The contrast between Republicans and Democrats in late 2019 may appear stark, but the two parties are locked, united, in a terminal tango during last call at the dance hall. The ball spiraling to its end is 245 years of democracy, and absent that little glitch of history, there is no longer need for political parties anyway. Dictatorships do not waste time with political parties except either the pretend variety, or dungeons littered with bleeding clumps of opposition dissidents.

Most Americans have forgotten, if they had ever known, that dictatorship is humanity’s natural state of affairs, and freedom is not. It comes in many forms and the overlords may fashion fancy titles for themselves: kings, chairmans, queens, sultans, pharaohs, emperors, chiefs, chieftains, princes, caesars, dukes, cardinals, archdukes, or maharajas. In any case the law is enforced through family birthright or palace intrigue from above on hapless subjects by whip and sword. Elections and voting are cruel jokes in these places that make up society’s default setting. The joke may soon be on America, which dared to buck the trend for a while.

The Republicans, that same party that in 2003 forced us to “nation build” and “spread democracy” in Iraq down the barrel of a gun, at the cost of thousands of American lives, hundreds of thousands of Arab lives, and trillions in US taxpayer treasure have unceremoniously abandoned any pretense that they care about either democracy or the rule of law not only over there but right here in America. They have accepted wholesale illegal cheating in the 2016 election, and appear only too eager to keep illegally cheating again in 2020. Victory at any cost, comrades! Vladimir Putin just keeps winning, and he no doubt grins to himself by the corner fireplace of an evening in Moscow palaces after satisfying bowel movements, sipping on ice cold vodka, surprised at how few rubles it took to buy off the once-mighty America thanks to the GOP falling over themselves to bend over, eagerly exposing themselves for some Red Dick.

The Democrats are no better. Unlike Republicans, who stay united through thick and thin for better or for worse, Democrats lack unity. Too many lefty cowards look at poll numbers and wring their hands, whine, and lament that they are accountable for making leadership decisions. A handful of Democrats don’t even have the courage to come out for or against the Articles of Impeachment, which boggles the mind at a time when Democrats are supposed to be the thin blue line keeping democracy alive. Some of them will almost certainly come out against impeachment, more interested in keeping their own seat warm than honoring their oath to the constitution. This so-called front line can hardly be expected to hold its position. Even those Democratic leaders who finally came out in support of removing the two-bit gangsters from office came too late. They do not seem to have much chance of winning an impeachment trial, which requires far more deft strategic maneuvering than Democrats seem capable of. It’s unclear if they even want to win.

And yet the reaper comes for us all. When democracy is murdered, it won’t matter which side was more to blame. The most important effects of a failed impeachment will be not domestic but global. For the rest of the world is guaranteed to be watching closely this American theater, and assessing their own plans for the future accordingly. Dictators are no doubt thrilled that American democracy is on its knees, as that allows these rogues to continue wilding out unfettered. Democracy will continue to be weakened where it exists. Other democracies will be tempted to throw in the towel and give in to a strongman, if the pioneer and leader of the modern democratic world can’t even hold the line.

Perhaps none of this matters anyway. It appears increasingly likely that climate change might just swoop in and save the day, wiping out humanity despite whatever forms of governance we monkeys choose to live by. At least Americans can revel in pride, for being the nation that led the charge in destroying our planet while we were still at least somewhat democratic.