Trump leaks will be relevant for decades to come

By Sumantra Maitra
0 Comment(s)Print E-mail China.org.cn, May 25, 2017
Adjust font size:

Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the United States, Feb. 1, 2016. Former real estate tycoon Donald Trump has been elected the 45th president of the United States after a neck-and-neck race with his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. [Photo/Xinhua]

A year and a half ago, I was talking to a friend of mine who is a Republican neo-conservative and was in the Never Trump movement – movement opposed to Trump winning the Republican nomination. That now seems like an eternity ago. I was chatting with him, and he said he was worried about his country's future and the possibility that a dictatorial leader might take charge of the world's foremost liberal democratic power. I told him not to worry. Even if you don't support a candidate like Trump, there is a system of checks and balance that will keep him in check. The biggest threat I mentioned to my friend is the domestic polarization in the United States.

This week, the U.S. Justice Department appointed former FBI director Robert Mueller as special counsel to investigate connections between Trump's campaign and the Russian government. This comes after a week that rocked American politics almost as much as Bill Clinton's indiscretions did during the 1990s. While there hasn't been any proven collusion between Trump and Russia, things are slowly starting to look like the early stages of another Watergate.

This is an interesting development. On one hand, if there is any genuine collusion between Russia and Trump, it will eventually come out. The special director isn't just a random officer. He is entitled to demand registered documents as well as subpoena every available piece of evidence he finds suitable to the course of the investigation. While it is unlikely that any direct collusion between Russia and Trump will come to light, this will finally put to test the competing narratives regarding how much Trump owes his win to alleged Russian interference in the U.S. democracy. It will also either make or break Trump's presidency. If Trump is indeed culpable, he will be impeached. There will be no other options.

Unfortunately, there's something else in play as well.

The U.S. system is based on a transfer of power, which is peaceful. The government officials are supposed to be neutral in such a scenario. Unfortunately, this changed during the Obama years. The U.S. departments are manned by people who essentially started their career as ideological Obama appointees looking forward to their next president. That changed with Trump, who no one expected to win. The "resistance" started immediately afterwards, and leaks started to pour in.

The situation is so dire now that there isn't a single day without leaks. Every day, someone blabs to journalists about the severe dysfunction within the government, purporting to be performing idealistic acts of sabotage against the tyranny in D.C.

Now consider this. Even accepting that maybe, and I say maybe in the most skeptical possible way, Trump is compromised by Russia, imagine the precedent this is setting up.

The next administration will have ideological opponents in the government who will leak to newspapers. In short, every single action by the government, of whatever political party, can be undermined by any anonymous officer in an idealistic resistance to tyranny. This is utter chaos, and can only lead to perma-activism.

Trump will go. Either by impeachment or after a chaotic four years. Those who were fearful of Trump turning out to be a fascist should take solace in the fact that he can't even fill his cabinet. A fascist at least takes control of the government quickly. The chances of a fascist takeover in U.S. are minimal.

However, two things will result from this. First, the issues that gave rise to Trumpism will remain. Interventionism and liberal economy will continue to alienate the heartland conservative white population, the backbone of Trump's support. And the leaks will set a precedent for a more damaging legacy in which the very foundation of the American system faces threats. There's a reason officials are supposed to be neutral. In an era of hyperpartisanism, that is perhaps over.

Sumantra Maitra is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit:

http://www.ccgp-fushun.com/opinion/SumantraMaitra.htm

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors only, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.

 

Follow China.org.cn on Twitter and Facebook to join the conversation.
ChinaNews App Download
Print E-mail Bookmark and Share

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)

No comments.

Add your comments...

  • User Name Required
  • Your Comment
  • Enter the words you see:   
    Racist, abusive and off-topic comments may be removed by the moderator.
Send your storiesGet more from China.org.cnMobileRSSNewsletter
主站蜘蛛池模板: 国产成人免费a在线视频色戒| 天天av天天翘天天综合网| 国产成人综合在线视频| 97在线观看视频| 好湿好紧好痛a级是免费视频| 中文精品无码中文字幕无码专区| 日韩电影免费观看| 亚洲伊人久久大香线蕉啊| 波多野结衣一二区| 你看桌子上都是你流的| 精品无码国产自产拍在线观看 | 亚洲第一成年免费网站| 男人的天堂黄色| 免费高清在线影片一区| 老司机67194精品线观看| 国产丝袜视频一区二区三区| 韩国男女无遮挡高清性视频| 国产成人污污网站在线观看| 亚洲国产成a人v在线观看| 国产精品网址你懂的| 91精品国产综合久久青草| 在线天堂bt种子| a√天堂中文在线最新版| 女女互揉吃奶揉到高潮视频| 一本久久a久久精品亚洲| 性欧美18一19sex性高清播放| 中文字幕在线观看国产| 无码少妇一区二区三区芒果| 久久久久综合中文字幕| 日本公与熄乱理在线播放370| 久久综合久久鬼色| 曰韩人妻无码一区二区三区综合部| 亚洲w码欧洲s码免费| 欧美亚洲国产成人高清在线| 另类国产ts人妖视频网站| 蜜桃臀无码内射一区二区三区 | 一本久道久久综合中文字幕| 快点cao我要被cao烂了| 一级一毛片a级毛片| 妖精色av无码国产在线看| www.色中色|