Making sense of the election

I taught a university course on the American presidency for 30 years, and always with a reverence for the office. Now retired, I have pondered what I might tell today's students about the recent presidential election.

I would certainly tell them this presidential campaign was unlike any I have witnessed or researched. Instead of the serious debates of former campaigns, this round had more in common with a television reality show or pool hall chatter with its crude, even profane, discourse and accusations.

Demagogues have run for president before, such as George Wallace who chanted: 'Segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever.” But none has ever been elected - until now.

Donald Trump has two dubious distinctions: He will be the first demagogue to occupy the Oval Office and the first president in modern history with no previous political experience.

We have endured demagogues like Joe McCarthy and Huey Long, but never in the White House. And this is crucial. McCarthy and Long were both senators whose deviltry was subject to more controlling forces than with a president who makes a multitude of key foreign policy decisions with minimal restraint.

I see parallels in our nation with that of Germany after World War I. Inflation and depression racked a Germany economy that a feckless political system could not repair. Adolf Hitler drew big crowds promising to make Germany great again. Many Germans, particularly intellectuals, opposed Hitler's brand of politics but felt helpless against the angry, naive, and ignorant masses. Thousands of the opposition fled the country or ended up in jail or gas chambers.

Could that happen here? Many in my profession have thought for some time that elements of our society could indeed pose a threat to the basic tenants of our culture and political system. How could this happen? Among the several likely reasons are an emphasis on negative campaigns and character assassination, low public opinion of politicians, candidates running against the institutions they seek to represent saying they will 'clean up the mess in Washington,” radio and television commentators who make a living pontificating about the shortcomings of political figures whose policy positions they oppose, social and public media that allow rumors and half-truths about candidates to be spread to millions, people who retain their political party loyalty, no matter what; and elected officials having a track record ripe for attack and distortion.

So who's to blame? Ironically the weakness in a democracy is the people, the voters. One vote is as good as another, whether it comes from a highly educated, earnest, well-informed person or the town drunk. Political campaigning is one huge sales event. People who buy into snake oil, also buy into what they see as persuasive candidates.

Plato wrote centuries ago that the political system is best served if ruled by 'philosopher kings,” people he described as 'lovers of wisdom.” Little of that was found in this campaign where fact checkers determined a large majority of Donald Trump's statements were distortions or outright falsehoods.

One measure of philosopher-kings in our society might be the editorial boards of newspapers, people who are well-informed and up to date on current events. Nearly 200 endorsed the losing candidate and only a handful the winner. If editorial boards are examples of our philosopher-kings, they failed to convince a majority of the voters.

Our Founding Fathers chose to combine within the presidency the roles of political leader and 'head of state,” the latter exemplifying our highest cultural values with the symbolic name of 'Uncle Sam.”

Our new Uncle Sam is a man on record for everything from abusing women to insulting immigrants to boasting of avoiding income taxes. Does Donald Trump represent our highest cultural values? Can we say George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Donald Trump in the same breath without gagging?

Unfortunately, there is no voters' remorse in our system that allows for the removal of a president short of an impeachment trial for treason, bribery, or high crimes and misdemeanors. Low character and moral turpitude are not a basis for impeachment.

For those disgusted with our political system and its results, I suggest (1) that you express your displeasure by participating in protest demonstrations, writing to elected officials, sending letters to newspaper editors, voicing your concern to others, (2) that you not return 90 percent of incumbents to Congress as is the usual case, and (3) pray that you do not see a mushroom cloud on the horizon.

' Carroll McKibbin is a native Iowan who now lives in San Luis Obispo, Calif., as a retired Cal Poly dean. Comments: cmckibbi@calpoly.edu