Does “Never Again” Mean Anything in America?

by Mark M. Bello

Proof That America Refused to Believe Its Own Eyes.

Joe Biden is president. America settles down. The chaos fades into background noise; the lies blur together. Trump is prosecuted—he paints himself as the victim and TDS (Trump Derangement Syndrome) strikes again. The Economy becomes a tough issue. Four years pass. And — astonishingly — America elected Trump again.

Why? We knew who he was. We knew he was an agent of chaos and a criminal. Still, we voted for him. Perhaps a female black president was a bridge too far? Perhaps the country is more conservative than it used to be? Maybe so to both, but I have a different take. Perhaps remembering who and what he was was more difficult than facing new challenges.

WAS IT AMNESIA OR A CHOICE?

We knew:

• The truth about his election lies.
• The truth about January 6.
• The truth about COVID.
• About his corruption.
• About his cruelty.
• About his gross incompetence.

He hid none of these things.

We chose to look the other way and lie to ourselves:

“Maybe he won’t be so bad—he’ll be better this time.”

That sentence should haunt every single Trump voter in America.

THE MEDIA CYCLE AS A WEAPON

Trump didn’t need to erase the past.

He just needed:

• New grievances
• New enemies and scapegoats
• A new promise

The grievance was that black and brown aliens were taking white jobs. The enemies and scapegoats were black and brown immigrants and blue state politicians. The promise was that Donald Trump, alone, could fix our broken immigration system.

While he was mean-spirited and cruel, he started out targeting people who committed serious crimes. He shut down the border, added more personnel, and continued building his wall. But then he moved ICE operatives into blue state cities and everything went to shit.

Law enforcers wore masks, carried weapons, gassed and pepper-sprayed American citizens, beat the crap out of them, and, finally, brutally executed two citizen protesters. What changed in the aftermath? Not much. Stephen Miller is still in the White House. Kristi Noem is still Homeland Security Chief. ICE is still full force in Minneapolis. Border Czar Tom Homan arrived in Minnesota with promises of a “drawdown.” And what did Donald Trump do? He pissed on Homan’s promise and did what he always does: He pivoted.

Minnesota?
“Let’s talk about higher wages and lower prices” (another lie).

Epstein?
“Let’s take over Venezuela and steal their oil.”

Iran? Jack Smith, Top Secret Documents, the White House Ballroom, Greenland? Crime? Immigration? A stagnant economy?
Pick one. Pivot. Repeat.

And our citizens move on, following the spotlight.

THE MOST FRIGHTENING TRUTH

The danger isn’t that Trump lies. We know he lies all the time. The danger is that lying no longer matters, not even the most egregious ones. They do not disqualify him:

From holding public office.
From consolidated power.
From spinning these lies (though Fox News, Truth Social, and other right-wing media outlets) to appeal to the most savory and selfish segments of our society.

Together, Donald Trump and right-wing media have normalized dishonesty at the highest level.

THIS IS NOT ABOUT POLITICAL PARTIES

This is about truth as a civic requirement.

Politicians who:

• Never admit a mistake
• Never correct falsehoods
• And never discipline liars

Can only command a following. They cannot and should not be elected to govern a democracy.

ONE QUESTION WE REFUSE TO ASK:

How dumb are we?

A SECOND QUESTION SINGLE-ISSUE VOTERS MUST ANSWER?

What bad deeds, mayhem, disruption, or damage to our country are you willing to ignore — or forgive — because you believe Donald Trump (as bad as you know he is) is good for “your issue”?

If you’re a Jewish voter who believes Trump is good for Israel:

What are you willing to overlook?

• Open antisemitism tolerated in his movement (“Good people on both sides”)?
• White nationalists marching with torches, chanting “Jews will not replace us?”
• Holocaust minimization and casual use of Nazi language?
• The weaponization of Jewish identity as a political shield rather than a moral commitment?

Is Israel enough — even if American democracy erodes in the process?

And how can someone who is “America First” be “better” for Israel?

If your single issue is immigration:

What are you willing to ignore?

• Federal agents assaulting and killing U.S. citizens in our streets?
• Due process discarded in the name of “enforcement?”
• Families torn apart without hearings?
• Local communities destabilized rather than protected?
• Local economies ruined by government-sponsored chaos agents?

Is “toughness” worth abandoning our precious Constitution?

If you’re a fiscal conservative focused on the economy, taxes, and markets:

What are you willing to excuse?

• Exploding deficits and out-of-control government spending?
• Massive grift and self-dealing?
• Policy chaos that destabilizes markets?
• An end to free trade, tariffs, and trade wars that raise consumer prices?

Is ideological comfort worth economic incoherence?

If your business profits from pollution or deregulation:

What are you prepared to accept?

• Public Health damage?
• Environmental rollbacks that harm future generations?
• Climate denial in the face of mounting evidence?
• Local communities bearing the cost of your margins?
• Devastating storms and climate events?

Is short-term profit really worth long-term harm?

If the Second Amendment is your red line:

What are you willing to tolerate?

• Selective outrage about gun use?
• Praising armed violence when politically convenient?
• Condemning armed presence when politically inconvenient?
• Inconsistent application of “stand your ground” logic?

Are gun rights absolute — or only when important when they help your side?

If you care most about healthcare freedom:

What are you willing to ignore?

• Vaccine misinformation?
• Politicization of public health?
• Preventable disease outbreaks?
• Doctors and scientists sidelined for applause?

Is freedom worth gross public harm?

If you’re a parent worried about schools or “wokeness”:

What are you willing to excuse?

• Book bans?
• Attacks on teachers?
• Historical erasure?
• Federal control over knowledge?

Is discomfort with ideas worth enforced ignorance?

If you believe in “law and order”:

What are you willing to overlook?

• Attacks on judges?
• Threats against prosecutors?
• Pardons for loyalists?
• Denial of verdicts and elections?
• No accountability for rich and powerful wrong-doers?

Can we have order real if our laws only apply fairly to some of our people?

If winning elections is your overriding concern:

What are you willing to sacrifice?

• Truth?
• Norms?
• Institutions?
• Voting rights and fair access to the ballot box?
• Democracy?
• Peaceful transfers of power?

At what point does “winning” destroy the thing you’re trying to win?

Every single-issue voter has made a bargain. The question is not what you gained.
It’s what you’re willing to lose. Is any issue worth ignoring reality? Because once reality collapses, your issue won’t survive either.

THE FINAL WARNING

Our country won’t fail because our citizens don’t know the truth. It will fail because:

• Truth becomes inconvenient
• Memory becomes optional or selective
• And accountability becomes partisan.

We are not ignorant. We’ve decided to choose comfort over courage, a known over an unknown. We believed that Donald Trump would be going after “them,” not “us.” Wake up, America: If you live and work here, he’ll eventually come for you.

Mark M. Bello is an attorney and award-winning author of the Zachary Blake Legal Thriller Series, ripped-from-the-headlines, realistic fiction that speaks truth to power and champions the rights of citizens in our justice system. These novels are dedicated to the social justice movement. They educate, spark discussion, and inspire readers to action. One of these novels, Betrayal High, was written in response to school shootings. For more information, please visit www.markmbello.com.

Bob Gatty Author, Podcaster, Blogger

For many years, Bob Gatty worked as a writer, editor, and communications consultant, based on the Washington, DC area with a focus on government and politics. He began at The Pittsburgh Courier, an African American weekly, covering crime and the courts. His salary was $55 per week before moving on to two local Pennsylvania dailies. At age 24, he began reporting for United Press International covering state politics in Pennsylvania and then New Jersey, where he was UPI’s state capitol bureau in Trenton.

Tempted by the allure of Washington, DC and big-time politics, at age 29 Bob became press secretary and chief of staff for two Congressmen – first Republican Edwin B. Forsythe, and then Democrat James J. Florio, who later became governor of New Jersey and until his recent death was a frequent podcast guest and co-host of Bob’s NFN Radio News podcast (now called Lean to the Left).

After seven years on Capitol Hill, Bob opened a communications business in Washington, first providing political media consulting to candidates and then freelance Washington coverage for business and trade magazines, plus creative communications services for trade and professional associations, including social media. This work involved articles and analyses of key governmental developments affecting businesses, such as the food and Health industries, retailing, and the environment.

His work as a communications consultant to trade and professional associations included launching and editing association publications, providing website content and social media assistance, and covering conferences and conventions.

Bob retired from G-Net Strategic Communications in 2016 and moved to Myrtle Beach, SC, where he launched his blog site, first called Not Fake News, now known as Lean to the Left.

Hijacked Nation
In August, 2020, Bob and co-author Chris Waldron, one of Lean to the Left's most loyal and prolific contributor, published "Hijacked Nation-Donald Trump's Attack on America's Greatness," a two-volume compilation of blogs regarding Trump's presidency and the consequences for our nation. A followup volume was published by Luna Global Media in September 2024. It is available at https://amzn.to/4ePrTF7 .

In all three volumes, blogs from Not Fake News and Lean to the Left create a virtual play-by-play of key actions of the Trump administration and Congress. For more information, please visit https://leantotheleft.net/books/, and visit Bob's Author's Page on Amazon, https://www.amazon.com/stores/Bob-Gatty/author/B08C7HWXZ5?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true&ccs_id=4e603563-7251-4074-b54d-40800c4ce40a.

The Lean to the Left Podcast
The Lean to the Left podcast provides commentary and interviews with newsmakers and others with interesting stories to tell. Video and audio podcasts stream twice weekly on major channels. More info at https://podcast.leantotheleft.net.

The Lean to the Left YouTube Channel
You'll find all of the audio tracks for the Lean to the Left Podcast here plus original videos, including complete video versions of each podcast.
https://www.youtube.com/@LeantotheLeft.