American democracy needs political parties that believe in upholding the rule of law and upholding their oath to the Constitution. By giving their party to the corrupt, incompetent Donald Trump, the Republican Party has abandoned their standing as one of those parties. They no longer respect and defend the military, law enforcement, states rights and individual freedoms. The Founders believed the differences in the ideologies of the political parties would result in compromises that would create a government that would satisfy the needs of the masses. They recognized the Union was imperfect but intrinsically and collectively good. They warned us about a tyrant president who would try to destroy democracy.
Authoritarianism: “A way of governing that values order and control over personal freedom. A dictator usually heads an authoritarian government ; the enforcement or advocacy of strict obedience to authority at the expense of personal freedom.”
Trump has been quoted saying, “the power of the president is “absolute.” If not for the patriotic, oppositional efforts by Republicans within Trump’s administration, America could have become an autocracy under Trump’s rule. He doesn’t try to hide his disdain for the American version of democracy or his love of dictators. So why do so many people think supporting Trump is synonymous with loving America. Trump is an authoritarian. He embodies the traits and philosophies of dictators; narcissism, white nationalism, vengeance, cruelty, absolute power, limited individual freedoms, and ego-mania. In Trump’s own words and actions:
- ” I know more than the generals.”
- ” I am your justice. I am your retribution.”
- ” I will employ the military to fight street crime ( referring to peaceful Black Lives Matters demonstrations).
- “Government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem.”
- “We will totally obliterate the deep state, we will banish the warmongers from our government, we will drive out the globalists, and we will cast out the communists and Marxists, we will throw off the corrupt political class, we will beat the Democrats, we will rout the fake news media.”
- He declares his power will supercede states rights to govern themselves regarding policies on the homeless, law enforcement, voting rights, architectural design of cities, media freedoms, immigration and public education.
- Transforming the government to be ” profit-driven” not Constitution- driven.”
- Following the Putin playbook, Trump as vowed to lock up his political opponents saying, “The answer is you have no choice, because they’re doing it to us.”
- Claimed he had the power to adjourn Congress which is NOT a power given to the president by the Constitution.
- Following the Putin- playbook, declared a president cannot be investigated or prosecuted for ANY crime.
- He declared, ” a president’s power is absolute” and thus rejected constitutional checks and balances on the executive branch outlined in the Constitution.
- Supported the concept of a lifetime term for a US president which aligns with dictatorship countries like Russia and North Korea.
Donald Trump’s authoritarian vision of America has increased the engagement of Millennials and Gen Z Americans into the political process. His assault on individual freedoms and racist, misogynistic, cruel policies have the youth of this country activated to defend democracy, the Constitution, and moral decency. Their ideas and visions for saving America include:
- Eliminate the electoral college
- Eliminate lifetime appointments for federal judges and Supreme Court justices
- Eliminate the filibuster rule
- Incorporate a clause in the Constitution which disqualifies any candidate for the presidency who espouses an authoritarian form of government.
- Eliminate party leadership in the House and Senate to promote more bipartisanship
- Require presidential candidates to take both a physical medical exam and a mental status exam
- To restrict presidents from continued involvement in their private businesses
- Require presidential candidates to pass a proficiency test on the Constitution.
