Even though he's the VP-elect, Mike Pence is rarely talked about as a member of the Trump team. Even on his social media profiles, Pence maintains a low profile in regards to his connection to Trump. That hasn't stopped the media from digging up his disturbing political past. When criticized, writers often focused in on his lack of humanity towards the LGBTQ+ community. And they were right to do so. Pence has enabled conversion therapy and sparked an HIV crisis. these are two of the many atrocities he has caused or approved of with his beliefs and politics, which tend to be targeted against minorities and women in general. Some have gone so far as to say that Pence is more dangerous than Trump because he's intelligent and deliberate in his actions, whereas Trump's stem from his authoritarian personality.
But now, commentary on Pence is scarce. He is being forgotten, kicked to the back of our minds while we fear the consequences of Trump himself and of the Russian hackings. Even after an embarrassing moment during an interview with Jake Tapper, where he attempted and failed to avoid a question regarding Pizzagate and Mike Flynn Jr., he didn't raise many eyebrows.
Politics are reliant on appearances, especially since they can determine who a person votes. Pence has a malleable but persistently smug expression, giving him an air of confidence. He looks like a man who knows everything even when he doesn't. His presence commands attention like a veteran movie star. He is not questioned because his polished demeanor is attractive. Pence's appearance is so well-orchestrated that the general public doesn't feel the need to investigate him. There are no leaked videos of him talking about assaulting women, no controversial political emails, or any form of socialism holding him back from power. Even voters bothered by Trump found Pence acceptable. And that acceptance may have caused them to cast a Republican ballot.
But Pence is not an acceptable politician.
(Photo credit: Business Insider)
Behind the scenes, Pence is tireless in his work. According to an article published by POLITICO, Pence has had regular Senate lunches, helped pick Trump's cabinet members, convinced Trump to keep Paul Ryan as speaker, and made the faulty Carrier deal since the election. But Trump has been credited for the comfort in GOP-dominated Capitol Hill, and the criticisms of his campaign's political decisions are almost exclusively targeted at him. Pence does not loudly claim responsibility for any of these. He isn't even humble -- he simply posts about meetings but does not celebrate his accomplishments as a part of the Trump team.
Pence is silent on purpose. As stated before, he is intelligent and deliberate in his actions. His polite facade is purposeful. His distance from the Trump team is purposeful. And as a result, many see him as moderate in comparison to Trump despite his extreme past. In discussions about the Russian hackings, no one mentions Pence. But if the GOP and the Trump team knew about the hackings (and they did), then Pence surely knew as well. And he knows what would happen if Trump were to be impeached. The POLITICO article correctly recognizes his ambitions, stating that Pence sees "a spot on the Trump ticket as an entrée to a future presidential bid." An impeachment of Trump would secure him a presidency early. Pence's ambitions are selfish. And if Ohio's recent abortion ban is any indicator, his extreme conservative ambitions could be transformed into reality.
If Pence were to become president of the United States, we will not have learned our lesson. We will still have thrown our fate away to a foreign adversary. The GOP has already abandoned their responsibility to the American people in exchange for power. And they may continue to exercise that power by impeaching Trump and refusing to acknowledge the corruption apparent in his team. At that point, I understand that the fight seems futile. But knowledge and truth is sacred when the people in power deny reality. Let them be your light when the war seems lost (and remember: it is not lost unless we surrender).
Do not ignore Mike Pence. Keep him on your radar as a part of the Trump presidency. Keep tabs on him as much as you've been keeping tabs on Trump himself. He is just as dangerous as anyone else on the team. Never forget that.
