How did America arrive at a point where attempting to undermine a presidential election is acceptable to millions of people? Because, it’s not the court actions against Former President Donald Trump that threaten America; it is the underlying trust deficit in the way we are governed that make his actions acceptable to millions of people.
If we think in business terms, an idea is proposed which begins an analysis phase leading to a decision and then the company will move on. Capital markets demand it. And if somebody is sufficiently aggrieved at the decision, they quit.
But America’s most intractable and unforgiving challenges are in the public square, not in the marketplace. In the real market the public gives a business immediate feedback—customers and investors speak clearly.
But what about political organizations? And specifically, can a political Party succeed on a platform driven by fear and resentment? Are we in a second civil war except there has been no formal secession?
Does Trump in his recent post flirt with treason? Recall his charge: “Do you throw the Presidential Election Results of 2020 OUT and declare the RIGHTFUL WINNER, or do you have a NEW ELECTION? A Massive Fraud of this type and magnitude allows for the termination of all rules, regulations, and articles, even those found in the Constitution.” A termination of “all rules?”
Today there are a dozen Republican candidates for President but they are caught in the resentment trap. Some want to talk about the future, but questions about public debt, health care, taxes and the like are suppressed by the incessancy of reporter questions about Trump.
Trump resents. He earned wealth and fame and then found the words and phrases of resentment to be his road to political fame. He recognized that as the nation’s Left political flank caused large numbers of people to feel left behind, he could capture and exploit their emotions. Indeed, when he controlled the Republican Convention in 2020, he eliminated the platform committee which is a Party’s explanation and plans for the future. The platform, when politics was sane, became the organizing principle aimed at gaining supporters. Trump saw the platform as a distraction—fear was its replacement.
Generally, what the resentful want is to get even. Hillary Clinton was a fertile target. She became the first vessel of resentment with many more to follow.
I worked for two sunny Presidents, Ronald Reagan and George HW Bush. They could be tough in the Washington skirmishes but presented their ideas with a smiling face. And both had a good resume of government service. But then government service became something to resent. It became the “deep state”. Given all the checks and balances I faced on a daily basis, if the Federal Communications Commission was in the “deep state” I didn’t get the message.
I do not believe it is possible to convert resentment into the politics of necessary change. Resentment is not an idea or a program; it is a demagogue’s vehicle for seizing and retaining power. Resentment and pessimism are first cousins. And particularly toxic to younger voters who know their future is at least somewhat connected to their nation’s future. If I were a younger voter, I would be almost single-minded. How can we both pay interest on our enormous and growing debt and keep our promise to people who depend on Social Security and Medicare? And, what about my own retirement?
Is there a chance that those who vote in Republican primaries will find a candidate capable and willing to go beyond resentment? Maybe, but most will say unlikely.
And how does the victor exercise healing leadership if resentment acts as the driving force? Is it possible for President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, neither popular, to organize a coalition of the hopeful? Because that is what we need. Inching out a victory by a few votes in a few states will not set America on an ascendant path. The Democratic Party can only really win if it chooses new leaders.
Sure, we can all find things to resent. I wish there was more respect for unborn life on the Left. I wish there was more fiscal discipline in both Parties. I wish there was both a decisive and practical coalition for the environment. But knowing that each of these issues present enormous complexity I am not prepared to resent those who try—whether Republicans or Democrats.
But, most of all, I will never support a candidate whose principal direction is to create and exploit resentment.
The celebrated hockey player Wayne Gretzky when asked about his success said “I skate to where the puck is going, not where it has been.” A political Party that is mired in grievance is skating in the wrong direction.
Al Sikes is the former Chair of the Federal Communications Commission under George H.W. Bush. Al writes on themes from his book, Culture Leads Leaders Follow published by Koehler Books.
don casson says
Well written Al. I have been an independent all my 65 years, always voting for the one I felt was the best candidate for the job. It is inconceivable to me that people can ignore that he tried to overthrow our democratic form of government. I hope we can find a way back from the brink.
J.T. Smith says
The humorist, David Barry, has astutely pointed out that Trump’s claim that he won a second term in 2020 constitutionally disqualifies him from running in 2024.
Howard Freedlander says
Does Barry’s humor also imply a defective sense of reality on Trump’s part? Seems that too would disqualify him.
Willard T Engelskirchen says
I was born into a blue collar home in Chicago 80 years ago. I was able to obtain an education and have a wonderful career until it was time to move on to Talbot County 23 years ago. Looking back at my life I just do not understand how some can harbor such resentment about our society.
Retribution? Where does that come from?
Blame all things you do not like on the “other”. How does that work in a place of opportunity?
To be a capitalist, much less a republican or democrat, you have to be optimistic. Where is the optimism coming from the former president’s camp?
Mickey Terrone says
Hello Mr. Sikes. Good article on the resentmentn w and demagoguery practiced by Donald Trump. Its quite clear that he has taken virtually the entire Republican Party dowith him. In fact, I’d argue that there is no longer a Republican Party. The Trump Party has no platform or agenda other than what Trump says it is that day. And while we believe another 4-year Trump Administration would do our democratic republic irreparable harm, his politics of resentment and demagoguery have already done serious damage. The millions of “poor bypassed white” MAGA people appear to be beyond rational thought in their blind support of his overt crimes and falsehoods.
Yet, you feel the underlying problem with so many MAGA people is a “trust deficit” with the government because of the way it is run. If MAGA people have no trust in our government its is simply because they have listened attentively and repetitively to Trump for years.
I don’t believe it is reasonable to attribute the MAGA belief that Trump had the election stolen because they don’t trust the government and its institutions (like the FBI, IRS, etc). It is because they say they believe anything Trump says, despite the 63 baseless lost court challenges. They say they believe Trump but I think they are just making false claims, the same way that Trump himself and his congressional henchmen do.
Lately Trump’s battery of attorneys are claiming it isn’t a crime to lie. It is his first amendment right to lie to the American people, day after day. And now, it seems the millions of poor, white, bypassed MAGA supporters feel its their strategy to lie and claim they believe what Trump is saying. The easy excuse is that they don’t trust the government. But they trust Trump cleared the swamp. I’m afraid that is par for the course with our politics today and why there isn’t really a Republican Party with a platform and agenda. Its all about Trump’s resentment and self-victimization.
I’m also afraid the anti-government mistrust is rooted to a good extent in the words of your old boss who claimed that “Government isn’t the solution to the problem; it is the problem.” Is our American system perfect or nearly perfect? No, but it remains the best in the world despite some of the extremists who snake their way into positions of power.
Reagan did great damage to the trust levels in our government, just as he created the abased position of Republican Party’s partnership with religious charlatans like Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson to create the Republican Party of Jesus. Reagan can also be accused of making superpatriotism the property of the Republican Party by draping himmself in the flag at every opportunity. I’d add that Trump himself has carried these crutches to the furthest of extremes in photo ops throughout his presidency and beyond with both the flag and the Bible.
There may well be a trust defecit that feeds MAGA’s blind resentment of the government, but I believe the rabid and blind brainwashing of so many MAGA people against liberals, Democrats, non-whites, non-christians, LGBTQ+ has created a spontaneous rejection and mistrust of virtually everything they don’t want to hear. This, IMHO, is where the resentment largely comes from. That is why so many of these people would support Trump, even if he shot Ron DeSantis on 5th Avenue.
The bigger problem for this country beyond Trump’s lifespan is that MAGA people are now inured to this belligerence with closed minds. In the sudden absence of Trump, they will grope around for the next worst demagogue who will grow their resentment against “The Left”.
While Trump is responsible for the current degree of horrendous demagoguery, his congressional “yes people” are his indispensible accomplices. The cumulative bigotry, racism and wild accusations against our government and “The Left” are the “heritage” of Reagan, Limbaugh, LaPierre, FOX News and now, the ever more extreme fake news networks.
Your comment about wishing there was more respect for unborn life on the Left is, I believe, symptomatic of conservatives’ self image, but not reality Statistically, abortion rates have slowed down significantly in the past 20 years due to the commitment of Democratic policies and organizations like Planned Parenthood educating our more vulnerable, i.e., poorer, women. Promoting conscientious birth control has made a significant difference and new products have come on the market to help. Yet conservatives are trying desperately to prohibit the morning after pill and prevent young women from receiving the education they need as well as appropriate medical care. And I challenge you to provide documentation that white evangelical christian girls and women don’t get abortions whenever they decide its the right thing to do for themselves. I believe this issue is yet another mirage of fake religiosity from evangelicals who are every bit as sinful as non-christians. I believe many of these evangelical mouthpieces are merely holding others accountable for standards that they themselves do not live up to. Their job is not to hold people to account on behalf of the Lord. Remember Ted Haggard.
Paul Rybon says
Maybe Mr Sikes needs to be reminded that politics of resentment didn’t start with Donald Trump. They’ve been festering for a long time. Perhaps the resentment was exasperated by a recent declaration from a president who wanted to fundamentally change Anerica. We are learning that that includes gutting major parts of the Bill Of Rights, forcing a ‘woke’ agenda on our children in school, attacking our religious institutions, and turning a deaf ear on influence peddling by it’s leaders. So no, Doald Trump is not responsible for the growth of resentment. He simply is a harbinger, if you will, of an evil that is infecting this country.
Dru Haines says
Al
Thank you for your well written, thoughtful article.
William Dalton says
Not sure why it is said that new leaders are needed for the Democrats to win. The current candidates are not my favorites but considering the alternatives they should be supported rather just standing around wringing ones hands wishing someone unknown. Also in our divided country it is doubtful any candidate is going to win by a landslide. A very few votes may decide if our democracy survives. It may not if the voters stay at home or vote for a third party candidate that has no hope of winning. It is time for us to tighten our belts and take a deep breath and vote for the best leaders that are actually on the ballot.