Dear Editor and Gentle Readers,

In an article by Paul Krugman entitled, “The Axis of Autocracy Loses a Wheel,” one of the darlings of the conservative movement went down in flames. Victor Orban, whose Fidesz Party took power in Hungary in 2010, lost in a landslide. Orban had captured Hungarian media outlets, installed corrupt judges, and “actively undermined solidarity within the European Union and worked to block aid to Ukraine.” He frequently stated that he was Putin’s ally. Sounds very Trump-like.

Orban tried to establish what he called an “illiberal democracy” which was, according to Krugman, “Racist, anti-immigrant, homophobic, and opposed to free speech and thought”.  He was loved by the Maga movement here in the U S and a star speaker at the CPAC conventions (CPAC = Conservative Political Action Committee).  CPAC recently held one of its conventions in Hungary. 

J.D. Vance stopped in Hungary to stump for Orban, while on his trip to Islamabad for cease fire talks with Iran. That may have been the final nail in Orban’s coffin. Orban had rigged the electoral system such that he could stay in power unless there was a landslide vote for the opposition. In fact, the Hungarian people delivered that landslide vote this past week, and Orban did what Trump has never done, conceded defeat.

Trump, and by association Vance, is toxic in Europe.  In her blog, “Letters from an American,” Heather Cox Richardson cites a YouGov poll which showed Trump with an unfavorability rating of 78% in France, 86% in Germany, and 80% in Italy. His continued scolding of the EU and NATO has added to this unfavorability. Trump chose not to consult Europe before going to war against Iran, and now he chooses to insult them. He routinely threatens to leave NATO, an alliance formed to stop Soviet Union aggression after World War II. In fact, NATO has helped keep peace in Europe for over 80 years.  

One recent insult to NATO came during a visit by NATO’s Secretary General in which Trump said, “NATO wasn’t there when we needed them, and they won’t be there if we need them again. Remember Greenland, that big, poorly run, piece of ice!!!”

Article five of NATO’s charter states that an invasion against one NATO country will be responded to by all NATO countries. The only time Article five has been invoked is after 9/11/2001 when the Twin Towers were bombed in New York City causing 3,000 deaths. NATO countries sent their soldiers to support our efforts to rid the world of the Taliban in Afghanistan and later Saddam Hussein in Iraq. 

Trump further insulted our allies by saying that these troops were only peripherally involved in these military actions. Europeans were outraged. In fact, in Afghanistan alone, the UK had 457 killed, France 90, Germany 53, Poland 44, Spain 35, and Denmark 43. No wonder he is so toxic in Europe. They see the real danger of an unchecked Putin in his invasion of Ukraine and are very concerned by Trump’s tepid response to this invasion. Trump conveniently ignores the hundreds of drones Russia sends every night to kill civilians in Ukraine, a clear war crime. Trump just sweeps this under the rug.

Trump knows his policies are unpopular, so he is attempting to rig the looming midterm elections in the US with his gerrymandering efforts, and his pushing of the Save America Act. This Save America Act sounds reasonable when you see the ads on TV, but Republicans won’t tell you that under this bill, all states would be required to hand over their voter records to be screened by DHS (Department of Homeland Security).  This unconstitutionally nationalizes elections and allows for massive purging of voters, outlaws voting by mail, makes it much harder to register, and doesn’t inform voters when they are purged.

Trans people, women who changed their names after marriage, people who changed their addresses would all be required to re-register showing a current passport or original birth certificate. And no more mail in registration, nor registration in church, on campus, in your community or when you get a driver’s license or sign up for social security. This bill would remove all these methods and require potential voters to vote in person in an election office, a hurdle for many…all in an effort to stamp out supposed voter fraud which has proven statistically to be virtually nonexistent. It’s a Trojan horse.

Trump and the Republicans are running scared. Could they get a similar thumping like Orban in November? You bet. Stay tuned, make sure you are registered, and VOTE!!

Bill Thibedeau

Gilpin County