In 2021, few Americans expected anything like January 6th to happen in our country.
“That’s not who we are,” many would say.
Others said, “That IS who we are.” The Insurrectionists have been freed. They are armed, masked, and on the streets again.
As the election year of 1936 neared, the American author, Sinclair Lewis, pondered the possibilities. FDR had won in 1932, and his party controlled both houses of Congress. FDR promised progress, but was he delivering enough? The everyday lives of Americans were still filled with uncertainty. In Louisiana, Huey Long, a Governor had become a charismatic, populist Senator. At a time when Hitler ruled Germany and Mussolini ruled Italy, Sinclair Lewis contemplated a possibility, writing the novel It Can’t Happen Here…because he thought it could.
It didn’t happen in 1936, but something like it could have. In 1939, thousands of American Nazis filled Madison Square Garden. A year before, in 1938, the American hero, Charles Lindbergh, had gone to Nazi Germany to warmly receive a medal from Hitler’s Air Marshall, Hermann Goring. Then, in 1941, as war raged in Europe, Lindbergh packed Madison Square Garden, urging Americans to stay out of it. Let the Nazis have their way. It’s none of our business.
As History hovered in those days, many Americans simply did not know where they were. Now, fast forward to the present day. How are we to know where we are in 2026?
The 2020 Presidential election was narrowly won. Of course there had been narrow wins before. The election of JFK was very narrow as was the election of George W. Bush. Richard Nixon and Al Gore each accepted their narrow loss for what it was…a narrow loss. Donald Trump has yet to admit or acknowledge what happened in 2020. The Insurrection of January 6th, 2021 was bad enough when it happened. But it was made far worse four years later, when Trump issued pardons to those who had been convicted in a court of law.
In the present day Trump has a more competent, disciplined and prepared set of players than he had in 2016. Stephan Miller, a fascist in mind and spirit, is his strategic brain. Pam Bondi, Kristi Noem and Pete Hegseth are his enforcers. Trump’s picked many for their looks and demeanor than for their knowledge and experience, but he knows more clearly what he wants… his goal is unquestionable power to do as he pleases both here and abroad. He has invaded Venezuela, seized its oil and is now selling it, putting the proceeds in an overseas bank account (in Qatar) over which he has personal control.
In the Middle East he wants a Board of Peace to rule Gaza, a Board he will appoint and he can fire, to implement plans only he will approve or disapprove.
NATO has been the greatest defensive alliance in the history of the world. As he prepares to seize Greenland, he asks, “So what?” The Western Hemisphere from the Arctic to the Antarctic is his to own.
He has been in power for a year and it is clear that he’s just getting started. There is further work is to be done in the coming year.
In our country there is unrest from coast to coast and, in the middle, it has exploded. He sent armed and masked provocateurs to Minnesota. When those who were provoked reacted, Kristi Noem sent more. Hegseth awaits the next step.
It was in Bemidji, Minnesota that Trump clearly articulated his love for people with the “right genes”. He complemented Minnesotans on their Nordic genes. He loves the Race Horse Theory he thought Minnesotans were the right, white race horses for his stable. The George Floyds and MLKs of the world do not matter. If resistance grows, he will send in more of his personal army—ICE, the Border Patrol, Homeland Security—to impose his will. If a white woman happens to get in the way, she will suffer the consequences. Pete Hegseth awaits, ready to use Minneapolis as a dress rehearsal and training ground for his soon-to-be domestic warriors.
Trump has goals, whims, and desires. He now has uncheckable power to implement them…or does he?
Well, there is “History” and there is “Everyday Life.”
In the latter we go about our business, getting the kids off to school, dealing with traffic getting to Boston or Salem. Doctor’s appointments, grocery shopping, checking in on friends, parents, aunts and uncles. Finding a show to watch in the evening. Arguing about sports.
And then there’s “History.” An American strongman is unloosed on the world who sees nothing but his whims and his self-interest as central to his daily life. Hotels in Gaza? Oil in Venezuela? Don Junior off to Greenland to check out opportunities for Daddy’s company.
“What’s Ukraine to me?” he asks.
“What’s Taiwan to me?” he asks.
“Who is Putin to you?” we ask in return.
Like his Big Oil enablers, he asks his Crypto buddies to the White House to explore how they might work together for mutual profit. The world is being reshaped and it’s starting to look grotesque.
“History” is in the making.
We Americans need to shape a cleaner, more peaceful and respectful future. It is 2026. Our job starts now. Let’s not agonize, let’s organize! Having experienced and fought Mad King George, the Founders gave us an electoral democracy with checks-and-balances to deal with threats like those of the Mad King Donald they anticipated.
We will use it. That’s who we are.
Jim Walsh is a writer who lives in Nahant.
