In the middle of the last century, the United States and its allies fought a world war to end fascism. What did fascism look like? Well, it looked like this:
Like Hilter or Mussolini, Donald Trump . . .
Has long been the object of a cult of personality
Has long called for an exceptionalist, nationalist curriculum
Supported armed citizens’ militias in the streets (for example, the folks who raided the Michigan capitol) and called on citizens’ militia groups to stand back and stand by
Continually scapegoats immigrants
Continually scapegoats enemies within, including Socialists
Continually uses racist dogwhistles
Continually promises a return to a mythical Golden Age (Make America Great Again)
Espouses a doctrine of national exceptionalism
Uses the massive rally as his primary means of communication with his base–rallies where there is lots of iconography and chanting
Attempted to use the military to quell protest and dissent (Trump was only stopped from doing this because Milley and Esper refused to go along)
Ordered mass murder (Trump ordered his head of Homeland Security to have Border Patrol Officers SHOOT unarmed asylum seekers and was only stopped from doing this because that head, Kirstjen Nielsen, refused to do so}
Arrogated to himself absolute power (Trump claimed in speeches that the Constitution gave him the power, as president, to do whatever he wanted)
Refused to accept election outcomes that did not favor him and attempted to effect a coup (Fascist Glorious Leaders never lose elections, or if they do, they effect a do-over)
Has a thing for monuments, for monumental architecture, and for military parades
Supports autocratic, fascist dictators around the globe
Wields such power in his party that almost no one will stand up to him on anything
In other words, Trump is a CLASSIC fascist, and the Trump cult is a fascist cult. One has to be incredibly blind not to see this.
The only differences between Trump and, say, Mussolini and Hitler, are that
a. Trump was too stupid and ignorant to realize his goals (The next guy, having assumed Trump’s mantle, won’t be; he will have the right yes men in place.) and that
b. Trump didn’t have the legal framework in place to implement fascism here (Our current Extreme Court is working on that).
Bob Shepherd | Praxis 
A truly chilling comparison … one that I have often made, but was told I was being ‘alarmist’. Good post, Bob … now if only people would sit up and listen before it’s too late. You’re right … the next one will be smarter, and will have learned the lessons from Trump’s mistakes.
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