Could Trump destroy democracy and install a fascist government?
Surely, the US, a beacon for democracy around the globe and the leader of the free world, would never allow such a thing to happen, right? Undoubtedly, there are safe-guards in place to keep that from gaining a foothold, right? Yes, to an extent, but that is with the assumption that the proper checks and balances are in place and doing their job, and that the other two branches of government (legislative and judicial) are working as intended.
This was never really a concern until the age of Trump. Granted, there was always a far right, extremist element, but they laid low for the most part. Say what you will about him, he is like a dog with a bone; he just keeps coming – and that is the difference today. He seems bent on becoming some sort of dictator and the rest of the far right extremists are jumping on the bandwagon and going along for the ride.
Now, we know he’s not the brightest guy, but he knows how to manipulate/influence the masses and surround himself with people that know how to get the job done. If he somehow manages to hoodwink more than half of the American public once more, it’s conceivable that he could step back into the highest office in the United States.
Let me go on a little tangent:
One of the most interesting things about North Korea is that they have ICBM’s. How is that even possible? For such a poor country, how did they find the means to arm themselves with the world’s deadliest weapons? The answer is dogged determination and learning from their mistakes.
I remember a time when the world was laughing at them as more than half their rockets exploded on the launchpad. But with each failure, they learned something and implemented it on the next design. After a few decades, they achieved their goal of nuclear deterrence.
My point is that one should not underestimate the importance of failure along the way to achieving whatever goal you have set for yourself. In Trump’s case, it appears that he wants to do away with free and fair elections, revamp the US government to do his bidding, and remain in control as some sort of fascist dictator.
He failed to achieve that the first time around, but he and his associates have learned some valuable lessons. If democracy barely survived on Jan 6, what will happen when the new and improved version rears its ugly head and makes another attempt?
Trump likely won’t be a king though.
Even if everything fell into place for the fascists and insurrectionists, it’s unlikely that Trump has the smarts to take over the country. The only thing he has going for him is his star power and hence, his followers who somehow think he’s a business genius and is smarter than he actually is. That’s it – that’s really the only card he has. An actual dictator needs to be more than that. Not mentioning any names, but look back at some of the most evil dictators in history and you’ll find that they were diabolically cunning and smart. You would have to be.
The thing that makes Trump dangerous is that he is an expert in putting together people who will do the heavy lifting; maybe in this case, also the heavy thinking. But he has to be careful because eventually, someone is going to come along and take over – and it won’t be Don Jr.
If he is successful in taking over the US government, it won’t be for long. There are people waiting in the shadows for him to do the grunt work and then push him out. This is the real danger. He really is the proverbial “useful idiot” in so many ways.
I feel as though I’m writing a piece of fiction right now. Could the US be overthrown so easily? Maybe some of it has to do with headlines as well. Are they exaggerating certain things for higher ratings? I’m sure it’s happening to an extent. I have never followed the news so closely as I have in the past 7 years, and I’m sure I’m not the only one. Obviously, that is going to contribute to an increase in revenue for news outlets. It’s like watching the ultimate reality show – I can’t stop tuning in to see how crazy it gets.
Is it possible that these news channels are cashing in?
Of course, but…
I also feel that the threat is real and shouldn’t be underestimated. We can’t sleep-walk through all of this, while making excuses for him. He is literally telling us what he is going to do if he gets back in.
Anyway, while I do feel that a fascist takeover of the US is unlikely, there is this nagging feeling that anything is possible. I mean, I’m sure people thought the same before some of the more famous fascist takeovers in history. Imagine their surprise when it actually happened!
It never hurts to be aware.
