the Republican Party checks off almost all of these.
powerful and continuing nationalism: MAGA and America First
disdain for human rights: the ongoing trans genocide and their support for the Palestinian genocide
identification of enemies as an unifying cause: the “woke” fearmongering
supremacy of the military: Trump has waffled between praising the military and calling them “losers”, so not quite yet
rampant sexism: reinforcement of traditional gender roles and the “tradwife” movement
controlled mass media: inside their sphere, yeah. Fox News, Newsmax, and OAN breathlessly hang on to every word Republican figures say
obsession with national security: bOrdEr WAlL!
religion and government intertwined: anti-abortion policies universally have religious justifications for them, plus several Republicans have said (and seem to sincerely believe) that Trump was ordained by Jesus
corporate power protected: corporate tax cuts and the withering of regulatory agencies under Republican leadership
labor power suppressed: the logical corollary to the above
disdain for intellectuals and the arts: distrust of experts and scientific endeavors
obsession with crime and punishment: running on being “hard on crime”
rampant cronyism and corruption: Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito’s undeclared trips from Republican donors are likely just the tip of the iceberg
fraudulent elections: not yet, and hopefully never 🤞
Biggest similarity is Trump - a braindead far-right populist supported by conservative elites as a bludgeon against the left (or what passes for it in the US) who has created an independent cult of personality.
Biggest differences are a long history of democratic participation, the more left of the political parties not being split in two, and no mass political violence yet.
This could end up very badly if Trump wins - but we’re in a better position than Weimar Germany to pull through and ensure that Trump doesn’t win.
Some of us here are scared, honestly. I am not a history buff but I can’t help wondering how similar we look to 1930s Germany.
the Republican Party checks off almost all of these.
There are definite similarities and differences.
Biggest similarity is Trump - a braindead far-right populist supported by conservative elites as a bludgeon against the left (or what passes for it in the US) who has created an independent cult of personality.
Biggest differences are a long history of democratic participation, the more left of the political parties not being split in two, and no mass political violence yet.
This could end up very badly if Trump wins - but we’re in a better position than Weimar Germany to pull through and ensure that Trump doesn’t win.