In “This is How Democracies Die,” Daniel Ziblatt and Steven Labitsky write: “Because there is no single moment — no coup, declaration of martial law — in which the regime obviously ‘crosses the line’ into dictatorship, nothing may set off the alarm bells… Democracy’s erosion is… almost imperceptible.”
I believe that this is precisely what we are experiencing in America today. This thesis may be considered radical hyperbole, but I view it is a reasonable hypothesis. What evidence exists that President Trump is leading this nation down the road to fascism?
- Trump has ignored the rule of law which is a foundational principle of our democracy.
- He has labeled our free press as “the enemy of the people” yet it is one of the bulwarks of any democracy.
- He has appointed cabinet heads who oppose the very goals of the agencies they lead.
- He has reversed decades of foreign policy achievements by calling African nations “s***hole countries,” saying immigrants “infest” our country and alienating close allies like England, France, Germany, Mexico and Canada.
- Leaving himself open to charges of treason he has “cozied up” to dictators like Putin, Kim Jong-un and Turkish President Erdogan.
- He has used executive orders to undermine the legislative branch of government.
- He has purged the words “climate crisis” and “global warming” from all government documents in a move which flies in the face of science and suggests thought control.
- He colluded with the Russians to affect results in his 2016 election.
- He has made every effort to undermine the Mueller investigation including the firing of the FBI director and repeated threats against his Attorney General.
- According to the Washington Post “fact checker” as of Sept. 12, 2018, Trump lied or made false statements to his fellow Americans — 5001 times.
- In violation of human rights, he has closed the door to asylum seekers and put their children in cages.
- The “Gag Rule” cuts off all federal spending for overseas family planning and maternal health services. Trump re-imposed it causing untold suffering and death in Third World nations.
- By appointing Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, Trump has sealed the fate of Roe v. Wade. Women will die when they resort to “back alley” abortions and other vain attempts to end unwanted pregnancies.
- In a New York Times investigative report which was over a year in the making, the authors concluded that there was massive tax fraud, the creation of “shell” companies, undervaluing of properties and the avoidance of inheritance taxes.
- Finally, David Rosen writing in Public Citizen News states: “The country never before has confronted the reality of a president who owns a complex business empire and seems uninterested in avoiding conflicts of interest.” If ever the emoluments clause of the Constitution seemed applicable, this is the time.
The alleged violations of our Constitution cited above do not even scratch the surface. When Republicans are aghast that anti-Trumpers are so relentless in their attacks upon a “duly elected president” they need to look at the record. What they don’t take into account is that Trump is the worst president in our nation’s history and also the most mentally unstable. Germany was the most literate and cultured of nations yet they gave the world the Nazi Party. In 2016, America was fed up with “the swamp” in Washington and they gave us Donald Trump. It can happen here. In fact, it has.
Will our fragile democracy survive? Former Supreme Court Justice William Brennan believed it would. He wrote: “The Constitution will endure as a vital charter of human liberty…” but this was before Trump, McConnell and Ryan. This was before a reconstituted Supreme Court with Gorsuch and Kavanaugh. Bobby Kennedy wrote about a revolution which “would be peaceful if we are wise enough, humane if we care enough; successful if we are fortunate enough. Viva la revolucion!!
Hal Sobel
Great Neck