Trump Today, a Huey Long Tomorrow: Why Short-Term Gains Could Lead to Long-Term Disaster

I can’t believe I completely forgot about Huey Long.

Huey Long is exactly what the right today would call a dictator from the left. As @Nook and many others have said, don’t play with dictatorial power. Trump won’t be around forever, and while you might see short-term gains from allowing him to erode democratic norms (and yes, he and the Project 2025 team will cause serious damage), there’s always a Huey Long-type figure waiting for their turn. Imagine someone just as power-hungry, but from the opposite side—that would be a nightmare for conservatives.

Huey Long proved that a person can become a dictator in America. My friends, It’s not worth the risk.

Listen to the episode below, but here are a few key points about him and how he rose to power as a dictator..

• Served as Governor of Louisiana from 1928 to 1932, and was a U.S. Senator from 1932 until his assassination in 1935.
• Populism: He championed the poor and working class, advocating for wealth redistribution in response to the Great Depression. His famous "Share Our Wealth" program proposed capping personal fortunes and redistributing the excess to guarantee every family a minimum income, pensions, and healthcare.
• Radical Reform: As governor, he transformed Louisiana's infrastructure, building roads, bridges, hospitals, and schools. He funded these projects through increased taxes on corporations, especially oil companies, earning him the admiration of the working class but also fierce opposition from business elites.
• Dictator Actions: He consolidated power and wielded near-dictatorial control.
  He manipulated the state legislature to pass his initiatives and was known for intimidating lawmakers who opposed him. He famously employed tactics such as strong-arming, blackmail, and using state law enforcement to pressure political opponents. Most of the legislature was loyal to him, passing nearly everything he proposed without question.
• Patronage System: He built a vast political machine that relied on a patronage system where public jobs, contracts, and benefits were handed out to supporters. Those who supported him benefited from this network, and those who didn’t were cut off from state resources. His political appointments and control of the state's bureaucracy ensured that loyalists remained in key positions, further entrenching his influence.
• Censorship and Political Intimidation: He used his power to stifle opposition. He would buy up media outlets or start his own to ensure positive coverage of his policies. He also targeted political opponents through smear campaigns or more direct means, like using the National Guard to intimidate dissenters. His use of law enforcement and political violence made it difficult for rivals to oppose him openly without fear of reprisal.
• Centralized Power in Himself: Even after becoming a U.S. Senator in 1932, he continued to control Louisiana’s government from Washington, D.C. He installed a handpicked governor, Oscar Allen, who was essentially a puppet. Long ran the state by telephone, dictating policy decisions and ensuring his directives were carried out in Louisiana as if he were still physically there.
• Bypassing Democratic Institutions: While he operated within the framework of existing political institutions, Long bent these institutions to his will. The judiciary, legislative, and executive branches were all under his influence, rendering them ineffective as checks on his power. He bypassed normal democratic processes, consolidating power in ways that gave him near-total control over the state.
• Presidential Ambitions: He planned to challenge FDR in the 1936 election. He was considered a potential threat to FDR because of his fiery rhetoric, ability to connect with the masses, and his critique of both political parties, which appealed to a broad swath of disillusioned voters. Some speculate that he might have been successful in winning the presidency and possibly repeating what he did in Louisiana nationwide.
• Following his assassination, Louisiana took nearly 20 years to regain a stable political environment, illustrating just how long it can take to move beyond the intense political control and practices he put in place.

America’s First True Dictator - The Atlantic

 

I completely missed those posts. I grew up in Louisiana and studied Long, yet it completely escaped my mind that we actually have a great example of a populist who essentially became a dictator (for a state).

I'll say it again: it can happen. Too often, I hear people claim that the system held and it can't happen. But it did happen, and it can happen again. What Trump is attempting closely mirrors what Long achieved, and while Long was a much more skilled politician and a stronger leader, Trump has something Long didn’t—Project 2025 and an army of Christian nationalists ready to execute an authoritarian agenda. That makes it very possible for Trump to accomplish what Long did, if not more.