The Next Big Lie

Responsible news sources called Trump's false claim that the 2020 election was stolen "The Big Lie." And so it was. In fact, it was just one of many lies designed to convince people that up is down, black is white, and day is night, grass is purple, and voting for a criminal rapist/racist is actually a good idea. But under Trump's pending neo-Grover-Cleveland era, there is a new Big Lie coming. You can feel it already starting in various right-wing media outlets, and it's going to be very easy to sell. At first.

The lie will go something like this: "You see? Liberals said Trump was going to be a dictator. But he's clearly not. Life goes on just like before. It was all paranoia."

And that argument will seem true - until suddenly it doesn't.

Because Trump will probably interfere with the midterms. And it's even more likely he will mess with the 2028 election, especially if a "blue wave" hits him hard in 2026.

If he's still alive, that is. As the oldest elected president in history (he is currently older than Biden was when he was elected) he could very well die in office. And then it's J.D. Vance, the person who was caught on video espousing pro-totalitarian, pro-dictator views, who will preside over the election interference.

And then our elections will have no more of a (small "d") democratic outcome than the elections in Russia do.

It will be at that point when we tell the disciples of right-wing media, "I told you so." But of course, if they haven't hearkened to reality by now, they certainly won't then. They'll pretend those elections are absolutely legit, even though we on the left, and the remaining free nations of the world, will know better.

What will we do then? I can only imagine. But it will likely have to be drastic.

The jackboots aren't coming any time soon. Tanks will not be rolling through our city streets right away. That will likely take years. The move toward totalitarianism will be slow, and many of us won't even notice the moment the "Miracle of Philadelphia" finally expires. But it will.

Unless Trump fumbles the football at the goal line, and We the People actually get another shot. I'm not counting on that, but I won't rule it out, either.

Watch for it. It's coming. The Big Lie 2.0.

Eric

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