Reflections of the Defeat of Trump
By José E. Velazquez Luyanda
Jevche@aol.com
In September 2020, I called on Puerto Ricans in the Northeast to focus their energies on defeating Donald Trump in Pennsylvania, where a Biden victory was not guaranteed. Many joined those on the ground in PA, despite few resources being dedicated to the Latino community by the Biden campaign, seemingly taking the Latino vote for granted. However, the class and national interests of the Puerto Rican and Latino electorate led to an overwhelming anti-Trump vote in these communities, helping to cement a Biden victory. At that time I also emphasized Bernie Sanders’ call for a historic massive voter turnout, particularly from those who traditionally voted in lower numbers.
The Biden victory owes a lot to Bernie Sanders, who understanding the need to defeat the greater right wing enemy discontinued his campaign for the Democratic nomination. I believed then, despite criticism from some on the Left, that only a “Center-Left” campaign could defeat Trump in 2020. That had been the experience in previous years in New Jersey where Republicans were defeated in all but two congressional districts, while also electing Ras Baraka, who may be the most radical mayor in the country. Baraka’s victory in Newark, NJ was the exception to the rule, even though ironically he would face opposition from the ultra-Left. Nevertheless, the Sanders campaign ushered in a revival of socialist ideals, which prospered in the United States before McCarthyism and the Cold War. As we continue to build radical political movements throughout the country, it’s important that the Left be able to correctly calibrate its level of support among the electorate.
In this regard, I note that many in the media are equating “progressivism” with Left or radical movements. The term “progressive” has its historical roots in the Progressive Era, which called for major reforms in American society during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, but rejected the radicalism of a Eugene Debs, W.E.B. Du Bois, or the socialist parties of the era. The rise of the new progressivism in the Democratic Party is in keeping with this “centrist” tradition, while rejecting a more critical analysis of capitalism or imperialism. A case in fact is the support of many progressives for the continuation of American colonialism in Puerto Rico (Statehood/Annexation), or the rejection of socialist ideals.
The 2020 election should be viewed as a victory of progressivism; a transition from a right wing led Republican Party, and opening of political space for progressive and leftist movements. However, Donald Trump’s right wing agenda, despite his failure to handle the pandemic, received more than 73 million popular votes, demonstrating the deep divisions in the country, and foreshadowing the protracted struggles ahead. The Left needs to engage in a critical analysis (beyond simplistic labeling of ignorance, racism, or fascism) of this Trump-led movement in order to defeat it in the future. The next several years will be key in expanding the electorate, fostering economic and racial justice, and developing an anti-imperialist agenda to counter the continuing strength of right wing populist movements.
As the votes in Pennsylvania and other key battleground states ushered in his electoral defeat, Trump sought to remain relevant by extra-legal maneuvers, spooking and manipulating the media as he has traditionally done for his own benefit. For the media mogul, bad publicity is better than no publicity. These maneuvers rejected, his main mantra was to question the legitimacy of the election among his supporters, in order to prepare for the campaign for the two senators in Georgia, the mid-term elections in 2022, and a rematch in 2024.
The rally and assault on the Capitol on January 6th was to be the final move to de-legitimize the election among his supporters. Trump’s post-Jan. 6th statements condemning violence and a de-facto recognition of the election results are in line with Trump always looking out for himself. The events of January 6th proved costly for the Trump brand, losing support among lukewarm Trump supporters, and possibly facing federal criminal charges and civil suits.
With rising calls for his impeachment, Trump faced the Nixon dilemma of self-pardon (constitutionally dubious) or resignation in exchange for a pardon by the Vice-President. However since Vice-President Pence himself became a target, it was unreasonable that he would expend his own political capital in making such a deal. Such a deal could have been camouflaged in wanting to spare the country further division, and even in allowing the new administration and Congress to begin with a clean slate.
However, there was little time for any political parachutes. There was never any doubt that the House of Representatives would impeach Trump on January 13th, with some minor Republican support. What is also clear is that there are Republicans who are content to evade their responsibilities by depositing Trump’s future role in the Republican Party in the lap of a Democratic-led senate. A Trump conviction would insure that he could not be a candidate in 2024, with a majority post-resolution of the Senate. However, there is no appetite among Republicans in the Senate to proceed with a trial and conviction, as the immense majority of Republicans (except 5) voted in favor of Senator Rand Paul’s objections to the constitutionality of the trial itself.
Impeachment and conviction of a president is by its very nature the highest order of Senate politics. Notwithstanding the legal difficulties in proving “incitement” itself, Trump seemed to have been looking for a way to cover his rear end by calling for “peaceful and patriotic” protests at his January 6th rally. His post-riot statements condemning violence were also meant to cover himself, leaving his supporters “under the bus.” None were included in the 144 pardons and commutations by the President before leaving office on Jan. 20th.
The Senate trial can negatively impact the start of a Biden administration, as many Republicans will be glad to see it deviate from their priorities. Headlines pointing to Trump being the only president in history to be impeached twice will become for his supporters the only president to “be acquitted twice.” While the desire to impeach and convict Trump is legitimate and politically unavoidable, opposition forces need to watch out for “Trump obsession” instead of doing the people’s business.
Despite the impeachment and upcoming trial, we are left with Trump’s farewell speech, highlighting accomplishments of his America First movement, which according to him “is just beginning.” As in taking a cue from Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Terminator, he was saying, “I’ll be back.” For its part, the Republican Party, will have to decide if they are willing to participate in bi-partisan legislation, or adopt their scorched–earth policy in the Obama years, doing everything possible to oppose the Biden agenda.
