By DL White
Arizona, California, and America, we have a problem.
A threat to democracy looms yet again on the horizon, and the strange thing, the absurd thing, the most preposterous aspect of this, most (if not everyone) of voting age is fully aware of the dark storm cloud that continues to linger over these United States.
One Donald J. Trump, the former President of the United States has transformed what was once the Republican party, the GOP, into his own brand of self-absorbed, “me over everything else” political cauldron.
California will hold its Presidential Preference Election (PPE) on March 5, Arizona will hold its (PPE) on March 19, February 20 is the last day to register in both states to vote if not registered or if currently registered as an Independent.
Voters in both states will receive (PPE) ballots by mail as early voting begins in each state in February. In California Vote-by-mail ballots must be post marked on or before Election Day and received by March 12, 2024.
Arizona voters can vote early ballots by mail or drop off their ballot on election day (March 19) at any of the designated Polling locations in the County where they are registered.
Trump is the GOP front runner despite facing five court cases involving matters from falsifying financial records and misrepresenting his businesses -value and size of business structures to being the major architect of the 2020 false claim that the presidential election was stolen from him. A lie that continues.
Just as he did when he descended the escalator to announce his candidacy for the 2016 GOP nomination, Trump has again gone to the “trump card” instilling fear, racial overtones, and misogynist behavior toward women in his stump speeches.
Despite Trump’s demeaning and often callous behavior, which often borders on unpatriotic principles as when he summoned a mob to the nation’s capital on January 6, 2021, to “fight like hell” to keep him in office (again based on a lie), Trump maintains unrealistic support.
“This man lied to the American public. Defamed the Office of President, and often sided with Putin, the Russian President, and other foreign dictators, who he really idolizes, is the frontrunner for the 2024 GOP Presidential nomination, which is unbelievable to me,” noted Michael Brown, a longtime Phoenix resident.
Said Brown, “The things that come out of this man’s (Trump’s) mouth are unbelievable. I question if he has any real affection for the country. He held those top-secret documents and shared some of the content with others – was he going to sell those documents?
“In Trump’s world, he is always looking for the deal, not the best deal for the country or democracy but for himself. The irony, he has a ton of followers who will follow him off the cliff,” shared Brown.
Brown is correct in that most of the members of Congress in the House of Representatives and Senate, individuals that ran for their lives on January 6, 2021, and later huddled in the basement of the great building for safety from Trump’s mob, are now supporting to return to the Oval Office.
From Lindsey Graham to Tim Scott, to Jim Jordan as well as a majority of the House and Senate that held office in 2021, that ran for their lives, because of Trump’s mob, and the attack on democracy, are now lining up to support his candidacy……Unbelievable!
This was the same group that failed to prosecute Trump for his actions while in Office, and now those inconsequential incidents have empowered Trump the more and he believes he is above reproach.
Colorado has pending litigation to not include Trump on their March 5, Primary election and Michigan was considered doing the same, on the premise of the 14th Amendment that states an insurrectionist, or a person involved in insurrection activities cannot hold or run for office in the US.
While Trump is currently facing legal actions for his role in the January 6 attack on the nation’s capital as well as his interference in the Georgia elections, he was recorded on tape requesting the Georgia Election Official to “find” 11,000 plus votes to place him over the top in Georgia………..to their credit, Georgia Officials refused to falsify election results and informed Trump, the election results would stand, he lost!
Trump and his wingman former New York Mayor Rudy Guiliani defamed, mischaracterized, and lied on election workers in Georgia which resulted in the mother and daughter tandem receiving death threats and leaving a job that they loved and held for over 20 years. The ladies won their court case and millions in damages for Guliani’s lies.
The GOP Republican field has narrowed to just Trump and former South Carolina Governor, Nikki Haley, who also served as Trump’s Ambassador to the United Nation.
Trump referred to Haley as “tough as nails” and focused when she served as Ambassador, now he is referring to her as “weak” and by her name Namrata as if to message his followers she is not fully American, like what he attempted to do with former President Barack Obama.
Notable: Trump’s propensity for racial overtones in his campaign speeches is not new, it is what he does to feed the frenzy of his base. Just as he messaged the Proud Boys to “Stand back and stand by” Trump continues to be the nightmare, the dark cloud of despair hovering over what America can and should be…….
To be continued…
Danny L. White currently lives in Phoenix, AZ. He is the author and creative lead for the Sensational letter “S”, and “Discovering The SAUNK in U”. Both are children’s book focused on early reading comprehension, word development and building self esteem in youth. He is also an Adjunct faculty member at Maricopa College, and staff reporter for the Arizona Informant. He is an active member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc, in Phoenix.