DADDY ISSUES?
You have doubtless noticed the increasingly troubling autocratic language emanating from one Republican candidate for US president.
His descriptions of those with whom he disagrees are growing more frightening. He has described members of minority groups and those with liberal perspectives as “vermin,” echoing the language of other autocrats. He has claimed they are “poisoning the blood” of the country.
If these statements remind you of Adolf Hitler, you are not wrong.
Yet he is leading polls by ever increasing margins.
What the hell?!?
If the polls are to be believed, millions of Americans are supporting a fascist. A real live fascist.
The Oxford English Dictionary defines fascism as an authoritarian and nationalistic right-wing system of government and social organization. Merriam-Webster noted Fascism refers to a way of organizing society with an emphasis of autocratic government, dictatorial leadership, and the suppression of opposition.
There is little doubt that Donald Trump and his supporters favor this form of government and are taking steps to implement a fascistic system in the US, should he be elected again. The Heritage Foundation is formulating something they call Project 2025. Project 2025 is described as “a coalition of more than 75 partners led by The Heritage Foundation to prepare for the next conservative presidential administration.” It includes The Presidential Administration Academy, a unique educational and skill-building program that equips conservatives with the skills necessary to be effective policy professionals in the next conservative administration.
What this means is that, if Donald Trump is elected again, every possible job in the administration will be filled by people who will follow him without question, not with people with policy expertise. We’ll get anti-vaxxers running the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We’ll get oil executives running the Environmental Protection Agency.
What am I saying?
The Environmental Protection Agency will be dissolved. So will the Departments of Energy and Education.
This is not OK.
But what I cannot for the life of me understand is how many Americans think it is OK.
All I can come up with is that millions of Americans want a Daddy. Not a modern, 21st century father – they want someone out of the 1950s. Someone who makes all the rules and all the decisions.
You see, democracy is HARD. Democracy requires work. Democracy requires learning information and thinking critically to differentiate between truth and crap. Democracy requires participation. Democracy requires watching something other than so-called “reality” TV.
Fascism lets a person be lazy and stupid. Why learn anything? The dear leader and his acolytes will make all the decisions anyway. Just stay in your fantasy world and never think again.
Yeah. Now I understand.