While America Slept

In 1940 John F. Kennedy wrote a book titled While England Slept.  In this book, Kennedy suggested England did not do enough to prevent WWII. He was of the opinion that England ignored the actions of Hitler until it was too late-too late to reel him in. So here we are in 2020 with the same situation. While America slept, the groundwork was laid for Trump to come to power.  The Groundwork was laid by Conservative Talk Radio. In 1988 a blowhard named Rush Limbaugh come on the scene with a show on AM radio.  At first, he seemed somewhat moderate in his political views. Most people thought he just had a good get-rich scheme to rip off his listeners and sponsors. This may have been true until his show was hijacked by hard-line Conservatives, with especially troubling racist tendencies and beliefs. Still America slept.

As with Hitler and his rise to power, Trump rose to power, because people did not take him seriously nor did they take his handlers seriously, until it was too late. While America slept, Limbaugh,  Boortz,  Savage, Levin, Gallagher, Ingram, Cunningham, Herman Cain, O’Reilly, and other blowhards were greasing the skids for Trump. Still America slept. Fox cable news showed up in 1996 and eventually became the prime conservative propaganda apparatus; thanks to Rupert Murdoch. Sean Hannity got  on board the Fox train in 2009; on board with O’Reilly to become a team of an outstanding Republican Propaganda apparatus. Still America slept. America never thought of what these folks had in mind; the unthinkable idea that an individual with the behavioral characteristics of Trump would be assisted in his effort to become President of the United States.   Still America slept.

The potential power of these media hosts was unthinkable when Limbaugh took to the national airwaves by storm in 1988. But over three decades, Conservative Talk Radio and FOX used the special bond they forged with their audiences to reshape the Republican Party in its current image. For millions of listeners, the change has been electrifying. For excommunicated moderates, this show hasn’t been entertaining in the least.  Still America slept.

During the 2016 Presidential campaign/debates, viewers and listeners heard and saw an individual (Trump) as some loudmouth that did not have a chance of being elected. Little did the masses know that this was exactly who Conservative Talk Radio and Fox Cable News had in mind when they unleashed their propaganda apparatus prior to 2016. Beating the drum in its  own way for the ascendance of Trump was the Salem Broadcasting System. This outlet showered its listeners with copious helpings of religious banter and propaganda, especially suited for Trump. Still America slept.

For a fleeting moment, millions of Americans thought the impeachment inquiry and trial would wake up America. Not so, I am afraid. So while America slept, Trump and the Republican Party cult, without an amendment, changed the United States Constitution. Sleep on folks, do not bother to wake up long enough to register, go to the polls and vote.