Dispatches Mailbag: 2024, Trump and Colorado, and a Whole Lot More
Thank you so much for your questions for this Dispatches Mailbag. They really run the gamut from 2024 to my thoughts on esoteric matters. I love these things because I love hearing from you and because your support and interest means everything to me. If you haven’t already, please subscribe to Dispatches From A Collapsing State. It keeps this project going and growing and, to boot, you’ll gain access to exclusive articles like this one, and the ongoing The Stakes series that examines exactly what we’re dealing with and how we can win the battle for the future. And, if you haven’t, share Dispatches From A Collapsing State with anyone you think might need this information, be it friends, family members, or coworkers. I can’t tell you how many times I hear that these articles can change minds or lead to bigger conversations. And that’s what I’m here for.
Keith: Jared, give it to me straight. How are you feeling about 2024?
Bad.
Real bad.
First of all, even if everything breaks the right way, even if we manage to avoid this minoritarian system handing the reins of power over to an authoritarian demagogue and a despotic takeover, it’s still going to suck. 2020 was godawful and it would have been even worse if it wasn’t for the pandemic. Donald Trump has only gone further in embracing fascistic rhetoric and positions and the loss four years ago creates a scenario where this thing is turbo-charged. If we get out of this without a lot of death and blood-spilled we’ll be really, really lucky.
To boot, conditions are bad. People feel more exploited and less hopeful. It isn’t a good era to be an incumbent because America’s decline and the resulting developments don’t make a president look good as they largely lack the power to make things that much better without radical approaches. It’s a whole lot easier to stand on the sidelines and toss grenades, which is what Trump excels at.
Then the international situation is awful. China and Russia continue to leverage their alliances to test American resolve and reveal that we don’t have that much power or willingness to use it. The ongoing atrocities and war crimes in Israel have, not accidentally for the record, created a rift within what exists of a coalition among the Left and Liberals. Young voters are pissed and disillusioned for a variety of good reasons. Oh, and you have a clown car’s worth of alternative candidates that have already declared or are about to declare that will, by design, siphon off votes in general.
It feels awful.
Despite this, I remain optimistic. Not necessarily that Joe Biden will win (I think he could) but that things might get better. Not tomorrow. Maybe not even in the coming years. But overall. Gains with labor and growing solidarity show me that there is energy gathering. And that’s where things will move forward.
But 2024?
Oh. It feels real bad.
Laura: Jared, I know you’ve taken off for vacation, but I have to hear what you think about Colorado tossing Trump off the ballot
Yeah, this happened right as I was about to head out the door. I’m actually answering these questions on Wednesday, December 20th, so if they’re out of date or miss something, there you go. I’m planning on taking the holiday to get out of dodge, head to an undisclosed location, and get in a good headspace before the 2024 debacle.
Anyway. Colorado.
Trump deserves to be tossed off every ballot. That’s just the simple truth of it. He led an insurrection. Case closed. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200.
But there are other things to say.
I don’t know what the Supreme Court will say about any of this. My money’s on them standing by him and striking this stuff down, but the institutional Republicans are also sick of Trump, so who knows? But if they do leave the ruling in place and suddenly Trump is booted, what I do know is this: there will be rage. Trump’s supporters are fueled by the belief that a Deep State is in control of everything and Trump is they’re only shot of wrestling away control. Having that Deep State disqualify him for a crime they don’t believe he committed will only add to the fury. I believe there would be violence. How much, I don’t know, but there’d be violence.
That doesn’t mean he shouldn’t be disqualified. He should. I’m just pointing out a fact most people don’t really want to admit. And, what’s more, we also need to stop looking for silver bullets to take Trump down. This thing goes way, way deeper than Trump and even if he’s taken off every ballot it doesn’t mean there isn’t still an existential threat we’re facing. It’s going to take answers beyond beating Trump in an election and beyond the institutions taking him out. We need to address a ton of things if we’re going to get out of this mess.
Jesse: Do you have a safety plan if Trump is reelected?
I hate that this is something I have to answer.
I have the beginnings of a safety plan that I’ve discussed with other critics and journalists and writers I respect. A lot of us are starting to feel the weight of a world where we would be met with the full power of a demagogue and his state-sponsored machine.
I don’t like having to think about it or discuss it and these other people don’t either.
Would like to avoid this and would like for everyone else in the crosshairs to avoid it as well.
We deserve better.