Crisis

The economy is stronger than it’s been in years. ISIS no longer holds territory in the Middle East and
we have less troops fighting in foreign wars than any time since 9/11. On paper our country seems
more stable at home and abroad then it’s been in a generation.

So, why would I title this post crisis?

    

2012… Long before Trump started his run for the presidency he seemed to have a theory on what
gets votes and consolidates power. Chaos and crises. He ran an election on it, and won. Drain the
swamp! Build the wall! Lock her up!

Think about it. 2015-2016 was a time of relative stability. The recession was over. The wars in Iraq
and Afghanistan were winding down. Times were good, considering. Yet, chaos and crisis won, even
though there was no chaos and crisis. The “swamp” is not drained. The wall is not built. Hillary Clinton
is not behind bars.  

The game plan has not changed since he took office. He has sowed crises everywhere, but the irony
is, there hasn’t been one yet. However, the clock is ticking. What will this president do when a real
crisis strikes?

I think he’s got a plan. In fact, I think the plan has been in motion for years and now he’s just waiting.
He could write the book on “How to Create a Crisis”. There are five simple steps and we are already
deep into the process.  

How to Create a Crisis

Step 1: Identify the “Crisis”

Find a problem that has existed a long time and shine a light on it. There is some truth to it, yes, but
it’s not any worse than other problems leaders have been juggling for years. Shout it from the rooftop;
better yet, Tweet it.

Sounds like a crisis to me!

Wait… maybe not?

Step 2: Simplify the “Crisis”

Even though the problem has been around for a long time and has complicated historical, political,
economic and cultural implications, ignore these and make it a black and white issue.

Multi-national diplomats working on the Iran Nuclear Deal

 

Iranian relations expert comes in to save the day!  

Diplomacy at its finest.

Step 3: Brand your “Crisis”

Since most people are not affected by the “crisis” that has been created, they are going to need
reasons to believe that it is, in fact, a crisis. Some simple terms and symbols help here. “Build that
Wall! Build that Wall!” It doesn’t matter that building the wall will not solve the “crisis” or if the wall will
ever get built. It gets people excited and gives them something to rally around.  

President Donald Trump calls up Blake Marnell, wearing a jacket with bricks representing a border wall,

to the stage during a 'Make America Great Again' campaign rally at Williamsport Regional Airport

on May 20 in Montoursville, Pennsylvania. (Photo: Drew Angerer, Getty Images)

Step 4: Scapegoat the “Crisis”

Now that people believe that there is a “crisis,” it’s important to establish two things: 1. Someone else
caused it and is still conspiring against “us” and 2. Only you can solve the “crisis”.

Scapegoat Number 1: The Media

   

Scapegoat Number 2: The Democrats

I'm the only one that matters...

"Let me tell you, the one that matters is me," Trump said in an interview that aired on Fox News
on Thursday night. "I'm the only one that matters, because when it comes to it, that's what
the policy is going to be. You've seen that, you've seen it strongly."

The president was responding to a question from Fox's Laura Ingraham, who asked him, "Are you
worried that the State Department doesn't have enough Donald Trump nominees in there to push
your vision through?"

NPR

Step 5: Wait for an Actual Crisis

The stage is set. Your “crises” have been identified, simplified, branded, and scapegoated. Now, you
just need to wait for something to actually happen. Maybe an American death at the border or terrorist
attack from someone who entered there? Maybe a clash in the Middle East or some intelligence that
“proves” a credible threat. It could be anything, really. Keep stoking the flames and eventually
something will happen. When it does, pounce on it.

You knew it was a crisis all along! Refer back to you identifying it in the first place!

You told people it was simple! Others tried to solve it before with complicated solutions but
they failed!

Rely back on your branding to consolidate support. Make America Great Again! Build that Wall

Scapegoat. Now is your chance to eliminate your enemies. All this is their fault. You alone can
fix it.        

Anyone who is not with you on this is Un-American. Period.

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I am not writing this post to shout “I told you so” when it happens. I am writing the post to get us
thinking about what we must do when it happens. When the crisis hits, he is going to claim that he saw
it coming. He is going to simplify a very complex issue. He is going to brand it and rally his supporters.
He is going to scapegoat his enemies.

The free press will be his first target. In the name of security, of course. Democrats will cry foul and
they too will be ostracized for supporting the “enemy”, whoever that may be. If the free press is weaken
and the two party system becomes one. Our democracy is lost.

But our democracy cannot be lost without our silence. In fact, our silence is the key ingredient.
Democracies around the world have crumbled in this way over and over again. But ours is not just
any democracy. Ours is the American democracy. We started this experiment in government and we
have long and storied history of fighting to uphold it.

We have a mandate from our previous leaders to defend our Constitution and we need to prepare
to do so.     

We the people are the rightful masters of both Congress and the courts,

not to overthrow the Constitution but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution.

-Abraham Lincoln