Donald Trump: A Portrait In Tyranny

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I’m not afraid of much in life. Ask anybody who knows me. I don’t have a lot of fears. But tyranny scares me. It may well be the only thing that does.

What Robert Reich, political commentator, professor, author, and advisor to presidents fails to mention – at least directly – in this piece, is that the worst enforcers of tyranny are not the Fascist leaders or the tin-pot dictators who take control of a Democracy. It is the supporters. The public.

I have said this before. Trump is our enemy, but not our worry. Our worry is the guy next door. Our children, teachers, firefighters, and pizza cooks. It’s the average Joe who’s willing to point at you and yell, “That guy isn’t with us! Let’s get him!” It’s the “let’s roll heroes” who take the law into their own hands.

In other words, the guy who stands up on the plane and says “I should be flying this plane.” isn’t as scary as the passengers who agree with him.

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But I want you to see this. Read it and learn it. We are our only last hope. Who among us can claim that Trump isn’t following this like a map? I’ll be seeing you all in the camps. And many of you will be standing there mumbling, “But I voted for HIM!”

1. Exaggerate their mandate to govern — claiming, for example, that they won an election by a landslide even after losing the popular vote.

2. Repeatedly claim massive voter fraud in the absence of any evidence, in order to restrict voting in subsequent elections.

3. Call anyone who opposes them “enemies.”

4. Turn the public against journalists or media outlets that criticize them, calling them “deceitful” and “scum.”

5. Hold few press conferences, preferring to communicate with the public directly through mass rallies and unfiltered statements.

6. Tell the public big lies, causing them to doubt the truth and to believe fictions that support the tyrants’ goals.

7. Blame economic stresses on immigrants or racial or religious minorities, and foment public bias and even violence against them.

8. Attribute acts of domestic violence to “enemies within,” and use such events as excuses to beef up internal security and limit civil liberties.

9. Threaten mass deportations, registries of a religious minority, and the banning of refugees with particular religious beliefs.

10. Seek to eliminate or reduce the influence of competing centers of power, such as labor unions and opposition parties.

11. Appoint family members to high positions of authority and power.

12. Surround themselves with their own personal security force rather than a security detail accountable to the public.

13. Put generals into top civilian posts.

14. Make personal alliances with foreign dictators.

15. Draw no distinction between personal property and public property, profiteering from their public office.

These warning signs should be of concern to everyone, regardless of political party. In fact, historically, conservatives have been especially vigilant against potential threats to our constitutional rights.

All Americans must join together to protect American democracy against tyranny.

Consider yourself warned.

Robert Reich, a former U.S. Secretary of Labor, is professor of public policy at the University of California at Berkeley and the author of “Beyond Outrage,” now available in paperback. His new film, “Inequality for All,” is now out on iTunes, DVD and On Demand. He blogs atwww.robertreich.org.]**

About Post Author

David P. Greenberg

An active Food Christian, a fighter and a renegade author, I've worked everywhere and done everything. In 2006 I was diagnosed with type II Diabetes. I created a diet and exercise program, and am now, free of the disease. It is my hope to be able to help others achieve the same.

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