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There Is No “Both Sides” to Donald Trump’s Threat to Democracy
(www.vanityfair.com)
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this post was submitted on 13 Jan 2024
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politics
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One is oligarchy, one is fascist. American democracy is arguably dead long ago.
I get where you're coming from but wanting an option other than corporate politicians is very different from willingly electing your last president as a childish incompetent dictator.
Voting for Trump is a statement by the many that that since democracy isn't working, we might as well drop the pretense and go full autocratic. We've seen the death of democracy several times because greed always reigns.
And that statement is stupid as fucking shit.
It may well be, but people are looking for authenticity and economic security. People don't want politicians backtracking and giving empty promises. There's a reason people from the Rust Belt support Trump and perceives him who "says it like it is."
The Roman Republic fell because the elites pretended they care for the people, and the people want someone who would do things for them and "says it like it is." Same thing happened leading to the rise of Hitler.
I'm oversimplifying the reasons for the decline of Roman Republic and rise of Hitler, but the common denominator to democratic decline is growing wealth inequality and oligarch corruption. Sure, even before Trump's election and Brexit, many analysts have warned of widening gap between the rich and the poor, and predicted the consequences if these aren't addressed.
Another reason Hitler rose to power was even though the Nazi party only maintained something like ~30% of the government, the other factions of the government couldn't come together and unite against a common enemy, so it was easier for Hitler to cull influence and support. The US doesn't have as many parties as they did back in the 1930's, but within the Democratic party the centrists, moderates, progressives, etc ALL need to fall* behind Biden, as well as most independent voters, otherwise it could very well be game over for democracy in the US.