824.
Political figures like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Cornel West, along with the potential for a wider war involving Hezbollah and Iran, contribute to the complexities Democrats face. The party is also grappling with a hostile media landscape, a disconnect with Latino and Black voters, especially men, and the age factor coupled with concerns about Kamala Harris’s effectiveness.
Democrats’ Imperative Actions
Politics operates in eras, and the Democrats need to recognize the need for a shift. Rather than playing defense, they must adopt an offensive stance, framing themselves as the champions of middle America on crucial issues like guns, abortion rights, economic policies benefiting the middle class, and confronting corporate power.
Explicitly naming enemies, both political and corporate, can evoke emotional responses and strengthen the Democratic narrative. Biden and the Democrats must also exude confidence and project a sense of victory to appeal to voters who often choose based on which side seems like a winner.
Despair or Fight: The Critical Choice
In the face of an anticipated 11 months of political turbulence, a critical choice confronts Joe Biden, elected Democrats, and every citizen—despair or fight. The fascists are banking on inducing despair, a choice made by voters only under specific conditions: deep crisis or the perception that anti-fascists are divided and weak.
While the United States faces serious challenges, it is not in a genuinely deep crisis akin to 1932. The Democrats hold the key to the second condition. If they remain unified, bold, and aggressive, they can establish the dominant narrative and emerge victorious. Failure to do so may lead to a loss, with uncertain prospects for future elections.
