PAUL GORDON
I was reminded recently of one of Barack Obama’s best-known quotes: “The audacity of hope.” He first uttered those words when giving the keynote speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention.
A relative unknown at the time, a state senator from Illinois, that speech that was delivered in that unmistakable Obama manner announced his entry into the national political scene.
That “skinny kid with the funny name,” as he referred to himself, made history just four years later. That cocky strut across the stage to announce his candidacy for president wasn’t as glitzy as coming down some gold escalator but it was just as effective for the collective electorate who would make him the first Black President of the United States in 2008.
I bring all this up because to many people, Obama’s message of hope that night and in later speeches and in his book titled “Audacity of Hope” still resonates today.
Indeed, I think it must: We have to have something to which to cling as our country continues on a turbulent spin that started Jan. 20 of this year. We have to hope our democracy can survive the chaos wrought by the deep divisions in our politics — divisions that threaten families, friendships and freedoms we’ve known all our lives.
We have to hope the millions who marched on June 14 in cities across America to protest Donald Trump’s actions had an impact on other political leaders who may be able to keep our democracy from becoming an autocracy.
Those demonstrations showed me that most Americans are not ready to give in or give up. Those people, who remained peaceful, cared little about whether Donald Trump threw himself a $45 million parade. If asked, many probably got little satisfaction that the crowds in Washington, D.C., for the parade were much smaller than Trump wanted.
The demonstrators were more fixated on the autocratic actions Trump took the week before in Los Angeles because they know that if he gets away with that, much more will be coming.
The demonstrators were more concerned about the methods MAGA supporters are using to pass the Trump budget bill, which at this writing was still being considered in the Senate. Those methods include his usual threats and insults and lies to get his way; in too many instances they have worked.
That is why Obama said in a recent interview that we in this country are getting “dangerously close to normalizing” autocratic behavior. By being complacent, he said, we could well slip into an autocracy.
On June 18, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said Trump’s tariffs war will “likely” weaken our economy and cause inflation to rise. Trump, in response, suggested he may just appoint himself the head of the Federal Reserve.
Autocracy.
By the time this issue of The Community Word hits newsstands we may know what Donald Trump plans to do about more U.S. involvement in the Israel-Iran war. He has been sounding tough and making threats toward both before ordering a U.S. attack on Iran without input from Congress.
Autocracy.
Interestingly, many GOP leaders and MAGA supporters were outraged by his comments about possible U.S. involvement. Where was their outrage about his declaration of war against Americans who protest against him? Isn’t that what sending the National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles was? Or threats of “much force” against any protesters at his parade?
Another thing the June 14 demonstrations opposed was that Trump has said he may finagle a way to run for a third term, which is against the Constitution.
You know, if he could run for a third term that would open the door for other past presidents to do the same, like maybe Barack Obama.
Hmmm.