Rep. McCarthy has morphed into a Trump Republican who cares only about power and self interest. After declaring Trump was responsibility for causing the Jan. 6th insurrection that caused the death of 5 people and injured hundreds, McCarthy has begged Trump’s forgiveness and is asserting the power of his office to promote anti-democratic, conspiracy theory ideology. During a foreign military crisis dealing with terrorists and ending a war that Americans support ending, members of Congress should present a united American front to our enemies and allies. Instead, Republicans are using the difficulties occurring in the evacuation process as a political moment for their party. Instead of focusing on America’s best interests, national security and long term goals, McCarthy is thinking of how he can demonize Biden on his pathological quest to be Speaker of the House. When recently asked what would he have done differently in Afghanistan, he gave conflicting answers about the issue of whether to continue to keep troops on the ground.
In a 2018 article in the New Statesmen, writer Sophie McBain described Steve Bannon as a populist-nationalist who opposes immigration, mainstream media, the political establishment ( which he calls the political elite), and the norms of American democracy. McBain cites quotes by Bannon which describe his extremist, apocalyptic views for our government, his dark personality, and why his influence is hopefully being monitored by the DOJ and Intelligence community. In Bannon’s own words;
- Darkness is good,” Bannon told the Hollywood Reporter in 2016. “Dick Cheney. Darth Vader. Satan. That’s power.”
- Let them call you racists, let them call you xenophobes, let them call you nativists, wear it as a badge of honour.”
- Describes himself as a “Leninist who wants to deconstruct the administrative state.”
He is pro-Trump for one reason: to remain politically relevant and influential. He lost his job in the Trump Administration when he called Trump “mentally unfit” and referred to Don Jrs meetings with Russians as “treasonist”. Since being rejected by Trump, Bannon has played to Trump’s base to a stay in good standing with the MAGA cult. Bannon”s goal is simple; to bring down the government by crashing down both party’s. His vision of America is that of a military power, with closed borders, men holding the power, and having one set of ideas promoted by an autocrat. He has been a major promoter of white supremacist ideology and led Trump’s ‘America First’ movement.
The gaslighting of American’s is one of Bannon’s favorite past times. The lie he tells about what makes America great again is that his anti-democracy, anti- establishment world-view is what makes it great. In truth his views take us backwards to some of America’s darkest hours. White- identity politics and a media that only promotes the voice of those in power is what Bannon mentored Trump to use to garner support from white, poor, uneducated Americans who felt forgotten by the government. The irony is that Trump and Bannon have complete disinterest in the needs of those demographics they have tricked into blind loyalty.
Another concern about Bannon is his associations with people who support the destruction of the free media and support a one-party system. Also, his adoration of dictators and strong men have fueled his campaign to spread the nationalist/ populist ideology across Europe. His association with Chinese billionaire dissident Guo Wengui has given him the financial backing he needs to pursue his extreme anti-establishment goals.
Guo is in exile from China in the U.S. He is a known dissident who has proclaimed extensive corruption exists in the ruling elite of China. He fled his country to escape charges of business fraud and colluding with corrupt government officials. Guo has partnered with Steve Bannon since 2017, their stated goal being the destruction of the corrupt Chinese Communist government. However, both men are known to have huge egos and a propensity for self-promotion and the use of disinformation to achieve their political and financial objectives. Like Bannon, Guo is viewed by U.S. intelligence as someone not to trust and to monitor.
In May, the Washington Post printed, “a sprawling online network tied to Chinese businessman Guo Wengui has become a potent platform for disinformation in the United States, attacking the safety of coronavirus vaccines, promoting false election-fraud claims and spreading baseless QAnon conspiracies, according to research published by the network analysis company Graphika”. Guo and Bannon have also been accused of defrauding a charity related to donations to build Trump’s border wall.
There are men in high places, with the power of dark money behind them poised to trick vulnerable Americans into believing that their faux machoism is a form of leadership that will strengthen America. In truth, it will do the opposite as it is a movement towards a racist autocracy that will destroy freedoms and promote cruelty and immorality. The Department of Justice better increase the speed of the wheels of justice. Merrick Garland, this is no time to be passive, like Robert Mueller. Getting men like Trump, McCarthy, Bannon, Flynn into felony status is the beginning of a much-needed healing process for a battered, degraded American democracy and electorate.
