When the rats finally abandon the sinking rat
Food and gas prices are up. Americans by the millions are protesting against Trump every month. The world is turning against us. Trump says China is begging for a deal, China is calling it fake news. Trump tells Time Magazine that he has made trade deals with 200 nations. There are only 195 nations in the world. Trump is gutting vital US agencies by the hundreds and firing federal employees by the tens of thousands. The FBI arrested a judge in her own courtroom for helping an immigrant. America isn’t just heading for recession, it may already be there.
Welcome to the American chaos created by one man, all by himself, in just three months and change. It’s an object lesson in what you’ve heard for years. We’ve all known that this “successful businessman,” Mr “Art of the Deal,” personally bankrupted a dozen or so companies. Now we are watching — in real time — just how he did it.
Trump is sealed in a cocoon of his own invention, an echo chamber of loyal fanatics who worship him minutely, where sycophants sing hosannas and recite endless, cringeworthy encomiums daily. Back in the real world, where ordinary Americans must endure the fallout of Trump’s excesses, Republican politicians are screamed at in the streets, at the few town halls they are willing to give, in phone and Twitter and Instagram messages.
Trump is tanking in every single category a poll can measure. He is underwater in the economy, in foreign relations, managing the federal government, trade with other nations, the Russia-Ukraine war, the Kilmar Abrego Garcia case, immigration — yes, you read that right, immigration — and his use of tariffs.
Although these trends are all downward, there is no guarantee they will continue downward, as is true with most trends. But there is no guarantee that they won’t. In any case they will almost certainly stop at the hard bottom of the MAGA 30%. But 30% isn’t enough to win elections, and at the end of the day, Republican politicians need to win elections.
That could be why Chuck Grassley tweeted the following: “IVE SEEN ENOUGH KILLING OF INNOCENT UKRAINIAN women + children. President Trump pls put the toughest of sanctions on Putin. U ought to c from clear evidence that he is playing America as a patsy.” That is practically heresy from someone like Grassley. But even Grassley understands that Trump has visions of sugar Putins dancing in his head. And if someone as stupid as Grassley can see that, imagine how the average American sees it.
Well you ain’t seen nothing yet. Many major corporations saw the tariff-induced shortages coming and stockpiled. Those stockpiles are running out. Very soon, within a month or two, you will start seeing Covid era-like empty shelves at your local grocery stores, your Walmarts, your Targets. You will start seeing prices going up while consumer confidence goes down. You will start seeing not only recession but a supply chain collapse. Then we could even be in for another Great Depression.
Most Americans will blame Trump. Then they will blame the Republican politicians who praised and uncritically supported his candidacy and policies. That is the point that the rats will start to abandon the sinking rat, with apologies to rats. That is the point where Trump will be impeached and convicted. And while they’re at it, they’ll impeach and convict JD Vance for good measure.
I don’t see how this can be avoided. Trump will soon become so toxically unpopular that he won’t be able to survive. The morons in his inner circle will get it, finally, after it is much too late. The only question that remains is, how bad will it have to get before we throw him out, and will he be able to dismantle the mechanism that throws him out before he’s gone? That is the white knuckled question, brothers and sisters, and I honestly have no idea.
Robert Harrington is an American expat living in Britain. He is a portrait painter.