Update: 12/1l/2023 The stage is now set for 2024: MAGA for dictatorship; everyone else for Democracy. Pretty clear cut, isn't it?
Never have I seen a candidate for a head of state in recent times run so openly on a platform of replacing democracy with a dictatorship. Trump defends dictator comments amid NYC soiree filled with MAGA diehards - POLITICO and doubles down on his earlier claim he wanted to be a dictator on day one while calling charges he wants to be a dictator, a Democrat hoax. Sorry, Trump. The original sound bite is in the can, soon to be an attack ad in the 2024 presidential election season. Trump says he'd only be a dictator on "Day 1" of potential second presidency (youtube.com). Trump Doubles Down on Dreams of Being a Dictator (msn.com)
It isn't just Trump, either. Devotees of Hungarian dictator Viktor Orban will be meeting with potentially sympathetic members of the GOP MAGA House the week of December 11 to legitimize the GOP becoming the party of ending aid to Ukraine. The Heritage Foundation, also the architect of Trump's plan to eliminate civil service employees who do not pledge loyalty to Trump (Plan 2025), is behind and the sponsor of this attempt to end our heritage of democracy as we have known it. CPAC has also been holding meetings in Hungary, fawning over this form of dictatorship. These organizations are advocates of a government form that eerily resembles the failed America Firsters and American fascists on the eve of WWII. Orban rules over a country that is 99% ethnically pure. The US is diverse, with a white population at 57%. The violence and chaos the anti-democracy policies of Orban applied to the US is the recipe for the disaster of the stability of this country. Republicans to meet allies of Hungary’s Viktor Orbán on ending Ukraine aid | US Congress | The Guardian
At CPAC, Hungary’s Viktor Orban decries LGBTQ+ rights, migration | PBS NewsHour
Orbán gets warm CPAC reception after 'mixed race' speech blowback - POLITICO
- Unlike others who gradually amassed power to become dictators for life and rose to power with stealth and in steps, they at least covered up their intent when they began their takeover using demagogic oratory. Trump is right there in public and out in the open. He hopes, I assume, enough people approve of his taking over the government so it is " of Trump, by Trump, and for Trump and those who swear loyalty to him" instead of a government of, by, and for the people.. Why shouldn't he think this will work to get him elected? He looks at his polls and sees he is beating Biden, and he has been proposing many of these plans openly, some for years. Those who blow this off as "Trump being Trump" need to understand that he learned from his mistakes when he failed to accomplish a coup the first time; his lust for power is undiminished; his drive to get revenge is his fuel; he will not make those same mistakes again, and he is open about it. Others have noted that in recent years, first term wannabe dictators elected to office democratically were not always successful at first, but it took a second term to learn how to abuse the system to consolidate power and even to remain in power for years. Those who do not take Trump seriously are fools.
Continuing with the December 7 post:
This is not hyperventilating from the left, either. The Bulwark is a conservative site and Liz Cheney is hardly left on any public policy issue, a former supporter of Trump. Liz Cheney warns Trump will never leave office if he's elected president again (nbcnews.com)
Read his platform stated in his own words in this article from the Bulwark. It links Trump's own words about how he would govern as a dictator if elected in 2024 and sources of reporting are identified. https://open.substack.com/pub/thebulwark/p/most-aspiring-dictators-try-to-hide The sources cited in this opinion piece can be found by clicking the date in the posting. My own sources are below. I summarized the Bulwark piece and added my comments on why this is significant.
Massive fraud in elections allows for "termination of all rules, regulations, and articles, even those found in the Constitution" (12/4,/2023) (My comment, bye-bye civil rights and free and fair elections; he will control the process, access, and the counting of the votes and he will determine if there was "massive fraud" in elections. This is the Big Lie on steroids and put into action. )
Using the Department of Justice to kick opponents out of an election: 11/9/2023. If he sees someone beating him badly, he would tell the DOJ to "go down and indict them"" ( My comment: Weaponizing the Justice Department for the purpose of protecting his political power, revenge, and using fear to force loyalty to him. Jailing political opponents worked for Putin; it will work for him)
On Hannity asking if Trump would be a dictator? 12/5/2023, "no, other than day one.".."We're closing the border and we're drilling, drilling, drilling. After that, I'm not a dictator." (My note: the drilling bit is BS. That was how he was to reduce planned gas prices at the pump, but the US is producing oil at the highest rate in history and is the world's largest producer, but the price per barrel is set by world cartels,not the US government. He is counting on his followers' ignorance....The U.S. is pumping oil faster than ever. Republicans don't care. - POLITICO ) Price at the pump is the lowest in the past 11 months:US gasoline pump prices at 11-month low in time for holiday shopping | Reuters)
Trump would round up all immigrants he calls illegal, even being here for years and put them in "detention"(concentration camps to await "due process". Dreamers are toast) He would also reinstate the Muslim ban. Trump plans sweeping undocumented immigrant roundups, detention camps, New York Times reports | Reuters. This is in contrast with Biden's requested funding for far more staff and judges to give wannabe immigrants due process screening to meet requirements under existing laws. No concentration camps are envisioned. Instead, the due process adjudication would be expanded and sped up.)
One very disturbing mark of a dictator is the use of the military to put down opposition demonstrations. Here is what Trump is planning to do and it is no secret. This was not mentioned in the Bulwark piece.Trump plans to use active-duty military forces to deal with growing protests (militarytimes.com)
Those above are in his own words and made public. Should we take him at his word, or is he just huffing and puffing? No. Implementation is already in the works. Look at what else is going on behind the scenes: the work of the Heritage Foundation and Plan 2025, the attempt to replace civil service employees with appointees who pledge their allegiance to Trump and pass a litmus text, the use of the military to put down anti-trump demonstrations, and more, go to MUFTIC FORUM BLOG: What Trump plans for his second term and how he will do it .
Here is who is already measuring the drapes per some observers: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/grifters-and-sycophants-the-radicals-who-would-fill-key-posts-if-trump-is-re-elected/
Trump is showing how a second term would rewrite the rules of presidential power | CNN Politics
Trump plans to use active-duty military forces to deal with growing protests (militarytimes.com)
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