Happy to have Trump act like a strong man leader instead of the kind of democracy we have had for 250 years? Between 26 to 38% of Americans do. Careful what you wish. Someday, the shoe may be on the other foot. Trump's attempt to deflect interest in the Epstein files and his high-handed forcing Congresspeople to vote for the Big Beautiful Bill, even if it was against their constituents' interests, are examples of how the absolute power of a strong man leader can also blow back even on his own loyal supporters.
38% of Americans under age 30 support nondemocratic alternatives, compared with 29% of those ages 50 to 64 and 26% of those 65 and older. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/02/28/who-likes-authoritarianism-and-how-do-they-want-to-change-their-government/
A reminder in plain English: The downsides of autocracy, rule by a single strong man often backed by a few rich and powerful, are many:
1) The people's voice and needs can be easily ignored with so much money and power in a few hands and few checks left to curb abuse of power, with loss of the ability to protest government policies and to expose or prosecute corruption. The federal government is in charge of who qualifies to vote and how the vote is counted, taking away that power from individual states, and making it easier for a strongman leader to control the outcome..
2) It is unfair to favor those with power and money and subvert or ignore laws that all once had to abide by. Promises made to attain power are not kept, but once in power, they can be excused. Example: Lowering living costs and releasing the Epstein files are campaign promises that have been ignored. These oligarch cohorts will feather their nests before they contribute crumbs to the masses, and then grant us enough to keep the masses from getting too restless.. Tax cuts overwhelmingly benefit the rich, offsetting losses to the federal treasury by reducing government services that taxpayers value, such as Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security, which citizens have already paid for through their own taxes and which have been approved by a rigorous congressional process, garnering broad public opinion support.
3) Fear shapes words and actions throughout society, government, journalism, and business..Those not at the top of the power hierarchy are motivated to shape their own actions and speech to avoid the consequences of not being loyal to the ruling group. Threats of harassment by prosecution without probable cause or any evidence of wrongdoing, and the loss of following primary or government contracts, are used as weapons to suppress opposition. Violence against dissidents and protestors is permissible, both by military and partisan loyalists. Educational institutions are compelled to teach children the ruling party's ideology, religion, and its perspective on history.
4) Keeping control of data and facts to make the regime look better and the citizens in the dark.
How do I know this? Show me an autocracy in the modern world where much of this does not happen. from China, to Russia, to Hungary.
Trump's attempt to deflect interest in the Epstein files and his high-handed forcing Congresspeople to vote for the Big Beautiful Bill, even if it was against their constituents' interests, are examples of how absolute power can blow back on his own loyal supporters.
Trump is acting like he is a strong man, dictator, autocrat, tyrant King already. He has reasons to believe he can.. The powers he has been given, much by the Supreme Court, have gone to his head. He has immunity from criminal prosecution. He ignores lower court orders he does not like. He rules by executive order until "his" Supreme Court tells him he can or can't. He abuses his powers to strike fear into the hearts of his rubber-stamping Congressmembers, threatening primaries and ridicule to anyone who dares protest. He threatens to prosecute former presidents, former candidates opposing him, and entertainers who are critics.. He even tells his followers to shut up about news that puts him in a negative light. The Epstein flap is a case in point.
Keeping track of how Trump is acting like a one-person dictator: Instead of giving priority to prosecuting those who commit crimes against the people of the US, he is absorbed by his obsession with those getting even with those who are his political enemies..
Trump's style of governance: keep secret any data that would expose the Trump regime in a bad light...Not only did he fire the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics who dared show unemployment is ticking up, but he tried to play keepaway from both the American public and Congress regarding executive branch expenditures. On the former, his damage to his credibility and trust, already bad, is worse, and on the latter, he got a slap
down by an appeals court. Let's see how "his" Supreme Court does or does not act on these issues. Two more examples of Trump acting like a one-person rule and fooling the American people as he does it.
Appeals court rules against Trump admin in big case — and gives deadline to comply
Is Trump a fascist?
It would be easier to look at this list of what fascism is and see which ones do not apply to the current regime. So far, it looks to me he meets all of the criteria...or at least a case can be made. This list is from a earlier post on my blog. Does Trump resemble any of the fascists? He began his political life with "birtherism" to try to delegitimize the first African American president, calling immigrants rapists and murderers and terrorists from the beginning of his campaign and praising white nationalists and militia hate groups as patriots and fine people.., This culminated in January 6 violence mostly fueled by those carrying confederate flags, and neo Nazi symbolistic insignia and banners, Instead of brown shirts of Nazis, in Charlottesville, they were dressed in polo shirts and recently in Arizona crowds awaited the "forensic audit" dressed in mail order camo, waiving weapons of war accompanied by military-like trained dogs., These are who Trump has called patriots and fine people. This is the kind of governance Trump likes and praises. , This is the future of America he favors. He made strides in his first term. Should he be given another chance to take us further down that path? Are those who support Trump fascists, too? Take the test.
I have seen is one provided in 2013, well before Trump's political rise and before the term was applied to Trump supporters orto Donald Trump himself. . Dr. Lawrence Britt, an Australian political scientist wrote "14 Defining Characteristics of Fascism"
Those who wonder if they are ideological fascists or object to being called one, take the test and see how many with which you agree. If the shoe fits wear it
Nationalism: saying one's own country is better than other countries
Disdain for human rights
Scapegoating: blaming someone else for the country's problems
Putting the military first
Sexism: saying men are better than women
Control of mass media: telling newspapers and other sources of news what they can and cannot tell the people
Focus on national security
Close ties between religion and government
Protection of businesses and corporations
Suppression of labor power: preventing labor unions from becoming powerful
Disdain for intellectuals and the arts: telling people not to listen to scientists, scholars, and artists
Focus on crime and crimefighting
Corruption
.Fraudulent elections: Even if the people vote, the votes are either not counted or otherwise abused. In some fascist governments, leaders will have their opponents killed. .
