May the 4th Be With You

In the months leading up to the 2020 Election, then-President Donald Trump began to warn his supporters that the upcoming contest would likely be rigged in Joe Biden’s favor. Trump’s weak response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent economic downturn had left many independent voters displeased with his performance. His loss in November ignited a firestorm of conspiracy theories from Trump sycophants and right-wing grifters alike. 

It was called “The Big Lie.” A vast conspiracy about how undocumented immigrants, ballot mules, and government officials at every level colluded to steal the election from Trump. On January 6th, 2021, the world watched in awe as the believers of the big lie stormed the Capitol in search of “justice” for their soon-to-be deposed commander and chief. They broke through barriers and assaulted police while terrified members of Congress hid and waited for rescue. 

In the aftermath of the attack, politicians from both parties united to condemn the event. Congress impeached Trump for a second time and many assumed that the incident would end Trump's political ambitions for good. Joe Biden was inaugurated later that month and the establishment breathed a sigh of relief, assured by the new president's promise to return things to normal. 

We can only assume that establishment figures and their insiders thought that Trump would follow the path of Presidents past. Maybe he would spend his free time jet-setting across the globe with his favorite billionaires like Obama. Or he could learn to paint and rebrand himself into a kindly old grandpa like George Bush. Ultimately, they must have thought that he would just go away. So they hesitated to prosecute him for his well-documented alleged crimes against democracy. But Trump was not ready to quit. 

The Donald continued to hold rallies and spread ‘The big lie.’ Day by day, Trump maintained his voter base while the new Biden administration rewarded his supporters with broken campaign promises and tall tales of the all-powerful parliamentarian. Not to say that the current administration hasn’t delivered for the American people in some ways. But large policies like a new voter rights act, an increase in the federal minimum wage, and a public medicare option never materialized in any meaningful way. 

Biden’s poll numbers were already in decline when the Israeli government began its deadly campaign of cruelty in Gaza. But it was not until his administration stubbornly and unconditionally allied itself with Netanyahu, that a real pathway to victory opened up for Trump. 

The Swamp Strikes Back! It’s easy to blame any one person for the situation we find ourselves in today. But it is much more complicated than that. This nation is trapped in a complex web of corruption woven together by lobbyists, defense contractors, crooked politicians, and their mouthpieces in the mainstream media. Dark times may lie ahead, but if there is a silver lining, it’s that ShopTYT has a pretty cool t-shirt about it!

It might feel like some form of defeat is waiting for us in November. But do not despair. Progressives are on the right side of history. The policies we advocate for have popular support, even among some Republicans. As long as we are unified, we can push for positive change together. Our defeat is temporary. But our victory is inevitable.