If Trump Wins…

It’s been reported that Donald Trump has a fixation with appearing on the cover of Time magazine. He’s even had flattering fake “covers” made to decorate his country clubs. Usually, when he has gotten the cover, it’s for all the wrong reasons – and the most recent instance is a doozy.

The cover headline for the week of April 29 simply reads, “If he wins.” Inside is an interview with the former president that is absolutely chilling. Reporter Eric Cortellessa unearthed some of the plans Trump has for a second term. Those include:

-Deporting 11 million undocumented people, starting with constructing detention camps all around the country.

-Allowing red states to “track” women’s pregnancies to determine if they’re seeking or have had an abortion. Of course, there would be prosecution for violating abortion bans.

-The ability to fire any U.S. Attorney who won’t go along with his requests to prosecute someone on his “list.”

-Withholding funds already approved by Congress at his personal discretion (he already tried this when he tried to extort Ukraine president Zelensky).

-Having a say in the Federal Reserve, tampering with interest rates when it suits him.

-Having freer rein to use the National Guard to put down any kind of protest.

-Ignoring calls to assist NATO allies if they haven’t sufficiently “paid up” on their own defense. “Nice country you have there; shame if somethin’ happened to it…”

These are just some of the items on his “to do” list should he regain power. Some have been known for a bit, but what’s chilling is Trump’s confidence that this time, he could get them done. In the interview, he reveals that now he knows how Washington works versus when he first took office. He also has a bank of loyal sycophants prepared to help him carry out the agenda.

Oh, and he wants to replace universities with something called the “American Academy,” a tax-funded online school that would focus on a “patriotic” curriculum. Because his fraudulent Trump University worked out so well.

Another factor that makes Trump’s plan terrifying is that he’s had four years to stew, rage, and plan revenge. It’s the fuel that drives him. He’s been telling his rally audiences that he’s their “retribution” and will go after the targets of their (and his) grievances: the media, the justice department, the IRS, almond milk, Jimmy Kimmel, you name it.

We can’t be lulled by a sense of “it can’t happen here” because it CAN. Some of the darker moments in our history include slavery, 3,000 members of the KKK openly marching in Washington in 1925, a pro-Nazi movement in the 30s (that included Henry Ford and Charles Lindbergh), and Japanese internment camps during WWII. We’ve danced awfully close to those fires; what Trump is promising should he win in 2024 is a five-alarmer that will burn us to the ground.

The fire extinguisher is our vote.

Cindy Grogan is a writer, lover of history and "Star Trek" (TOS), and hardcore politics junkie. There was that one time she campaigned for Gerald Ford (yikes), but ever since, she's been devoted to Democratic and progressive policies.