An Interview with Jill Dennison

2024 will be considered a pivotal year in politics- one that shape the landscape for many years to come. Even though 2020 was considered the year that we sent Donald Trump packing, four years later, we are at the same spot again but this time, we may see the red wave instead of the blue wave. And while democracy has endured four years of Trump, its after-effects since then, combined with the ongoing warfare in the Middle East and Ukraine and threats from Russia and China may be too much to handle. Its effects have already rubbed off onto Europe as we are seeing countries fall to far-right governments like dominoes- first with Hungary, then Italy, Portugal, Slovakia and most recently, the Netherlands. Even in Germany, we are seeing the right-wing cancer spreading with the September elections in three eastern German states expecting to see the far-right AfD be the strongest party in the polls and thus enter a governing coalition for the first time since the end of World War II. This leads to the question of how we can unify as a family and as a country to defend the principles that were set forth by our forefathers. How can we keep people like Donald Trump and other dictators from seizing power again?

This is where Jill Dennison comes in. Ms. Dennison has a website called Filosofa’s Word, which focuses not only on literary reviews, but also the current politics that are unraveling in the US and Europe and their impact on the future of the residents living there. I had a chance to interview her about the current situation in the US and what we should do to finally come to the realization that we have some pressing issues threatening democracy. Here are some interesting facts I learned from her that should be useful to you:

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Questions for Jill Dennison:

• Tell us a little bit about yourself.

Despite having spent the entirety of my career in the Accounting field, my main interests lie in political science, history, and writing.  After retiring in 2008, it took me a while, but I found my niche in blogging where I get to combine all of my interests and then some!  The loves of my life are my daughter and granddaughter, both of whom live with me.  I am what is termed ‘woke’ in today’s vernacular, and proud of it! 

• When you started your blog in 2012, it was about book reviews, according to your biography in your website. What kind of books did you write a review about and what was your favorite book?

A variety!  Back then, before blogging took over my life, I read several books every week, some fiction, by authors such as Nora Roberts, John Grisham, Nelson DeMille, and others non-fiction by such as Adam Makos, Laura Hillenbrand, Jon Meacham, etc.  I think that of the books I reviewed during that time, my favourite is probably “Unbroken” by Laura Hillenbrand.  It is the story of Louis Zamperini, a young Olympics runner who enlisted during World War II, his plane was shot down over the ocean, and he was ultimately captured.  I believe the book was also made into a movie, and I highly recommend it!

• You pointed out that the coming of Donald Trump led you to becoming a political columnist. Why was that?

While I mostly wrote book reviews, I had written a few posts that were socio-political, such as about the killing of Trayvon Martin in February 2012, driverless cars, the seeming decline of common courtesy, bigotry, voting rights, etc.  Although I’ve long had a fascination with and interest in politics, I just never thought about writing much about it.  But the more his base ignorance was put on display, and the more people started leaning toward him, it puzzled me.  At the time, in 2015 into the first part of 2016, I didn’t see him as a threat, didn’t even take him seriously as a candidate, and thought that if anything, his candidacy should make it easier for Hillary Clinton to win by a landslide.  I wrote just a few posts about Trump, Hillary, the election at first, but I found that it … called me.  I had something to say, and people were actually reading my posts for the first time!  I went from writing one or two posts a week back in 2015 to now when I do three posts a day, almost every day! 

• How dangerous is Donald Trump?

If you had asked me that 8 years ago, I would have said “not very, for he’s not intelligent enough to do much damage.”  Today, I would say that he is the tool being used by smarter people to break the democratic foundation of this nation and that as such, he poses the greatest political threat of our times in this nation.  Worse yet, if he is returned to the Oval Office, and if he is able to carry out his plans, the damage won’t be limited to the U.S., but there will be a global impact as he disregards treaties, the environment, pulls the U.S. out of NATO, and turns against our allies in favour of autocrats like Vladimir Putin, Viktor Orbán, and Kim Jong-un.

• The US has become a two-party system that has basically discouraged other (third) parties from campaigning and getting piece of the pie in terms of electoral votes, etc. In your opinion, how has that affected the elections process as well as American Democracy?

I can look at it two ways.  We get a lot of nutcase third-party candidates, so in that sense I’m glad there are rules governing the eligibility of those candidates.  Up until recently, the two-party system served us pretty well … not perfect, but then what is?  But of late, the two parties are 180° apart in almost every way, and I think it would be beneficial to have other, more moderate options.  However, when I look at this year’s main third-party candidate, a man who disavows science, who is riding his family’s name, with little or no qualifications, I cringe.  He is not my idea of a viable third-party candidate!  I think a multi-party system is something worth considering, but frankly I don’t think it is likely to happen any time soon.  What I would like to see most is certain criteria for the presidency.  Currently, the only job qualifications required are that the person be a natural-born citizen, 35 years of age or older, and have lived in the U.S. for the last 14 years.  I would like to see some education and experience qualifications, and maybe a cognitive assessment or IQ test!

• This upcoming election will see a redux between Joe Biden and Donald Trump, something that has been talked about especially because of age. Why are Americans supporting them?

Well, in part Joe Biden is (or will be) the Democratic nominee because he’s the incumbent, and it’s rare that an incumbent isn’t chosen to run for a 2^nd term.  But also in part, he has done a good job, especially considering the hurdles and obstacles that he has had to navigate just to get anything done.  His accomplishments speak for themselves, contrary to what some Republicans would tell you.  I will admit that I wish Biden were 10 years younger, but he isn’t, and there really is nobody younger on the scene who could win the election in November. 

As for Trump, the media has given him such a loud voice and kept him in the forefront of people’s minds since he left office in January 2021 after being twice impeached.  He is loud, he is raucous, he doesn’t care what he says, has no filter for his mouth, and there seem to be a lot of people who prefer the entertainment he provides over a solid, but perhaps less exciting, candidate.  The Trump following is often referred to as a ‘cult’ and I’m inclined to agree with that … it is people who are dissatisfied or perhaps bored with the status quo, and Trump is definitely outside the status quo!

I think that in 2028 we will see some much younger candidates on both sides, perhaps Nikki Haley for the Republicans and Cory Booker or Hakeem Jeffries for the Democrats.  But for 2024, it’s Biden and Trump, and not voting is not an acceptable way of saying the candidates are both ‘too old.’

• In the 2000 Elections, we has a low voter turnout which resulted in the Florida Voting Scandal that went to the Supreme Court. There are talks that the voter turnout will be equally low. What are the dangers of this upcoming elections as a result?

It seems that there is some basis for the predictions of low voter turnout, which is why you’ll find me frequently urging people to get out and VOTE!  Here’s the thing … if every eligible voter voted, Donald Trump would lose by a hefty margin, for the Democrats are in the majority.  That’s why so many states have worked diligently since 2020 to implement new voter restrictions, to reduce postal voting, poll hours, early voting, polling locations, etc.  When voting is made more difficult, more people throw their hands up and say, “to heck with it, I just won’t bother.”  And if fewer people vote, the odds increase for the Republicans – a party with no platform and an unqualified candidate.

• There are fears that Donald Trump would turn the US into  a dictatorship if re-elected president. Would you agree?

I absolutely agree.  I don’t think there can be any doubt that an authoritarian government is the goal.  I thought Trump wanted to be a dictator during his first term, and he did, but he just didn’t know how to go about destroying the democratic foundation.  The built-in safeguard held the line.  But now he has help … if you read the Heritage Foundation’s “Project 2025”, you will see a plan that is chilling in its detail, and the people to help him carry out the plan have already been chosen for their dedication to fascism, to a nation run by white supremacists.  And yes, make no mistake, one part of Trump’s appeal is based on racism.

• What’s your predictions regarding the outcome in the November elections?

I’m cautiously optimistic that President Biden will prevail, but … I think it will be close, and I think that if Biden does win, there will be a period of violence and election challenges by the Trumpeters.  I hope the Department of Justice and all law enforcement agencies are better prepared this time than they were on January 6^th 2021.  Again, my optimism is cautious for two reasons:  people aren’t thinking for themselves these days, and the war in the Middle East.

• The Donald Trump effect has created a „red wave „, where far-right parties have come to power in much of Europe, like Italy, Slovakia, Hungary, the Netherlands and Croatia, and has garnered a lot of influence in regions in Germany and France. What is your take on this development?

Oh my … I could write a book on this one!  I’ll try to do a Cliff Notes version, though.  I believe that, while there are numerous contributing factors, the main cause of this ‘red wave’ has its roots in the Arab Spring movement that led to mass migration into Europe and North America.  Both Donald Trump and in the UK, Brexit, are direct results of that mass migration and what came to be known as the ‘populist movement.’  The populist movement ushered in the likes of Donald Trump in the U.S., Boris Johnson in the UK, Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil, and may yet give rise to Marine LePen in France, among others. 

Climate change also has a role in this ‘red wave’ as we begin seeing the effects that scientists have been warning us about for decades, and as food and water scarcity is already being seen in parts of Africa and the Middle East.  Globally, changes in lifestyles are inevitable if we are to save life here on Planet Earth, but people balk at being asked to give up their gas-guzzling SUVs, their gas stoves, turn the thermostat down and some lights off.  The far right candidates promise them they can keep their comfortable lifestyles, promise them they will get rid of all the immigrants (Donald Trump is promising to deport some 20 million people, 6% of the population of the U.S.). 

In a nutshell, it boils down to racism & greed – two of the world’s biggest problems throughout history.

• What are the main problems facing America and the world and why are we not paying attention to them?

The single biggest problem facing the entire globe today is the environment.  For decades, scientists have warned about carbon emissions, plastic pollution, toxic chemicals and more, and we have largely ignored the warnings.  We still are ignoring them … look, in Florida this month, Governor DeSantis basically made the very words “climate change” taboo and is determined to ignore the science for his own selfish goals.  Donald Trump would do the same, only on a much larger scale.  Too many politicians are beholden to the fossil fuel industry and are putting their own fortunes ahead of the 8+ billion people on the planet. 

The second biggest problem I see is wealth inequality – the rich get richer while the poor get poorer.  There is what I call a “reverse Robin Hood” mentality here in the U.S. and in other countries as well … rob from the poor and give to the rich so that they can get even richer.  When a wealthy person with billions of dollars to their name pays a lower rate of taxes than the average worker who struggles to pay the rent and put food on the table, then we’ve got a problem. 

And the third is the rise in bigotry in all its forms and the hatred/violence that it brings.  This is a problem all over the world, is happening in every nation, and I won’t go in depth here, for I get carried away and would have far too many words to say!  Suffice it to say, we are destroying ourselves, destroying the human species.

Why aren’t we paying attention to these and other critical problems?  In part because we can only focus on so much at one time, and our attention is constantly diverted by other things:  Donald Trump, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Donald Trump, the war between Israel & Hamas, Donald Trump, chaos in Congress, Donald Trump, inflation, etc.  And in part, the proliferation of lies and false news such as what is reported by Fox ‘News’, Newsmax, and on social media.

• What would it take to refocus our attentions onto the real matters at hand?

I’ve given this a lot of thought, Jason, and unfortunately, I fear that what it will take is a major disaster.  I’m talking about either a nuclear ‘event’, or something along those lines. Something that causes every single person to be so busy simply trying to survive that they don’t have time to play political games, and that would be a great economic ‘equalizer’ … the rich man’s money would have no more value than a fallen leaf from a tree.  Something that drives people together, causes them to forget those things like skin colour, gender, religion, or ethnicity that divide them today.  I wish I had a less dramatic answer, but …

• If you were approached by a voter who is undecided or is not enthused with the selection as we will see here, what advice would you give tot that person?

Sometimes we don’t have ideal choices, but we must do the research, determine who is the “lesser of two evils” as it were, and vote for that person.  Voting is a right, but perhaps even more importantly it is a responsibility.  We each have a responsibility to the nation, to the planet, to our families, to every living creature to do our best to make wise choices that will ultimately help solve, rather than create, problems.  Failure to vote is akin to telling your grandchildren that you don’t care what happens to them in the future.

• Political discussions have become the main factor in families falling apart and friendships ending. What advice would you give to the person if faced with someone who likes to talk politics- stranger or friend alike?

I’m probably the wrong person to ask this question, for I have lost many friends due to my political views in the last 10 years or so, starting with my support of President Obama, and later my quite negative views on Donald Trump.  The best advice I can give is just don’t even let politics enter the discussion, but in this day and age, that’s not an easy task. 

• How does your website stand out from the rest? What are some of the items one will find in the webpage?

Variety!  While my site is definitely focused on social and political issues, I do a completely politic-free post every Monday morning titled “Jolly Monday” with puns, memes, cartoons, and ending with a cute or funny animal video. And on Wednesday mornings I do a “Good People” post that highlights the many people in this world who are doing things to help others, to make this world a little better place for us all.  And music … every day I do a music post … mostly featuring songs that I like, but I also take requests.  I do a bit of research and include some background trivia about the song and/or the artist, then play a video of the song and post the lyrics, too.  And at least once during the week, usually twice, I do a post of 20-25 of the week’s best political cartoons.  Every now and then I venture far afield and try my hand at fiction, writing a short story that has popped into my head.  There’s something for everyone at Filosofa’s Word!

• Any future plans for your website? 

No, not at the moment.  I have more than enough to keep me busy, I work a minimum of 10-12 hours a day doing research, writing, responding to comments, etc., and I have no desire to expand on that!  I think I have found my niche and I’m happy in it.

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Thank you Jill for your time. Check out her website and subscribe to follow up on the current events. Some stories from her will follow this interview, as well as other columnists who have written extensively about this topic, especially with the upcoming US elections. But for now, click on the page that will lead you directly to her website:

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