It's interesting to hear the media's constant drumbeat of excited adjectives describing Trump's campaign as something "unprecedented" or "unlike anything seen before" or "a phenom in American politics." Indeed, we're constantly hearing that there's never been anyone like Donald Trump in US history. While there are certain aspects of his campaign that are unique - like the race bating which hasn't been seen since the days of segregationist George Wallace - the notion that Trump is the first man ever to run against the establishment as an outlandish "outsider" is a bit of a stretch to say the least.
In fact, the Donald is following the same dubious path that many have trodden before him, the Siren Song of the Übermensch is nothing new.
What is the "Übermensch" you ask? The term comes from philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche who created it to describe a heroic outsider whose talents and abilities were far beyond those of mere mortals, a Superman if you will. Fed up with the increasingly humanistic cultural trends in 1800s European society, Nietzsche fantasized that this savior would come one day to save the world from its wimpy Judeo-Christian (i.e., liberal) malaise.
The Übermensch is beyond good and evil. He does not ask forgiveness or compromise. He is simply a force of nature... a human whirlwind, who's defined by his unique force of will that allows him to overcome any obstacle or challenge. Essentially, a big straight- talking-guy who kicks ass and remolds the world.
We have seen many wannabe (and I'll Americanize the term) "Ubermen" on the political scene in recent years. Trump is not the first pretender to throne. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jesse Ventura, and Ross Perot instantly come to mind.
All these characters used pretty much the same formula to gain voters' attention. Sensing the public's disenchantment with the two parties and the status quo, the Ubermen leap into the political fray, pitching themselves as brilliant outsiders, incredible businessmen who (as their success proves beyond a reasonable doubt) have a unique brand of DNA coursing through their bones that allows them to circumvent all problems and realities. They can venture into the highest office of the land with no experience in government and no plan because they're simply Great Men.
The Uberman is beyond "good and evil" - which in American politics translates into having little allegiance to either political party. By establishing a healthy distance with the "establishment," the Uberman can claim he represents something truly unique in the realm of politics. Untainted by donations, political favors, lobbying and pressure from constituencies, the Uberman can see solutions that are invisible to everyone else.
When Jesse Ventura ran for governor of Minnesota he did so as an independent, loudly declaring that politicians of both parties were stupid, lazy, and self-serving fools who were too caught up in their partisan infighting to effectively serve the people of his state. Ventura frequently described himself as "fiscally conservative and socially liberal."
Perot started his own political party, the Reform Party, just to show how truly independent from the system he was. Likewise, when Schwarzenegger ran for governor of California, he did so as a Republican, but he leaned heavily on his ultra-cool Democratic wife, Maria Shriver. He further blurred the party lines by taking very un-Republican positions on abortion, immigration, and other key issues. Like his Uberman brethren, Trump has laid traditional conservatism to waste in way that has left the party elite shaken to the core.
Being beyond "good and evil" means that the Uberman is beyond niceties as well. They're brash "straight talkers" who stomp on other people's toes with glee. They are loath to PC considerations and relish the opportunity to say the most amazingly offensive things, to the utter delight of their supporters.
Like Trump, Perot, Schwarzenegger and Ventura bragged incessantly about their business acumen and career success, belittling their opponents and stupid politicians in Washington and statehouses who had never "signed a single pay check" (to quote the Governator) and therefore knew nothing about getting things done in the real world.
When pressed on specifics, the Uberman offers only the vaguest of solutions. When Schwarzenegger ran for governor of California, for example, he said he would solve the Golden State's enormous financial crisis by not just thinking outside the box, but "blowing up the boxes!" It was a great sound bite and he repeated it endlessly throughout his campaign. The fact that he never remotely suggested a thought-out game plan didn't really bother anyone at the time.
Jesse Ventura often admitted that he had not formed an opinion on many policy questions. However, he was quite certain he could solve whatever ills ailed his state. He was a winner, after all, not a politician - winners just know how to do things, right?
Well... not so much.
When Arnold first ran for Gov, I told a friend of mine that I was going to vote for his opponent Cruz Bustamante instead.
"You mean you're gonna waste your vote on Bust-my-taxes!" my friend scoffed at me. When I countered by asking what Arnold's "great plan" was for solving the financial crisis, my friend just smiled and said, "He's going to blow up the boxes! You'll see."
Of course, in the end, nothing was blown up except the California school system which Arnold underfunded and outright stole from in order to cover up the giant gaps in his poorly conceived state budgets. Arnold never did get the state back on track financially. For all his tough talk as a competent businessman, Arnold got taken to the cleaners by Enron and cost the state millions of dollars by walking right into rip off deals with the notoriously corrupt corporation.
After Arnold left office (blaming the "career politicians" for tying his mighty Uber-hands), it became obvious to nearly everyone that there wasn't any magical solutions to California's financial woes. The state would have to cut spending and raise taxes. So the voters finally elected Jerry Brown - yes, a boring old, washed up politician who at least had some inkling of what needed to be done. California is doing much better now that the flashy Uberman has moved on.
The Federalist points out in an article how Ventura's inexperience lead to similar missteps:
As a candidate, Ventura vowed, "As governor, I will veto any new taxes and any increase in existing taxes. And I keep my word." Yet less than four years later, the governor proposed body-slamming Minnesota taxpayers to the tune of almost $2 billion in the next biennial budget. After four years with Ventura at the helm, the annual general fund “ballooned 30 percent, to almost $14 billion.
Mostly Ventura spent his time in office railing at "stupid politicians" in the state house. A not-so-brilliant but thoroughly Uberman move which managed to alienate the entire state assembly. Ventura's non-stop ranting and insults ensured every single one of his bills would be dead on arrival. Nothing of great value was accomplished under Ventura's rocky leadership and before his first term was even out, the former wrestler took to railing at the "evil media" for violating his family's privacy. Later on he used media incursion as his big excuse for not running again.
I suspect that Trump's presidency (should it ever come to pass) would play out even worse on an grand scale - with real harm done to millions and millions of people.
Why do voters flock to the Uberman? Part of this is racial to be sure. The age of dominance of white power is passing quickly before our eyes, and yet, the mythos that the loudest and most aggressive white guy in the room is the natural born leader is still embedded deep in the psyche of many people in this country.
But I think it runs deeper than mere racial agita. Unfortunately, magical thinking is very seductive. Nietzche was a genius who fantasized about a larger-than-life-character who could reshaped the world to his liking. Many people long for the strongman.
Serious problems like globalization, income inequality, and terrorism are overwhelming and incredibly difficult to understand, let alone solve. People want to believe that there's an easy solution to their complex problems. Voters are loathe to accept reality unless with no other option. After all, why raise sales taxes half a penny when you can simply "blow up the boxes!" So voters flock to the Uberman who says he can freeze a terrorist's speeding bullet with just a stern look from his steely blue eyes. It's total BS - but it plays.
It should be noted that we haven't even mentioned the first Uberman, the real rock star of this movement, the man who first pioneered this type of rogue candidacy years ago. He was a real admirer of Nietzsche too.
Like Trump, Ventura and Schwarzenegger, he was a loud-mouthed, rank outsider with no political experience. He railed against the status quo. He sold voters on vague promises to fix everything by his force of will. In this first Uberman's case, it wasn't Muslims or immigrants that were his scapegoats, however. No, it was Jews and an alliance of evil foreign nations who imposed economic hardships on his beloved country: Germany.
His name was Adolf Hitler.
Will a Trump presidency be as devastating as a Nazi regime, or merely as incompetent as a Ventura or Schwarzenegger governorship? Who can say? But I know one thing for sure...
I really don't want to find out.