Donald Trump: The Fire Next Time?

Donald Trump ended his remarkable conversation with Tucker Carlson on X by observing there was a dangerous combination of "passion and hatred" out there "because of what they've done to our country." Although it will further inflame many of my liberal Facebook friends, I've come to oppose the four court cases aimed at Trump. As you know, I adamantly oppose Donald Trump and hope that the American voters reject him again if he's the Republican nominee in 2024. But I'm also an adamant small "d" democrat. Trump enjoys the passionate political support of much of the electorate. In fact, each time he's indicted, his poll numbers have gone up. The legal crusade against him is actually boosting his political support.

I think it's best for our bitterly divided country if Donald Trump is beaten fairly and squarely at the ballot box instead of in a courtroom.

For a long time now, the Democratic Party (which I've belonged to my entire voting life) has been increasingly taken over by suburban professionals -- and lately (and more worryingly) by Wall Street and the war industry. As a result, our party -- unsurprisingly -- has largely abandoned working people and the poor, who have gone in large numbers to the Republicans, including Trump.

This is a disastrous trend -- one that is only fortified by Trump's accusation that he is being unfairly singled out for challenging an election (which many Democratic candidates have also done).

That's why his fate should be in the hands of voters, not judges and juries.

Is Donald Trump "above the law." Yes, in a sense he is. He is far and away the most popular Republican presidential candidate. If the "liberal elites" are seen throwing him behind bars, I worry about the future of our country. Republicans could subject Democratic leaders to the same legal ordeals. Already, Rep. Jim Jordan, chair of the House committee that is investigating the "weaponization" of the federal government against critics, has targeted Fulton County prosecutor Fani Willis, following her indictment of Trump.

This legal crusade against Trump will not end well.

If Trump is the Republican presidential nominee next year, we need to talk to our fellow Americans, we need to convince them he's taking the country in the wrong direction.

We need to defeat him the old-fashioned way. We need to work our asses off.