I dread the possibility of another Trump presidency. Sometimes I try to imagine what it will be like with his fascist minions fully in charge of all three branches of our government. Clearly, the rule of law will be completely corrupted. Money and loyalty will determine guilt or innocence rather than evidence and facts.
Our Freedoms of Speech and of the Press will disappear. He has promised to prosecute any media that have ever criticized him in any way. The major media companies will either be shut down or will rapidly adapt to becoming compliant propaganda outlets to spread his lies.
I wonder what will happen to a simple blogger like myself who has published posts critical of the Orange Fascist. Will I find that my blog is mysteriously shut down? Will the jackboots come pounding on my door?
Freedom of Assembly will only apply to gatherings in support of the new regime. Those who oppose it will have their gatherings violently shut down. If the police refuse to become Trump’s agents of fascist repression, the military will be brought in to impose “order.”
Freedom of Worship will soon be no longer tolerated. The repression will begin with Muslims, but ignorant MAGA bullies have shown in the past that they can’t tell one religion from another, so Sikhs and Hindus will be persecuted as well.
Christians will not be safe
I would be easy to assume that Christians will be safe, but that is mistaken. Only right-wing, authoritarian, MAGA Christians will be allowed to gather and preach freely. This is because the litmus test for government approval will be solely based on fealty to Trump. Besides, right-wing, authoritarian, MAGA Christians are not really a religion. They are a personality cult.
I am particularly interested in how my church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, will be treated in this dystopian future. People still question whether a church called “The Church of Jesus Christ” is Christian. When Mitt Romney was a candidate for president, he was vilified by so-called “Christian” members of his own party!
Will Church property be confiscated, like it was during the Utah (Polygamy) War? Will the Church move it’s headquarters out of the United States (like the Pioneers did after Joseph Smith was killed)? Or will the Church go even more silent on any issue that could possibly be considered “political” for fear of upsetting the new government?
All of these thoughts and questions, while frightening, help to motivate me to be even more active in my writing, in my union, and in my political party – the Democratic Party. However, a recent experience in speaking before the Utah House Education Committee has reminded me that my state is already an autocratic, fascist, one-party regime.
Utah has already been conquered
The Republicans took control of the Utah House of Representatives in 1976 and the Utah State Senate in 1978. They have held both chambers ever since then. Democratic governor Scott M. Matheson left office in January 1985. Republicans have held that office ever since.
There has been an absolute Republican hegemony in Utah for nearly 40 years. That’s nearly two generations. This has inevitably led the people of Utah to assume that one-party government (like in Russia and China) is normal and harmless. It is not.
The Republican party of Utah has consistently, for decades, given tax cuts and other favors to businesses and the wealthy. At the same time, our schools have been chronically underfunded, people cannot find affordable housing, the Great Salt Lake is drying up, and the air in several of our counties is toxic.
Lately, however (and I credit unashamed Trumpism for this), the Republicans in the Utah Legislature have become even more insular and obnoxious. They have begun to actively persecute select groups of Utah citizens. Even worse, they do so with a smug veneer of holy self-righteousness.
Utah Republican Legislators are now completely unafraid to openly persecute women, LGBTQ+ people (especially school-age ones), public employees, public school teachers, and librarians. Their anti-DEI (Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion) law is a slap in the face to anyone who is not a white, male, wealthy, Christian (preferably LDS).
The Utah Republican governor has primary challenges to his right, so he is playing southern border games along with other Republican governors. State School Board member, Natalie Cline, publicly shamed a Utah student online and the Republican Legislature, which largely agrees with Cline’s political views, refused to impeach and remove her from office.
Utah voters continue to choose authoritarianism
These are the actions of an authoritarian state with no accountability to anyone – let alone the public they supposedly “serve.” It is theoretically possible to replace the entire Utah House and roughly half of the Utah Senate each election year. But, given the closed-minded, even bigoted (against Democrats), beliefs of the average Utah voter, the chances of that ever happening is vanishingly remote.
Utah has already joined Texas and Florida in previewing for its citizens what a renewed Trump Reich will be like. If the Federal government falls to the fascist Republican cult in 2024, it will be game over for human and civil rights, voting rights, free speech, and the rule of law.
I realized we had gone too far when the Legislature passed SB 57 The Utah Constitutional Sovereignty Act. This bill states that if the legislature feels that the Federal Government has a directive or law they deem unconstitutional, they will not obey it. This bill is a direct challenge to the sovereignty of the United States. Other states have passed similar bills and it has been practiced and supported by 26 Republican Governors when Texas defied the Federal Government to allow troops to deal with immigrants who have crossed the border. Just because Republicans say something is unconstitutional does not make it unconstitutional. It’s just more of their spreading of misinformation and fear-mongering. Similar bills were passed by the Southern States before the Civil War and were used to justify them to secede. Many on the extreme right are calling for a second Civil War and it seems that there are MAGA Republicans that are buying into setting up a path to make it happen and it appears like it’s being done right here in Utah.
President Oaks has told the LDS faithful to avoid one party voting. But aside from that we have received virtually no guidance from the Church to help us navigate Trumpism. We are on our own. I too fear for my life, my health, my family. I have been very open in my opposition to Trump. What price might I pay?
Why are the “Brethren” not doing more to convince LDS people that we need to participate in both political parties? A letter from our Area Rep. was read in our Sacrament meeting 2 weeks ago stating this, but the hardcore rightwingers weren’t even phased. I sometimes get the feeling that they want the GOP to go unchallenged in this state. Guess I better watch what I say…who knows who is listening. And who knows who is in the County Clerks office who might be willing to give the voting lists/addresses to people who want to exterminate the Democrats???? Does anyone in this state do any serious critical thinking???
I applaud your passion and commitment.
Good article, sad conclusion
Individual, country and world domination. The LD$ cult controls everything, especially in Utah. If the same standard used to judge these MAGA rethuglicans is used to judge the very foundations as well as current ever-changing LD$ doctrines a clear perspective emerges. The perspective of authoritarian dictatorship. Lies, indoctrination, and individual sovereignty are at loggerheads. Our strength both micro and macro lies in diversity with unity. Common sense it seems. has left our people. Trumpism is a symptom. Ignorance with prejudice is a result. It’s the same story of forgetfulness of harsh lessons of the past and the laziness of people to work altruistically for the good of the whole. God(s) help us all.