By Patrick
Well, this won't be a happy, uplifting post. Because things are starting to become pretty depressing. Hillary Clinton's massive lead begins to shrink dramatically, and we can only pray that things will start to change again after the debates. My fear is that American Democracy is not as strong as people would like it to be.
If he was victorious, Donald Trump would impose a brutal authoritarian rule, with terrible consequences for the USA and the rest of the world. This is not even a secret. Virtually everybody knows that Donald Trump wants to rule as a dictator. The US system would make it far too easy. No "Reichstagsbrand" will be needed. The magic word: "Executive orders".
Newt Gingrich came up with great ideas already several months ago - and there is no doubt that Trump will embrace them:
Despite the threat of an authoritarian rule, many US voters have absolutely no hesitation to vote for Donald Trump. You all know some "Trump-fans." They might be your friends and family members. Not all of them are totally stupid. They are, however, thoroughly manipulated and misguided. Their votes might plunge the world into chaos, with unforeseen consequences. We can just hope that this nightmare vision won't become reality.
Many people see Donald Trump as a clown, However, we should not forget that this hasn't happen before.
See for example this article in the Atlantic from March 2012:
Quote:
This quote in particular just sounds far too familiar:
After the Great Depression hit, suddenly the Nazi Party became a major contender for power. Yet you had Americans meeting Hitler and saying, "This guy is a clown. He's like a caricature of himself." And a lot of them went through this whole litany about how even if Hitler got into a position of power, other German politicians would somehow be able to control him. A lot of German politicians believed this themselves.
Yes, they would be able to control "him." There is no doubt that the GOP has the same thoughts about Donald Trump. However, ruthless maniacs cannot be controlled. The German conservatives who brought Hitler to power did not know what hit them.
Also, while I love a good caricature very much, the sad reality is that caricatures won't necessarily save the world,
Here is how some US and UK caricaturists viewed Adolf Hitler in 1933 (taken from this German article):
The Nation, New York/USA, early 1933
The Evening Standard, London/England, June 26, 1933
The New York Times, New York/USA, April 2, 1933
Finally, this article from March 2016 gives a lot food for thought:
Excerpt from the interview that is included in this article:
So, how much does Donald Trump truly resemble Adolf Hitler?
There are slight similarities between the two. But there is a difference. Germany was in much worse shape economically in the ’20s and ’30s. It was still recovering from WWI, having to pay reparations to the Allies. Hitler was able to tap into the Germans’ frustration by zeroing in on an enemy, the Jews. He claimed the Jews were taking over the country, stealing high-paying jobs. He was able to galvanize the uneducated by saying that Jews had stabbed Germany in the back.
Can you give me more examples?
Sure. Now that America’s minority population is becoming a majority, Trump is able to tap into that same fear among its disenfranchised. Asking his supporters to raise their hand during his rallies while proclaiming their allegiance to him is eerily reminiscent of Hitler’s Nazi salute, which was meant to inspire loyalty and sympathy towards the regime.
There is only way how potential dictators can be defeated: If the population forcefully speaks out against them. Let's hope that US voters will make the right choice.
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