(DON THOMPSON / iNFOnews.ca)

OPINION

There is good reason to be worried for America. It is on the very brink of what Benjamin Franklin cautioned against on Sept. 18, 1787, at the close of the Constitutional Convention.

As the era’s most famous American left what thereafter would be known as Independence Hall in Philadelphia, a woman called out: “Well Doctor, what have we got a republic or a monarchy?” 

“A republic,” replied Franklin, adding, “If you can keep it.” Even Franklin - a brilliant man in so many endeavours - couldn’t fathom 235 years ago that America’s choice would ultimately fall between democracy and autocracy.

And yet, that is where America finds itself. In just 197 days, the mid-term election will be over. All 435 members of the House of Representatives and 35 of the 100-member Senate will be elected.

That night, Nov. 8…America will - at worst - teeter on the precipice. Regardless of the vote, Americans won’t have an autocracy that night…Joesph R. Biden, Jr. will remain president for another two years. Whether Trump Republicans win or lose this November will, however, better determine the odds of the U.S. becoming an autocracy in 2024.

At this moment, I believe chances are good - better than fifty-fifty - that if Republicans win the House, Senate and White House…American democracy will fall…no, leap…in favour of a dictatorship.

Of course, Republicans will continue to call it a democracy…and they will gloriously speak of freedom and wrap themselves patriotically in the flag. But trust me…look how they are acting now…and imagine if they have unfettered control.

They already own the U.S. Supreme Court…filling it with judges that lack either the experience or integrity - sometimes both - to ensure the rule of law. Republicans bear hug laws that restrict abortions - even in cases of rape or incest - and stiff arm any Second Amendment restrictions…despite the overwhelming majority support of Americans to access abortions and put in place sensible gun control laws that might reduce the 53 gun deaths a day to something in line with countries not at war.

Republicans are closer to a cult than a political party…they have no platform…their goal is single minded…win…at all costs. Republicans see themselves above the law…how many ignored subpoenas in the Jan. 6 insurrection?

Republicans in the Senate like Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, Tom Cotton of Arkansas, Ted Cruz of Texas, Josh Hawley of Missouri, John Kennedy of Louisiana, Rand Paul of Kentucky, Marco Rubio and Rick Scott of Florida and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina are among those who voted against the infrastructure bill…but showed up for photo ops in their states…all claiming credit for securing millions for vital projects for the folks back home.

House member Marjorie Taylor Greene - like Trump - lies every time she opens her mouth. Last week, she accused Democrats as the “party of pedophiles.” Twenty-six-year-old Representative Madison Cawthorn appeared earnestly before cameras a couple weeks ago shocked by all the drug and sex parties he was invited to…but it was all lies. Seems he forgot he was talking about his fellow Republicans.

The truth is Trump’s years of lying….and surrounding himself with other incompetent liars…think Kevin McCarthy, Steve Bannon, Rudy Giuliani, the entire Trump family, Peter Navarro and on and on…mean the majority of Republican voters are mis-informed Qanon followers. They embrace wild-ass conspiracy theories…like Hillary Clinton running a pedophile sex trafficking operation out of a pizza restaurant basement…that had no basement.

They incite a treasonous insurrection on the Capitol…killing people…but the Justice Department fails to investigate Republican leaders we saw inciting a crowd for fear of looking political. Yeah, well, it is politics you know…and more crooked than Nixon ever thought about 50 years ago.

But forget what happens in front of our very eyes…documented for all to see. What are those who have been lied to by Republicans and its propaganda arm - Fox News - for years thinking…have the lies and disinformation had an effect? Oh, yes.

Consider, as I did, some recent focus groups led by The New York Times. A group of eight Conservative men sounded like a pity party…blaming Biden, Democrats, gays, feminists, among other Liberal devils for what ails America.

Old white men have bought into the Republican fear-mongering…your life is going to get worse because of women, immigrants, people of colour, gay folks…they aren’t real Americans like you.

Republican officials, of course, don’t even bother messaging women Republicans…because they know they will toe the line of their husbands…old white men, or young white men who think old thoughts.

The focus group participants mostly despised Dr. Anthony Fauci…masks and vaccinations. Also, they don’t see themselves or America as being racist…even though one said and others in the group agreed, “I was mentioning to someone in my office about the president appointing a Supreme Court nominee. It was an African American woman. And I was saying, ‘That’s the most racist thing you could do!’”

They mostly believe Republicans are more fiscally responsible and the economy is better with Republican presidents…despite the facts that the only two presidents to balance the budget in the past 40 years - Clinton and Obama - are Democrats. As a matter of fact, the economy historically has always done better with Democrats in the White House…all the way back to Herbert Hoover nearly 100 years ago.

So, the misinformation and lies are working. Republicans are scaring the hell out of largely uneducated folks looking to blame someone other than themselves for any trouble in America.

Hang on…because previous elections will look almost polite compared with what will happen this year and in 2024. There’s a good chance that the Trump cult will win both times…given gerrymandering, voter suppression, Russian cyber intervention…and fear mongering.

If so, even the most ignorant Americans will then see that freedom isn’t what a dictator tells you it is. Maybe…if Americans are watching the lesson in democracy waging in Ukraine…they will breathe life back into democracy.

Ben Franklin was right…or said another way…sometimes you don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone.

— Don Thompson, an American awaiting Canadian citizenship, lives in Vernon and in Florida. In a career that spans more than 40 years, Don has been a working journalist, a speechwriter and the CEO of an advertising and public relations firm. A passionate and compassionate man, he loves the written word as much as fine dinners with great wines.

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