Trump is a Fascist. Trump is a dictator. Trump is a Messianic figure. Trump is a Narcissistic Personality Disorder Sociopath. As a conman he knows that people who have been conned will do anything to show they weren’t conned.
Damn right. And it was fully evident seven years ago for people who know anything about twentieth century history. This time around, fascism is at its most dangerous because it means the rapid destruction of our own biosphere. And, the splintering of humanity into nationalist tribes opposed to "the common good" as you have written about...at a time when communitarianism (and not communism!) must triumph over Randian libertarianism or we're all screwed.
“I argued that Trump and the Republican Party are moving rapidly toward fascism”
Dr Reich, WTF?!! “moving rapidly toward”?!!
Just a few days ago, you published an article, pointing out how Trump and Republicans *ARE* fascists. In you headline to this article you say “Yes, Trump is a fascist.”
So why can’t you bring yourself in the body of this article to say the same thing that you said very clearly in the headline? Why are liberals, so goddamn reluctant to call Republicans out on their shit without wimping out?
Well said. Trumpism is a carefully planned and engineered movement. Trump may appear at the helm, but you can bet there are big moneyed forces behind the movement. He's not smart enough, organised enough or has enough attention span to plan it all by himself. If Trump went to prison and couldn't run for president or dropped dead tomorrow (and it wouldn't be a surprise given the major stress he's under!) there would be others to take his place, "leaders" also paid for and manipulated by the big money dark forces (military industrial complex) that good old Ike warned us about. It's an incredible social engineering movement, and it's terrifying to us who live in other democracies. Were fascism to reign in the USA, there will come a world war for sure. So, Americans, Trumpism affects the whole wide world, not just you Americans.
An excellent and alarming video, I do hope that the American institutions and actually put Trump on trial and convict him very soon. I mean what more evidence is needed that his recorded message to the governor of Georgia. Speaking from across the water in the UK, another Trump term in thr White House would really mean the end of democracy and is a deeply worrying thought. It would give licence and a green light to all the other authoritarian/facist wanna beens all over the globe.
The sooner this man is put on trial and put in jail the better for everybody
Again, I knew this when he was coming down the escalator getting ready to run against Hillary yet everyone thought she was the evil one! I screamed from the rooftops, but he was elected anyway and here we are again. So tell me how Americans became so ignorant???
You hit the nail on the head when you used the word "irrational". Trump's followers are so disconnected from Reality that it has become impossible to reason with them in anything like a sane, logical manner. Facts and evidence mean nothing to them other than their absolute certainty that anything that disagrees with their worldview MUST be False, "fake news", fabricated, and is only meant to pull the wool over their eyes.
"My beliefs trump your so-called Facts!" End of story.
At this point, republicans will embrace anyone and anything that returns them to power, and our country be damned in the process.
I recall that after WWI, the victorious nations so humiliated Germany financially, that Hitler was able, like Trump, to cast himself as the nation's savior, while scapegoating Jews and others who didn't fit his demented ideal of an Aryan race.
And, as you observed in your stunning video, Dr. Reich, millions have been systematically screwed over in this country and are very, very angry, and rightfully so.
Thus, Trump's pretend symbiosis with his cult is terrifying and has a chance at succeeding, if we don't work like hell to save our country from the hell of another Trump presidency.
He is the unwitting leader of the current wave of #RepubloFascism. The rest of the GOP is making sure that their billionaire and corporate donors are best positioned to benefit from Trumpism and it’s complete lack of integrity, compassion, and logic.
I agree that Trump and his GOP supporters are “Fascist” but lets not ignore the fact that many of these supporters HAVE been screwed, by the current version of Capitalism and the skewed version of Democracy that Capitalism has given birth to, benefits overwhelmingly from, and will defend by any means. Unfortunately the Democratic party, and Biden etc., in many ways are inevitably also caught up by this capture of Democracy and its consequences. Its the same here in the UK, slower, less frenetic but still in the same direction.
Trump is a 77-year-old con artist, willing to pivot to the next brutal con whenever expedient. Con artists may become authoritarians or fascists, subject to constraints raised by the community - and their own biology.
Fascists took power only in the face of a plausible Communist/anarchist threat. Mussolini broke from the socialists. Franco fought them. Hitler blamed them for Reichstag Fire, but they actually existed in Germany, Italy, and Spain. Elites backed the Fascists because the Communists terrified them more. "Lesser of two evils." Or so they thought at first.
But while Fascists invoked nationalism as a specific anti-Communism, Trump's "nationalism" is bluster. Attack China? Sure...and blame Taiwan and Korea for not investing enough to defend themselves...meanwhile, Trump still profits from his Chinese business interests, still profits from Chinese money flooding into his hotels, still licenses key US technologies to China even as he tweets how bad the Chinese are.
"Nationalism based on a superior race"...which race? Trump surrounds himself with token Black, Jewish, Muslim, and Latino sycophants (Kushner, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, Ben Carson, Herschel Walker, Dr. Oz, etc.). Not substantive beliefs, but tactical posturing.
A statement like "Mexican rapists and murderers" is not actually "nationalism" - it's much more "con artistry." Millions of Americans are scared of immigrants - always have been, so that's one easy group to acquire as followers for the price of a few words. But how many thousands of GOP donors employ those undocumented people (the same way Trump did in 2016)? Declare that they're 'rapists and murderers' and you can terminate employment contracts, or renege on any other contract (or lease) - and just call ICE to get rid of them, rather than paying for lawyers. Trump's words bought him millions of dupes, but also, key support among the donors he needed who don't care whether the words are true so much as whether they're useful.
"Brute strength and heroic warriors."
Consider how Trump treats actual, real world "heroic warriors" - if they are loyal to him, they may be praised, otherwise, they are demonized and mocked along with anyone else. John McCain? Colin Powell? Gold star families? There are Navy Seals who are loyal to Trump who get sweetheart jobs - and there are Navy Seals who are NOT loyal to Trump, who get ignored/mocked/sidelined.
Trump is 77 years old. He's mortal. But the forces he is manipulating will outlast him - Trump 2.0 will see a GOP that is ridiculously easy to coopt, riddled with conspiracy theorists. The dupes eat up Trump's BS like a candy coated opioids - but the GOP elites smell get-rich-quick schemes aplenty. When they err, and incur massive debts that they cannot otherwise pay, then and only then will they endorse Fascism or Authoritarianism or any other political structure that will shift the cost of their reckless risks onto other people.
Spot on Professor Reich!! This is happening right before our damn eyes!
Trumpie boy bellows. All the subjects bellow back assuredly! The best place for him now is a prison cell with solitary confinement and no contact with the outside world IMO.
Repubs talk about the left beginning a civil war giving several scenarios how that would happen. In my view, it is already going on with trumpie boy as the leader of the fascist cult that is very organized and powerful.
Like a broken record I keep returning to this world's greatest issue, the decline of this planet's ability to sustain any kind of life within approximately 32 years. The world should have discontinued the use of fossil fuels by now. Fascists, Democrats, Communists, et. al. are not immediately and completely dedicated to our world's ability to sustain animal, plant, fowl, fish, etc. life. Politics will virtually become beside the point. Sure Biden has given some attention to THE issue, but insufficiently as are all major leaders in the world. Not just Maui is essentially 'gone,' but all of HI will be lost under 'warming' water. "Global Warming" is misleading terminology for the destruction of the planet's ability to sustain life that is rapidly becoming this globe's fate. Artificial intelligence and robots are going to be quite an assist in our world's destruction of life.
I have to say I am a bit confused. I looked up the term elites which confused me further. A select group that is superior in terms of ability or qualities to the rest of the group or society. Mr. Trump seems to attack these elites like "they" are the bad guy but isn't that what he is actually wanting? Isn't he wanting his right-wing nutters to be the elite? He rails against these elitists but is basically saying he and his followers are the elite? It is all confusing, dangerous, and absurd that his cult has somehow managed to grow in the United States of America! I am not saying we have been shielded from the Adolf Hitlers in this world, but yeah, maybe I feel we have because Mr. Trump's kind of rhetoric was usually knee-capped before it gained much traction. I feel sorry for his followers in a way because they really don't know that they are being used in order for him to gain power. Once he obtains that power, he will begin to cull his own followers, too! They don't realize it yet, but once he eliminates the minority groups he is railing against right now, he will have to find a new group to target and eliminate. Some of his followers may be in that new group. These are scary times we live in.
(Pancha Chandra): All the contortions on Trump's face show how guilty Donald Trump is; he tried to rig the 2020 elections in so many different ways & pretends he had nothing to do with the January 6th insurrection on the Capitol building after losing to Joe Biden!
Professor, this should be an Academy Award Video. Fascism is not a theory or a story of only Nazi Germany or countries across the ocean. We are living in a country that is for some knowingly and others unaware they are embracing not just a Fascist leader in TFG, but a philosophy of government that is here in America, out in the open, with a leader many Americans are following and defending even if he is an indicted criminal. TFG as victim, accountable for crimes against Democracy, a Fascist, is popular enough to become a candidate for a second act. “Those who refuse to pay attention to history are destined to repeat it.” “Condemned to repeat it.” George Santayana, Spanish philosopher, essayist, poet and novelist. (1863-1952).
Trump is a Fascist. Trump is a dictator. Trump is a Messianic figure. Trump is a Narcissistic Personality Disorder Sociopath. As a conman he knows that people who have been conned will do anything to show they weren’t conned.
Damn right. And it was fully evident seven years ago for people who know anything about twentieth century history. This time around, fascism is at its most dangerous because it means the rapid destruction of our own biosphere. And, the splintering of humanity into nationalist tribes opposed to "the common good" as you have written about...at a time when communitarianism (and not communism!) must triumph over Randian libertarianism or we're all screwed.
“I argued that Trump and the Republican Party are moving rapidly toward fascism”
Dr Reich, WTF?!! “moving rapidly toward”?!!
Just a few days ago, you published an article, pointing out how Trump and Republicans *ARE* fascists. In you headline to this article you say “Yes, Trump is a fascist.”
So why can’t you bring yourself in the body of this article to say the same thing that you said very clearly in the headline? Why are liberals, so goddamn reluctant to call Republicans out on their shit without wimping out?
Well said. Trumpism is a carefully planned and engineered movement. Trump may appear at the helm, but you can bet there are big moneyed forces behind the movement. He's not smart enough, organised enough or has enough attention span to plan it all by himself. If Trump went to prison and couldn't run for president or dropped dead tomorrow (and it wouldn't be a surprise given the major stress he's under!) there would be others to take his place, "leaders" also paid for and manipulated by the big money dark forces (military industrial complex) that good old Ike warned us about. It's an incredible social engineering movement, and it's terrifying to us who live in other democracies. Were fascism to reign in the USA, there will come a world war for sure. So, Americans, Trumpism affects the whole wide world, not just you Americans.
An excellent and alarming video, I do hope that the American institutions and actually put Trump on trial and convict him very soon. I mean what more evidence is needed that his recorded message to the governor of Georgia. Speaking from across the water in the UK, another Trump term in thr White House would really mean the end of democracy and is a deeply worrying thought. It would give licence and a green light to all the other authoritarian/facist wanna beens all over the globe.
The sooner this man is put on trial and put in jail the better for everybody
Again, I knew this when he was coming down the escalator getting ready to run against Hillary yet everyone thought she was the evil one! I screamed from the rooftops, but he was elected anyway and here we are again. So tell me how Americans became so ignorant???
You hit the nail on the head when you used the word "irrational". Trump's followers are so disconnected from Reality that it has become impossible to reason with them in anything like a sane, logical manner. Facts and evidence mean nothing to them other than their absolute certainty that anything that disagrees with their worldview MUST be False, "fake news", fabricated, and is only meant to pull the wool over their eyes.
"My beliefs trump your so-called Facts!" End of story.
At this point, republicans will embrace anyone and anything that returns them to power, and our country be damned in the process.
I recall that after WWI, the victorious nations so humiliated Germany financially, that Hitler was able, like Trump, to cast himself as the nation's savior, while scapegoating Jews and others who didn't fit his demented ideal of an Aryan race.
And, as you observed in your stunning video, Dr. Reich, millions have been systematically screwed over in this country and are very, very angry, and rightfully so.
Thus, Trump's pretend symbiosis with his cult is terrifying and has a chance at succeeding, if we don't work like hell to save our country from the hell of another Trump presidency.
He is the unwitting leader of the current wave of #RepubloFascism. The rest of the GOP is making sure that their billionaire and corporate donors are best positioned to benefit from Trumpism and it’s complete lack of integrity, compassion, and logic.
I agree that Trump and his GOP supporters are “Fascist” but lets not ignore the fact that many of these supporters HAVE been screwed, by the current version of Capitalism and the skewed version of Democracy that Capitalism has given birth to, benefits overwhelmingly from, and will defend by any means. Unfortunately the Democratic party, and Biden etc., in many ways are inevitably also caught up by this capture of Democracy and its consequences. Its the same here in the UK, slower, less frenetic but still in the same direction.
Trump is a 77-year-old con artist, willing to pivot to the next brutal con whenever expedient. Con artists may become authoritarians or fascists, subject to constraints raised by the community - and their own biology.
Fascists took power only in the face of a plausible Communist/anarchist threat. Mussolini broke from the socialists. Franco fought them. Hitler blamed them for Reichstag Fire, but they actually existed in Germany, Italy, and Spain. Elites backed the Fascists because the Communists terrified them more. "Lesser of two evils." Or so they thought at first.
But while Fascists invoked nationalism as a specific anti-Communism, Trump's "nationalism" is bluster. Attack China? Sure...and blame Taiwan and Korea for not investing enough to defend themselves...meanwhile, Trump still profits from his Chinese business interests, still profits from Chinese money flooding into his hotels, still licenses key US technologies to China even as he tweets how bad the Chinese are.
Warfare? Trump 1.0 preferred Twitter flame wars to shooting wars - "Rocketman!"
"Nationalism based on a superior race"...which race? Trump surrounds himself with token Black, Jewish, Muslim, and Latino sycophants (Kushner, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, Ben Carson, Herschel Walker, Dr. Oz, etc.). Not substantive beliefs, but tactical posturing.
A statement like "Mexican rapists and murderers" is not actually "nationalism" - it's much more "con artistry." Millions of Americans are scared of immigrants - always have been, so that's one easy group to acquire as followers for the price of a few words. But how many thousands of GOP donors employ those undocumented people (the same way Trump did in 2016)? Declare that they're 'rapists and murderers' and you can terminate employment contracts, or renege on any other contract (or lease) - and just call ICE to get rid of them, rather than paying for lawyers. Trump's words bought him millions of dupes, but also, key support among the donors he needed who don't care whether the words are true so much as whether they're useful.
"Brute strength and heroic warriors."
Consider how Trump treats actual, real world "heroic warriors" - if they are loyal to him, they may be praised, otherwise, they are demonized and mocked along with anyone else. John McCain? Colin Powell? Gold star families? There are Navy Seals who are loyal to Trump who get sweetheart jobs - and there are Navy Seals who are NOT loyal to Trump, who get ignored/mocked/sidelined.
Trump is 77 years old. He's mortal. But the forces he is manipulating will outlast him - Trump 2.0 will see a GOP that is ridiculously easy to coopt, riddled with conspiracy theorists. The dupes eat up Trump's BS like a candy coated opioids - but the GOP elites smell get-rich-quick schemes aplenty. When they err, and incur massive debts that they cannot otherwise pay, then and only then will they endorse Fascism or Authoritarianism or any other political structure that will shift the cost of their reckless risks onto other people.
Spot on Professor Reich!! This is happening right before our damn eyes!
Trumpie boy bellows. All the subjects bellow back assuredly! The best place for him now is a prison cell with solitary confinement and no contact with the outside world IMO.
Repubs talk about the left beginning a civil war giving several scenarios how that would happen. In my view, it is already going on with trumpie boy as the leader of the fascist cult that is very organized and powerful.
Like a broken record I keep returning to this world's greatest issue, the decline of this planet's ability to sustain any kind of life within approximately 32 years. The world should have discontinued the use of fossil fuels by now. Fascists, Democrats, Communists, et. al. are not immediately and completely dedicated to our world's ability to sustain animal, plant, fowl, fish, etc. life. Politics will virtually become beside the point. Sure Biden has given some attention to THE issue, but insufficiently as are all major leaders in the world. Not just Maui is essentially 'gone,' but all of HI will be lost under 'warming' water. "Global Warming" is misleading terminology for the destruction of the planet's ability to sustain life that is rapidly becoming this globe's fate. Artificial intelligence and robots are going to be quite an assist in our world's destruction of life.
I have to say I am a bit confused. I looked up the term elites which confused me further. A select group that is superior in terms of ability or qualities to the rest of the group or society. Mr. Trump seems to attack these elites like "they" are the bad guy but isn't that what he is actually wanting? Isn't he wanting his right-wing nutters to be the elite? He rails against these elitists but is basically saying he and his followers are the elite? It is all confusing, dangerous, and absurd that his cult has somehow managed to grow in the United States of America! I am not saying we have been shielded from the Adolf Hitlers in this world, but yeah, maybe I feel we have because Mr. Trump's kind of rhetoric was usually knee-capped before it gained much traction. I feel sorry for his followers in a way because they really don't know that they are being used in order for him to gain power. Once he obtains that power, he will begin to cull his own followers, too! They don't realize it yet, but once he eliminates the minority groups he is railing against right now, he will have to find a new group to target and eliminate. Some of his followers may be in that new group. These are scary times we live in.
(Pancha Chandra): All the contortions on Trump's face show how guilty Donald Trump is; he tried to rig the 2020 elections in so many different ways & pretends he had nothing to do with the January 6th insurrection on the Capitol building after losing to Joe Biden!
Professor, this should be an Academy Award Video. Fascism is not a theory or a story of only Nazi Germany or countries across the ocean. We are living in a country that is for some knowingly and others unaware they are embracing not just a Fascist leader in TFG, but a philosophy of government that is here in America, out in the open, with a leader many Americans are following and defending even if he is an indicted criminal. TFG as victim, accountable for crimes against Democracy, a Fascist, is popular enough to become a candidate for a second act. “Those who refuse to pay attention to history are destined to repeat it.” “Condemned to repeat it.” George Santayana, Spanish philosopher, essayist, poet and novelist. (1863-1952).