Why not a dictatorship? Can you spell "corruption" and "loss of human rights"

 Why not a dictatorship, an autocracy?  Two essays:

  I, Can you spell "corruption" and "loss of human rights?". 

 There are some in the world who think that the only way a government can function is to have an autocrat like Putin in charge. Be careful of what they wish.  They are a bunch of fools and it only works if it is "their guy" is the dictator and law is whatever he rules it to be.  Fine with them, they say. None of this sausage being made in Congress or politicians even caring about citizens' wishes other than their supporters. The various voices are not to be heard. Just those that support the dealer leader's ambitions and priorities.

  It is frightening to find a growing body of anti-democracy advocates in the US who are so devoted to Trump and his second coming, they are publicly vocal about it. it.  They wave the flag, say they are the patriots, and refer to 1776 violence to justify their words and piously say the pledge of allegiance, ignoring the part ": and to the republic for which it stands"  The "under God" phrase was added when I was in high school, but we went 200 years and fought two world wars without it.  Even then, it forces atheists and natives to choke that part down.  The off the rocker General Mike Flynn (ret) and QAnon Trump whisperer. has even cited the pledge of allegiance God part, claiming that someday we will have a nation all pledged to be the same religion. Great if you are an evangelical Christian; not so great if you are not.   Bye, bye freedom of religion; hello some white male pastor, the choice of the dictator. Many go on to claim a divine right or some special relationship with God, unless they themselves claim they are the equivalent.   Heretics, keep your mouth shut. Political dissidents, likewise.  Bad things will happen to you.

  All of those downsides are bad enough, but what eventually is the fate of them all?   Without any power left to check them, they satisfy their own greed for more power and/or wealth.  They may get to the top of the political food chain by lies and powerful oratory and striking fear in the hearts of their adversaries through a variety of means., They may be dressed in a democratic constitution, but it is lip service. They stay in power by abusing the laws that restrain them. They subvert, ignore, and abuse the existing words of a constitution or statutes. .  But what is inevitable in all cases, whether dictators rise from the right or the left, socialists or fascists or military putsch or by the ballot box at first, ,  it is personal greed for wealth and power without restraint that leads eventually to more corruption and suppression of any right of dissent.   By then, if populists break through the dictator's media control of the message, expose the Emperor's new clothes, it is too late to revolt peacefully and even with violence.  That is the sad story of kings, potentates, autocrats, fascists, and communist dictators for centuries until modern times.  Only for 250 years we have invented and tended the antidote, the "republic for which we stand" as Americans.

2. Democracy  in today's world is worth keeping . 

Ben Franklin:" We have a republic if we can keep it" One of the hallmarks and advantages of America's kind of democracy, rule by the people,  is the freedom of citizens, legislative bodies, the judiciary, and the press, to call out and expose the corrupt and the liars. One of the hallmarks of autocracies that do not permit criticism or challenges to their authority is their freedom to be corrupt and feather their nests.. Total control of the media allows lies to become truths. Public outrage over their corruption is the greatest challenge autocrats face and the response by autocrats typically is to make their rule even more oppressive and further increase control of the information their citizens get. Putin is one of the richest men in the world and hides it via his loyal oligarchs His critics are jailed or poisoned if they call out his corruptness.. He now has greater control over Facebook and social media. The newly minted autocrat in Hungary was enraged when his building of an extravagant dwelling was pointed out via alternatives to his control of 90% of the media. Autocrats are usually brought down when those they govern learn about and get angry about corruption, Usually, they are not brought down by the ballot box, because they had suppressed and controlled that vote and the voters, but by violence. That is also a hallmark of autocracies; violent overthrow. Democracies that still honor the integrity of the voting system can also have a peaceful transition. to more honest rulers..