It ain’t over, but an avalanche of court losses exposed these would-be warriors as overcompensating clowns
There are many reasons Donald Trump is turning up the rhetoric about being a fascist dictator, even bragging on social media that “revenge” and “dictator” are the top words people use to describe him. It’s a campaign strategy to win over Republican primary voters who wish to purge the country of that which they despise, such as tap-dancing jazz dancers. It’s a feint, an effort to scare his opponents into believing his ascension is unstoppable, so they stop fighting him. It’s also a threat to keep fellow Republicans in line, so they don’t start backing challengers who aren’t under 91 felony indictments.
But it’s also an attempt to hide that he smells like a butt.
“Take armpits, ketchup, a butt and makeup and put that all in a blender,” former Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois said of Trump’s odor. It’s a visceral description to be certain, but also beautiful because everyone immediately knows it must be true. Trump’s narcissism has led him to believe he knows everything, so he has no need to learn. By the same logic, he no doubt imagines his body, which he has routinely described as perfect, is in no need of regular cleaning. Plus, every shower means seeing his imperfect naked body in the mirror, followed by having to sit still for hours to restore his elaborate hair and make-up. We all know how he feels about that. I have to imagine he skips quite a few.
Indeed, the past year has been one story after another about how, when Trump and stooges actually have to show up in court, it does not go well for them. Trump was found liable for defaming and sexually assaulting E. Jean Carroll, despite his repeated bragging that he’d easily defeat her in court. His bluster did nothing to stop a judge from finding the Trump Organization guilty of fraud, and the expectation is the judgment next month will be staggering.
More importantly, the plethora of cases related to the attempted coup and January 6 insurrection show that, stripped of their lies and hysterics, the insurrectionists fare poorly in the courtroom. The high-profile cases started to finally — finally — moved towards resolution this year. The leadership of the Oath Keepers, a far-right militia that shaped the storming of the Capitol, were handed sentences ranging from 3 to 18 years. The Proud Boys, who acted on Trump’s order to “stand back and stand by,” saw sentences up to 22 years. It wasn’t just the sentences, however. The trials of these two gangs exposed the losers lurking beneath all camo gear and action movie talk. It turned out two things could be true: These guys were a genuine threat to democracy, but also pathetic try-hards trying to cover up for their myriad of personal failures.