A Rant from Dave Gamrath

The Rant

Dave Gamrath will be the presenter at the June 18 meeting of the DCQC

Given how working-class Americans of all colors have suffered since 1980, it’s understandable that many of these folks are pissed, scared and not seeing themselves with much to lose by backing a charlatan that plays to their fears and says what they want to hear, giving them false enemies to hate and blame (minorities, immigrants, libs) when in reality many of these “enemies” have suffered their same fate.  Sure, there are a small percent of libs that have done well, just as there’s been a small percent of conservatives that have done well.  But with the massive wealth (and opportunity) divide in America, by definition most folks in both liberal and conservative camps have fallen behind, and don’t see much hope going forward.

 The true culprits of the wealth divide are those who have been in power of the past forty years that pushed for, and won, massive tax reductions for the wealthy.  This push has obviously been strongly led by Republicans, but many Dems have gone along.  The second key culprit has been offshoring jobs, with corporate leaders (again, mostly Republicans) responsible in their drive to increase corporate profits and personal wealth.  The third key culprit has been technology, which has helped push former middle-class workers into low-paying service jobs.  The upcoming technology revolution will greatly accelerate this process when tech “advancements” such as artificial intelligence become more mainstream.

 An honest politician (say maybe someone named Bernie) can do their best to explain this to American working-class folks of all colors, but this explanation is far less tempting or satisfying as being told that it’s “those people” that have done this to you, and it’s your duty to hate “them” and do whatever it takes to keep “them” from stealing your country (thank you Tucker Carlson and Fox).  It’s more tempting still when you are told that you have already lost your country, and you need to wage war to take it back.

 The flames of this fire were obviously fueled by the strong winds of recent culture changes in America.  The majority of Americans finally said “enough!” of the abuse of Black people, gay people, non-Christians, and other minorities in America.  Wanting to change “what has always been” by definition makes the advocates of change “liberals” (from the dictionary, liberal means “open to new ideas”).  They want these changes to push America towards the broader goal of “all people are created equal”, not just white Christian wealthy men, and jibes with the underlying intent of our Declaration of Independence, and with our Constitution through its multiple amendments over the decades to broaden its protections. 

 But imagine how all this change feels if at the same time you have been getting economically hammered and you don’t see a way out.  Oh, and by the way, cheap opioids are flowing through your community, providing some temporary relief at an extraordinarily high cost.  You don’t know what to do, and you are looking for direction.  Your pain is felt throughout your town.  You seek community at your local church, looking for guidance from the pastor, who implores you to stay strong and fight back.  Be a Christian Warrior and resist these cultural changes!  America was once great, and can be made great again, if we take our country back from “those people” destroying our culture.  It’s “us vs them”, and God is on our side.  “We can reestablish America as an exceptional, great country, led by strong, white Christian men!”

 If I put myself in these folk’s shoes, to me it’s understandable just how powerful this message would resonate.  Even if you’ve never been religious, well, now’s the time to believe.  What have you got to lose?  You commiserate with your neighbors; you’re all angry and resentful at what has happened.  You find handy “news” sources on TV (Fox), the radio, and more and more often on the internet that keep amplifying these messages into you.  Your anger is boiling, and you’re looking for an outlet to expel it.  You’re looking for a leader.  Where is the warrior you’ve been waiting for?

 And along comes Donald Trump.  He’s everything (well, most everything) you’ve been looking for.  He’s a white man.  He claims your conservative values.  He makes you promises you want to hear.  And, most importantly, he’s willing to break all the politically correct rules and boldly stick it to the libs: all-day-long.  And this feels WONDERFUL!  Those fucking libs have ruined your world, and now Trump is ruining theirs!  Nothing could be better!  You could care less about political policy crap; it’s always been a bunch of crap and still is.  What’s important is the show, and the moves Trump is making to overturn the liberal cultural changes of the past decades and make America great again.  Economically, things aren’t any better, but LIFE is much better!  YOU are back in charge!

 You listen closely to Trumps steady warnings of the libs willingness to do anything to knock him (meaning you) out of power.  All your media sources harp on this all day and night long.  You talk about it often with your friends, family and neighbors.  You are ready for this fight.

 Then this thing called Covid comes to town.  WTF?  What’s this all about?  Your man Trump assures you not to worry.  You like that answer, so you don’t worry, at least not too much.  But then people you know start getting sick.  Some die.  Again, WTF?  The liberal doctors and scientists, who you are hesitant to trust because they are part of “those people”, try to infringe heavily on your life with new rules, keeping you isolated from your community.  Sick and dying friends and family make you consider this, but you look to your leader for guidance.  Trump largely tells you not to worry, and that Covid is mostly a hoax perpetrated by your enemies to make Trump look bad.  Covid is all about putting him, and thus you, out of power again.  That’s the main thing; the important thing.  So, you reject the doctor’s advice and ignore the new rules.  It feels exceptionally good doing this because it is driving the libs out of their minds!

 As the 2020 election draws near, Trump keeps warning you.  Covid is still with us, and that’s the lib’s fault.  Your job situation is even worse than before, and, again, that’s the lib’s fault, allowing in all these immigrants to steal your job, or shipping your job overseas, and now letting Covid shut down your workplace.  Trump continues giving you repeated warnings that the libs are trying to steal the election through methods like early or mail-in voting.  You quickly agree that this is an outrage, even though you may have been using early or mail-in voting for years.  You rally your friends.  You go to the polls and vote.

 

The election ends and the news sources, even your news sources, claim it’s too close to immediately call.  But your leader disagrees, and claims a massive victory!  Yet you have concerns, not that he really may have lost, but because you agree that the libs must be trying to steal the election.  Your media stations keep telling you this.  Finally, the mainstream liberal media calls the election for Biden!  This is not only nonsense, it’s nothing short of treason!  Your leader tells you so, on the hour, every hour.  Now is the time to fight back.  You look to Trump’s leadership for what to do.

 Over the coming days and weeks Trump details the election fraud.  Many in your local tribe join in the fight.  You become his active foot soldiers in your state.  Trump’s team at times gives specific tasks.  His lawyers keep filing lawsuits, but the corrupt judges (though often appointed by Trump) keep tossing them out.  This is outrageous!  Some of the leaders in your community, your tribe, make some moves that you don’t really understand, such as them appointing themselves electors representing your state.  You repeatedly threaten your elected officials to do something to stop this steal, or that they will pay dearly.  They often jump to your commands, but some of these pricks are turning out to be RINOs – Republicans In Name Only – and at the last minute seem to be going along with the liberal traitors.  Your options are running out, and you are getting desperate.

 But you have one last shot.  Trump has called you to Washington DC on January 6th to stop the steal.  You need to help him, so you go.  It feels wonderfully liberating to be there with your people, your tribe.  You chant.  You scream!  And when Trump orders you to march on the Capitol, you do so with determination.  Covid be damned!  Some in your crowd are showing you how to be fearless, and are attacking the liberal cops from this most-liberal city.  You see nothing wrong with that; they are PINOs:  Police In Name Only, not real American police officers that serve to protect you.  These PINOs are treasonous deserve to be beaten, and you surprise yourself by eagerly joining in the attack.

 You’re amazed by how easy it is to overrun the PINOs, enter the Capitol and ransack the premise.  It’s our building, damn it!  We’ll ransack it if we want!  You have been told that the politicians are inside to complete their stealing of the election, and you’re going to stop them.  Amazingly, your former loyalist Mike Pence is now leading the steal.  You agree with the calls to hang him.  The wimpy PINOs just kind of let you rage, and you love the feeling of power you have. But now what?  More guards with guns drawn are showing up and all the senators are gone.  You grab a souvenir and walk away, feeling and hoping you have stopped the steal.

 But those bastard senators snuck back in and proceeded with the steal.  They claim they have won.  Two weeks later Trump is forced to leave the White House, and that bastard Biden with his unthinkable vice president have invaded the White House, YOUR White House.  This cannot stand.

 At first a few of your Republican lawmakers outrage you by condemning your storming of the capitol, with some even condemning Trump.  You won’t stand for this.  Fortunately for them, these slimy politicians seem to quickly figure it out and change their tune.  They know who’s buttering their bread.  In short order they again extol Trump and you as true American patriots.  Your politicians resume their outrage at the stolen election, and now bow to Trump with even greater devotion.  You demand this.  You will not accept this theft of your power, of your country, and you are determined to fight even harder.

 The weeks turn into months, and as expected, Joe Biden is terrible.  Let’s Go Brandon flags abound!  You’ve enjoyed the staggering government Covid handouts you’ve been given, and may people you know have even fudged things a bit to get extra payouts, but these payments will never buy you off.  Covid is still hanging around, but you will never be forced to lose your dignity or freedom by wearing a facemask (the insult of insults).  The liberal media claims Covid has killed a million Americans.  You know that’s an exaggeration, and that the libs (especially Biden) are the real enemy.

 And prices are going up, especially for gas.  You are outraged!  This is all Biden’s fault.  Coastal elites trying to feed you some bullshit about supply and demand and shortages, and even want to put some blame on you about you finally getting a pay raise and this helping to drive up costs, but you won’t fall for that.  It’s all Biden’s fault.  Just look at Biden’s polling numbers!  They’re total shit!  OK, they’re not as low as Trump’s, but that’s only because of their liberal bias.  We, the true Americans, are going to win the next election, and every election going forward, damn it!

 And we’ve been working hard at making sure that happens.  Our elected leaders have intelligently changed voting laws throughout much the land to ensure voting integrity.  You believe them when they deny liberal claims of trying to reduce the ability of minorities and poor people to vote; you’ve been poor and you’re going to vote.  You’ve answered the call of Steve Bannon and other patriotic leaders and with your tribemates have secured spots to monitor your local election, count the votes, and determine who really wins future elections.  We will not have an election stolen from us again.  We will not give our country back to traitors.  The libs may keep trying to wreck our country, including stealing our guns, but how will they get your guns?  Easy answer:  only over your dead body.  Just come and try. 

 And you’re itching for this fight.  You’re just waiting for clear direction on when and how to act.  If “they” try to steal another election, that will be the time.  You are sure of it.  But you’re not overly worried, because your tribe has been working so hard, so feverishly, to own and protect the key elements of your local election apparatus, and the pathetic Dems, the libs, “those people” ain’t doing shit except their normal whining.  You’ve got this thing.  Your power will be restored.

 In the meantime, you keep enhancing your home arsenal. 

 In Conclusion

Whew!  As always, it feels good to get a rant off my chest, but I can’t say it makes me feel any better, even ignoring my Covid bout.  It could be because I’m an admitted “Libtard” (as I’ve been called), but when I think through how they got there, I can’t hate Trumpers for feeling how they feel.  I think I get the humanness of the path they have travelled.  If I lived in America’s heartland, I could have traveled this same path.