I want to share a definition with you:
“A cult of personality arises when a country's regime – or, more rarely, an individual – uses the techniques of mass media, propaganda, the big lie, spectacle, the arts, patriotism, and government-organized demonstrations and rallies to create an idealized, heroic, and worshipful image of a leader, often through unquestioning flattery and praise.” – Wikipedia
Sound familiar?
This weekend, as Adam Schiff was preparing to speak at the California Democratic convention, he came to the conclusion that one of the most disturbing aspects of the Trump presidency has been the fact that the GOP has allowed itself to become a cult of personality around their dear leader, Donald Trump.
The president repeatedly cries “witch hunt” and attacks law enforcement and intelligence officials over the investigation into Russian interference in our elections. Republicans look away.
The president calls our free press “the enemy of the people,” labeling any media outlet who reports negative news about him “fake news,” as journalists face growing threats of violence. Republicans look away.
The president and his family profits off of the presidency, turning Mar-a-Lago into the informal White House where Trump golfs with foreign leaders and taxpayers foot the bill. Republicans look away.
The president is cozying up to dictators and talking like them, suggesting his political opponents be jailed, ignoring the Constitution and “joking” about being “president for life.” Republicans look away.
There are hundreds of other examples.
It would be bad enough if corrupt Republicans just looked away from these red flags. But it’s actually worse than that.
Increasingly, they’re cheering on the president as he pursues ever more callous and disastrous policies. When Trump tries to repeal healthcare for millions of Americans. When he introduces cruel immigration policies to separate families. When he gives trillions in tax cuts to corporations and the wealthiest few instead of the working Americans they were elected to represent.
Courage is contagious, but clearly so is cowardice. These actions are not okay. They will never be okay. And when this presidency is over, and his cruel, amoral policies have been confined to the dustbin of history, it will be up to us to repair the damage and restore America’s place as leader of the free world.
And we will.
The Republican Party has chosen the cult of personality over duty to country, but our commitment to American values is stronger than ever. We will finish what we started in 2018. We will keep our Democratic majority in the House, and take back both the Senate and White House in 2020.
What’s more, we will reclaim our country. With your help, we will go forth again into every state, every precinct, every household, every heart, and deliver such a convincing end to Trump and Trumpism that we will never be plagued by it or anything like it ever again.
