The New York Times today made a case for calling Trump a fascist, though they still tagged him with being a wannabe "autocrat. It was front page. While The Times itself did not call Trump a fascist, it instead presented the evidence of how he fit the definition. Trump’s Dire Words Raise New Fears About His Authoritarian Bent - The New York Times (nytimes.com) Too bad America cannot get the full article because of the paywall. Still, the probability is frightening he could get his hands on the ability to carry out his plans. This is not bloviating by a crazy, out-of-control megalomaniac. The Heritage Foundation has the money and the pre-vetted lists of loyalists who will replace the executive branch appointees not pledging loyalty or having a history of disloyalty to Trump. They are ready to go the minute Trump takes the oath of office and to get the job done within his term. MUFTIC FORUM BLOG: How the Heritage Foundation plans to turn us into a one party autocracy There is a large mass of Americans who already buy into\, ignore, or even applaud what he promises to do if he gets into the White House again. They tacitly or consciously approve of his breaking the rule of law to do what he promised. FromThe Times article:" A survey released last month by the Public Religion Research Institute found that 38 percent of Americans supported having a president willing to break some rules” to “set things right” with the country. Among Republicans surveyed, 48 percent backed that view." Once Trump is successful in implementing his plans for citizens to take back democracy as they once knew it, it is too late. Citizens have, by then, lost the power to do it through the ballot because the ballot is also under the control of Trump and his followers. There are plenty wanting to take his place if age overtakes Trump. If you are applauding what Trump is planning, you need to look in the mirror and wonder if you, too, have earned the tag of fascist.
The Times article includes evidence of how Trump fits the definition. But first, the definition is based upon an analysis of past and current dictators (whatever their rationalization to garner personal power) . "Fascism is generally understood as an authoritarian, far-right system of government in which hypernationalism is a central component. It also often features a cult of personality around a strongman leader, the justification of violence or retribution against opponents, and the repeated denigration of the rule of law", said Peter Hayes, a historian who has studied the rise of fascism...". Another export source quoted in the Times article also said such fascist dictators rose to power by catering to those who think they have been victimized. "Past fascist leaders appealed to a sense of victimhood to justify their actions, he said. “The idea is: ‘We’re entitled because we’ve been victimized. We’ve been cheated and robbed."
My comment follows: Getting really close to Trump earning the tag: "wannabe fascist dictator". The pussyfoot term in use in the polite and liberal press has been "autocrat." Way too kind for someone who now promises to imprison his opponents and is already making his enemies list that he will use for (his) Department of Justice loyalists to indict and jail, which he adds to daily. Maybe just "dictator" will do. On the other hand, if the bird walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it probably is a duck. Trump is quacking like a fascist, and others are walking and acting like fascists on his behalf. Today, it is Liz Cheney. When he threatens to imprison any general who refused to call up the active military to put down demonstrations against him abusing the insurrection act, what does that describe? If he promises to use the FCC to shut down media news who does not support him, where have you heard that before?, If he describes those opposing him as "vermin"n" and says that illegal immigrants will contaminate "our blood", he took a page from the German fascism of Goebbels and Hitler? That is how fascists get citizens to go along with their persecution by making them these targets less than human or lesser than their ruling class. Empathy has no place in that society. Even better, make the lesser than your race or class to blame for your ills and deserving your hatred. and oppression. Examples of that are Jewish bankers and, now, personified by George Soros by contemporary anti-semites. For Trump, the target is the "deep state, who dared during his first term to tell him "no." That includes Genera Milley who refused to use active military to put down domestic protest. Root it out, he says, and replace it with his loyalists. And if you tend to excuse this as just demagoguery, bloviating, and entertaining, you are a fool because the plans are already there and being funded to replace every executive decision appointee identified as "disloyal to Trump", including more of the judiciary, and lists of the loyal are being gathered, he can do it within four years. Won't the Civil Rights Act or the Constitutional amendments protect minorities' access to the ballot? Not if yesterday's federal judges ruled that complaints about such violations can only be brought by the Justice Department, not citizens. That one will eventually make it to the Trump-appointed Supreme Court, which already gutted the rest of the Voting Rights Act. Violence in support of Trump is approved and justified, not just on January 6. If there is no ruile of law, there is the rule of Trump, and that one raised alarm bells even among conservatives. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/nov/21/anti-trump-conservative-lawyers
Trump Vows to appoint special prosecutor to ‘go after’ Biden if former president wins in 2024 | The HillMUFTIC FORUM BLOG: Trump fans the flames of violence, yet calls himself the law and order president updated
