Looney Tunes – Wikimedia Commons
While the 2024 presidential election is more than a year away, it appears that Donald Trump will be the Republican Party nominee. As the number of federal and state indictments against Trump increase, his support amongst his followers also appears to increase. With the exception of Chris Christie, Trump’s opponents for the nomination are afraid to attack or even criticize him. Unless Republican primary voters tire of Trump’s antics and legal problems or his opponents suddenly find the courage to confront him, Trump will be the nominee.
If Trump cannot be prevented by his opponents from securing the Republican nomination for president, perhaps the 14th Amendment to the Constitution can. According to “Findlaw“, Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment grants Congress the power to disqualify someone who has previously held a public office from holding “any office” if they engage in an “insurrection or rebellion” against the United States. Recently, the Federalist Society, a staunchly Conservative group of lawyers that played a role in helping Trump establish a Conservative majority on the Supreme Court, has suggested, in an article penned by two law professors, that the 14th Amendment could be used to disqualify Trump from running for office.
In my view, there is doubt whether the 14th Amendment will be employed to prevent Trump from running, and the increasing legal issues are unlikely to dissuade Trump’s fervent base of supporters from backing him enthusiastically for the nomination. Thus, it appears to be a predetermined outcome that Trump will secure the 2024 GOP presidential nominee position. Subsequently, it will fall upon the American people to decide what ensues.
It is still early, yet the prominent polls indicate a highly competitive race in 2024. I understand that placing any trust in political polls, particularly at this early juncture, is ill-advised. Nonetheless, I find it astounding that a considerable number of Americans can endorse an individual who has been implicated in extensive criminal activities aimed at undermining our democracy. Consequently, if Trump secures another term, what would characterize that second term?
The initial indication of the nature of a potential second term under Trump lies in the campaign platform he presents. Notably absent is any mention of his plans for the American populace. Trump’s vision for America lacks any reference to critical aspects such as the economy, healthcare, housing, assistance for seniors and the disadvantaged, and environmental concerns. Instead, Trump’s agenda for the future seems solely focused on strategies that would benefit him personally. The primary facets of his strategy revolve around the themes of seeking revenge and exacting retribution. He has even gone so far as to proclaim to his supporters, “I am your retribution.”
Be assured that all four years of Trump’s tenure in office would be singularly focused on seeking revenge against anyone he perceives as disloyal. Those who once worked for him and political associates who have provided testimony against him would be subjected to his scrutiny. This includes not only judges, prosecutors, and individuals from the grand juries involved in his indictments, but also every witness who gave evidence against him. Subsequently, he would extend his focus to encompass law enforcement bodies such as the FBI and the entire Department of Justice, which he views as having persecuted him. Following that, he would direct his anger toward his political adversaries, spanning both Democrats and Republicans.
It is widely known that Trump holds a certain admiration for autocratic figures like Putin, Kim Jong-Un, and Xi Jinping. Therefore, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to suggest that Trump might endeavor to reshape “his” America to resemble these dictatorships. The hard-won freedoms championed by the Black and LGBTQ communities, along with women’s rights and voting rights, would likely face severe constraints, if not outright elimination. As his four-year term concludes, anticipating a peaceful departure from office would be unwise. History indicates that such an outcome is improbable.
It is not an exaggeration to say that the 2024 presidential election could very well be our last free democratic election.
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