So simplistic and weird to think a dictator can only be on one side. GIGO at work? Also dangerously wrong thinking, as it ignores and allows figures like Trump, who clearly admires dictators and has tendencies toward being one himself. This is much more accurate, but still simplistic. Xi, for example, is all about nationalism, which is more aligned with right-wing ideologies (just one example). Rightish: Adolf Hitler (Nazi Germany, 1933-1945) Augusto Pinochet (Chile, 1973-1990) Francisco Franco (Spain, 1939-1975) Jair Bolsonaro (Brazil, 2019-2022) - elected but showed authoritarian tendencies Viktor Orbán (Hungary, current) - elected but showing increasing authoritarian tendencies Vladimir Putin (Russia, current) - combines elements of both, but generally considered right-leaning due to nationalism and conservatism Benito Mussolini (Italy, 1922-1943) - founder and leader of the National Fascist Party, right-wing authoritarian Recep Tayyip Erdogan (Turkey, current) - combines Islamism with right-wing authoritarian tendencies Leftish: Xi Jinping (China, current) Nicolás Maduro (Venezuela, current) Kim Jong Un (North Korea, current) Miguel Díaz-Canel (Cuba, current) Fidel Castro (Cuba, 1959-2008) Daniel Ortega (Nicaragua, current) Joseph Stalin (Soviet Union, 1922-1953) Muammar Gaddafi (Libya, 1969-2011) - despite his unique ideology, his policies often leaned towards leftist economic and social structures Theocratic/Religious: Ali Khamenei (Iran, current) - Islamist theocrat
Re-emphasize the importance of not centralizing too much power in one person or branch of government (eg project 2025 concentrates power in the executive). Don't assume the other side won't exploit that power. Just don't do it. Those who downplay Trump's actions might feel safe now, but remember, he won't be around forever. The left (or right) could win future elections, and with a weakened system of checks and balances, a corrupt, power-hungry leader could emerge as a dictator. This is why many staunch conservatives are firmly anti-Trump. They prioritize American democracy over any right-wing policies they might support. Examples: Joe Walsh (Tea party member): "I’ll give you just one example of how Trump is a threat to democracy. He refuses to accept the results of elections he loses. He didn’t concede in 2020, and he’s said he won’t concede if he loses this year. He tried to overthrow an American election in 2020. He lies about election results and purposely sows distrust in our elections. That’s just one way Trump is a threat to democracy." "Here’s how I see it: I’m voting for Kamala Harris. No matter who she picks for VP. I’m voting for her no matter who she picks bcuz Trump is an existential threat to democracy.This is how you should see it too. Don’t get worked up by this VP search. Stay focused on what matters."
Yeah, Trump definitely has a lust for being like them, whether you call them left or right, he loves the idea of being a Dictator.
I never said that ONLY leftists can be dictators. But I made some corrections to your helpful list below. One thing I see these guys having in common is that they all claim to pursue some greater good. And the ideas of socialism sound "good" at the surface - but "equity" is a bad thing. I'll start a separate thread on how I think about this. Rightish: Adolf Hitler (Nazi Germany, 1933-1945) - I am ok with him being labeled right-wing due to the racism, but he was also a national SOCIALIST Augusto Pinochet (Chile, 1973-1990) Francisco Franco (Spain, 1939-1975) Jair Bolsonaro (Brazil, 2019-2022) - elected not a dictator Viktor Orbán (Hungary, current) - elected not a dictator Benito Mussolini (Italy, 1922-1943) - founder and leader of the National Fascist Party, right-wing authoritarian Leftish: Xi Jinping (China, current) Nicolás Maduro (Venezuela, current) Kim Jong Un (North Korea, current) Miguel Díaz-Canel (Cuba, current) Fidel Castro (Cuba, 1959-2008) Daniel Ortega (Nicaragua, current) Joseph Stalin (Soviet Union, 1922-1953) Vladimir Putin (Russia, current) - same ideology as Stalin Muammar Gaddafi (Libya, 1969-2011) - despite his unique ideology, his policies often leaned towards leftist economic and social structures Theocratic/Religious: Ali Khamenei (Iran, current) - Islamist theocrat Recep Tayyip Erdogan (Turkey, current) - Islamist
Trump's political positions have evolved over time. While he's primarily associated with right-wing politics, especially during and after his presidency, his stance on certain issues like trade protectionism has aligned with traditionally left-leaning views. His past donations to Democratic politicians and brief consideration of a presidential run as a Democrat in the early 2000s underscore how he doesn't care about or have strong principles aligned with either leftist or rightist standard politicians. Trump's approach to governance, characterized by populist rhetoric and attempts to consolidate executive power, transcends traditional left-right ideological boundaries. Like many leaders with authoritarian tendencies, Trump's focus is on personal loyalty and power consolidation. Who knows, if he were in power and it became so concentrated that he no longer needed to care about public opinion, he could shift left again. In a not-so-weird alternative world, Trump could be a leftist. Dictators care about power, not left or right, or whatever else.
There is truth to the idea of the greater good can cause harm. Christian nationalism, which is extreme right-wing, believes that a nation built on Christian values and morals serves the greater good. But for the most part, they care only about power and what benefits them personally. I think the phrase 'power corrupts' has stood the test of time: again, do not give too much power to any one individual or entity. It’s a formula for disaster.
He’s a wannabe dictator. He tried to stay in power the last time he was in office, but Pence and a few others wouldn’t go along with it. We may not be so lucky next time as Trump will surround himself with only his most loyal followers, and he now has control of the Supreme Court.
I think his narcissism does not allow him to accept defeat. But after thinking about it a lot and analyzing what actually happened, he was never going to seriously pursue violence himself. If he were to be elected again, he would definitely be gone after his term (if he makes it that far - old people die, etc.).
He fits the mold, though. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_lie U.S. psychological profile of Hitler His primary rules were: never allow the public to cool off; never admit a fault or wrong; never concede that there may be some good in your enemy; never leave room for alternatives; never accept blame; concentrate on one enemy at a time and blame him for everything that goes wrong; people will believe a big lie sooner than a little one; and if you repeat it frequently enough people will sooner or later believe it
This is ridiculous. Trump left power voluntarily. Trump RIGHTFULLY investigated voter fraud, as was his obligation to do so. The left's strategy was to cheat, and then count on Trump not having enough time to generate enough evidence before the power transfer. They rolled out a pressure campaign to advance this effort immediately -- which suggests it was pre-planned. Over the last 3+ years, we have been overwhelmed with evidence of voter fraud in the 2020 election - on video, in sworn affidavits, using statistical analysis, and more. It's gaslighting in the extreme to suggest that voter fraud did not take place in 2020. And remember, 40,000 votes total in 4 states swung the election.
Yes, but... ...show me a politician whom most of these do not apply to? I can think of people like Romney, McCain, Bush, Bill Clinton, Carter, etc. - but a lot of leftists and their supporters fit that bill just as much. And if you look at the rhetoric from Biden and leading Dems about Trump - they certainly blamed him for everything and never conceded that there may be any good in him.
Give examples of this overwhelming evidence you talk about. I think you've actually been overwhelmed with so much propaganda and lies by Trump that you have become the exact type of mark that a pathological liar like him loves to fool into believing that everyone else cheated him without any proof. You might want to read all the facts about election fraud, and not rely on conspiracy theories and lies spewed by a master of manipulating facts like the orange man.
The real risk is having a guy like Trump win the election and align his views with men like Putin and Kim Jong Un. They hate Western World countries. They are all about aligning with the evil Dictators of the Worlds.
This is why populism is so dark. People will try to label it "left-wing" or "right-wing" populism. It doesn't matter if you think Trump is right or left. Or Mussolini is right or Left. Or Maduro is right or left. Whatever you want to label them they are the same. Power hungry men who use populism to obtain power. Left wing populists rail against the "elites" and seek to tear down institutions that hold the people back. Right wing populists seek to blame a group of people for the struggles of the common man. And here is Donald Trump, who uses BOTH tactics. If you don't see Donald Trump as a populist who is cut from the same skin of both Stalin and Chavez, as Erdogan or Modi. One thing in common is that populists are anti-democratic. They want power, and they do not ever want to let it go, and will do anything to achieve their means. Their supporters, whether unwittingly or not, are also anti-democratic.
He frequently called for violence against others but did not act on it himself. So, yes, Trump didn’t carry out the dirty deeds personally but relied on others to maintain plausible deniability and protect himself legally. This includes violent acts, as seen on January 6. This is no longer necessary after the Supreme Court granted the POTUS absolute immunity for official acts and assumed partial immunity for other actions, concentrating too much power in the office of the President. While he may be gone, his plan is to concentrate power in the executive branch. Too much power enables a morally corrupt person who does not respect democratic norms to become a dictator. The path would be laid not just for him but for future wannabe dictators.
What do you want to see? Everyone knows it's election fraud. There’s nothing we can do about it here except apply political and economic pressure.
