If President Trump wins re-election, it will be the biggest upset in American presidential history – beating out his surprise (to the establishment) 2016 election.
That election brought about an equally unprecedented reaction from the losers – an ongoing #NeverTrump Resistance Movement to undermine the legitimacy of the election and even have Trump prematurely removed from office. Those who rue the chaos of the past four years, however, are largely responsible for creating it – although Trump has certainly done his part.
Frustrated by repeated failures to get Trump booted out of the Oval Office, the political left is even more determined – obsessed – in their desire to make sure Trump does not win re-election. They have lost all sense of decency, integrity and fairness in their mad desire to get Trump out of the White House.
Like 2016, many of the Democrat politicians, pundits and press corps are predicting certain defeat for Trump. They have even resurrected the old claim that “Trump has no path to victory.” Of course, that is setting up the folks on the left for an even bigger disappointment should Trump prevail. In fact, “disappointment” is too weak of a word. They will be devastated …
… and they will go bonkers. It would be surprising if we did not see another round of left-wing rioting, looting, arson and vandalism – maybe even a few deaths – in the wake of a Trump victory. They took to the streets last time – more and occasionally less peacefully. This time could be – and probably would be — worse.
Of course, if Democrats retain control of the House, it would mean a quadrennial of investigations and, in all probability, another impeachment effort. Hell, they were even talking about a second impeachment after the first one failed.
If Democrats and their radical left base – including the elitist east coast news media – could not accept the results of the 2016 election, you can just imagine how deranged they will become over a second Trump term in office.
But What if he loses?
Given Trump’s ego and pugnacious personality, we can expect that he will not go quietly. That does not mean he will attempt to hold office by mounting a coup. That is just fanciful Democrat gibberish.
But there could be a series of court battles in states where the vote count is close – or very controversial. That is Trump’s right – and not anything unusual. We see those situations in every election. Remember how the 2000 presidential election was in various courts for weeks after Election Day.
What will be different is the bellicose nature of the candidate. Trump will likely claim victory before all the results are in – and will cry foul of anything that does not support his contention. That is just a personality thing – his nature.
If Trump does lose, it will be on him no matter how much he blames others. I have often written of my dislike of the Trump pugnacious personality and his meaningless personal spats. In many ways, he has invited and given credibility to the criticisms.
I have also written repeatedly of my belief that Trump is a terrible communicator. He has had the best arguments on his side but seems incapable of selling them to the public. Critics have taken full advantage of Trump’s lack of credibility, but he is the one that has damaged it.
For many of us, it was in 2016 – and is today – a matter of substance over style. As bad as Trump is on the personality scale, he and his administration have still produced better results for the conservative principles of limited government and personal freedom than would a Democrat administration – and it is not even close.
As much as I am not a fan of the Trump personality, I think his re-election – and all the chaos that will ensure for four more years – is a far better option for America than the slippery slope of big government authoritarianism that a Biden administration would take us down.
I wish I had a champion I could more fully embrace, but as they say in war – you must fight the battle you have. Not the one you would like to have.
So, there ‘tis.