Government must focus on building, not destroying

Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 16/10/2021 (1431 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

What is it about Donald Trump that causes so many intelligent people to lose their minds? Back in 2015, this columnist opined incorrectly that there was little to no chance that Donald Trump would win the Republican nomination for the U.S. presidency. After all, there were so many more qualified and bright folks who were seeking the nomination.

Obviously, I was wrong.

Today, months after Trump lost the 2020 presidential election, there are still countless Republicans who not only thought he won, contrary to all evidence, but that the entire election was fixed. There is, of course, no evidence to support this claim. Literally, every lawsuit that has been brought forward to challenge the election’s outcome has been dismissed, very commonly before Trump-appointed judges.

The only people who are buying the “big lie” about the 2020 election are so deeply enmeshed in conspiracy theories without merit. Unfortunately, their beliefs are being supported by far-right-wing media and political elites that seek an audience that is both incredibly loyal and blind to facts.

This ought to be concerning to both Democrats and the vast bulk of the Republican Party who are watching their party being demolished.

Why should Democrats be concerned? Simply, it’s not good for democracy if each election’s outcome is questioned in regards to its very legitimacy, particularly if that “questioning” includes rioting or another Jan. 6 Capitol invasion.

The latest Trump missive is even more concerning … especially for mainstream Republicans. This week the former president suggested Republicans should not vote in 2022 if the 2020 election outcome is not overthrown by the courts.

Think about that for a second — a former Republican president is advising party members and supporters not to vote in the upcoming mid-term elections. Can you imagine the impact that could have on Republican candidates if their own supporters stay home in protest? It would be an electoral bloodbath.

Then what? While it could harken great success for the Democrats in 2022, I’ve never been a huge believer that one party controlling everything is positive for democracy. It is important to have multiple good ideas being debated and to have balances in any system.

Trump’s indelicate comments could also lead to a major split in his own party, not unlike our own Conservative-Reform split decades ago. While this was positive for Liberals, it consigned the right-wing to the sidelines for many years. Again, this isn’t good for democracy and government.

At some point, and hopefully it will be soon, Republicans are going to have to make serious decisions about Trump’s role in the party, their support of him, and how the party grows from there.

Today there is little room for conservative, anti-Trumpers like Mitt Romney or Liz Cheney, both of whom are ideologically conservative but thoughtful in their approach. They are also people who are more interested in building than in simply blowing things up. Sadly, much of the current Republican crop appears determined to destroy government, people be damned, and then blame government for not working.

As we have seen, from the COVID-19 response to the 2008 credit crunch, governments fulfil countless important roles in our society. Those who portray government as the “problem” are simply choosing to live with their heads in the sand.

We should demand governments manage themselves prudently, while also recognizing that governments also take on many tasks that produce private wealth but cannot in and of itself be profitable. We must build roads and dams, power grids and water treatment plants. We must manage these endeavours prudently, but also understand that, unlike these Trumpers, a society is constructed through building, not destroying.