A Return to the Dark Ages?

Science funding cuts, vaccine skeptics elevated to key positions, incompetent sycophants in cabinet positions, climate change denial, a fire hose of falsehoods, religious fundamentalism directing public policy, attacks on the judiciary, retribution initiated against all perceived enemies or critics.  The Trump/Musk regime, in its quest for vengeance, is doing its best to send America back to a modern variant of the dark ages.

It is hard to know how many of the Trump/Musk initiatives are ideological and how many are simply tossing red meat to the adoring minority of the population that feeds their massive egos. Trump famously denied any knowledge of Project 2025 and even suggested that some of it was too extreme, but he has been following its playbook almost to the letter.

 

The half of the population that voted for Trump was motivated by various concerns, but chief among them was the economy and the declining quality of life for much of the middle class.  The actions that Trump has taken to address these issues have mainly been chaotic and unfocused, such as imposing and rescinding tariffs on an almost daily basis.  Or cutting important programs to supposedly decrease our deficit, though the programs’ cost is down in the noise of the federal budget.  

Congress may, by some sleight of hand, be able to make some popular cuts in taxes before the midterms, but the promised return of manufacturing, and a solution for the general economic malaise are highly unlikely to occur by then, or ever, for that matter.

 

The anti-DEI, anti-abortion, anti-vaccine, anti-science, climate denying part of MAGA that is propelling us toward a new dark age is probably much smaller, perhaps as low as 25% of the population.  But they are a highly agitated group and they worship Trump.  Trump and Musk may find it euphoric to bathe in the glow of their frenzied adulation, but I suspect that their promotion of those causes will backfire in the midterms, especially if no economic benefits have accrued.

 

Is the USA really regressing to a state of ignorance where most of its citizenry rejects science, revels in conspiracy theories, and seeks a return to conservative religious values?  I refuse to accept that as inevitable and I expect the American people to deal a crippling blow to the MAGA extremists in less than 20 months.