There is considerable expert opinion that the United States is sliding into fascism. Dr. Brian Klaas, an American scholar who is currently a fellow in comparative politics at the London School of Economics, says that Trump’s willingness to flout the law and attack democratic institutions puts the US on line with the early stages of authoritarian regimes.
He says “This is a threat to our democracy and to the core values we stand for.” Klaas says that Trump hasn’t become a despot “but he clearly wants to be one.”
Klaas also wrote: “Trump demonizes the press, He issues calls to ‘lock up’ his political rival and brazenly deploys divide-and-rule tactics, whipping up nationalist anger against Muslims and migrants. He surrounds himself with family members and cronies, riding roughshod over long-accepted ethical standards. And he belittles our democratic allies while bizarrely cheerleading for brutal despots across the globe.”
All Dr. Klaas writes is true and frightening to me. What will become of the United States if we the people do not rise up against Trump who is clearly doing damage to our country?
Dr. Klass asks “What if a smarter, savvier and more disciplined Donald Trump 2.0 comes along. Trump has paved the way for such a figure. Imagine an authoritarian populist who borrows from the Trump playbook while avoiding its more obvious divisive and self-defeating qualities. Imaging someone with Ronald Reagan’s charism and Barack Obama’s polished rhetoric peddling ideological Trumpism. The Trump presidency could serve as the rehearsal for someone far more dangerous.”
Frightening! What can we do to avoid such a successor to Trump? How can we begin to repair the damage to our country Trump is doing?