If one wants to define tinpot banana republics, the type with a president appearing on a balcony munching on a cigar in a military jacket, it’s hard to get a truer definition than a leader who wants to use the nation’s military on his domestic rivals. Military rule is the hallmark of a fascist state and one that Donald Trump seems to want to use as part of a formal enforcement apparatus against his opponents. He has come a long way since December of 2016 when he wished the entire country a Merry Christmas and included his “enemies” within the nation in his holiday wish – shocking people at the time – a president-elect would call fellow Americans his “enemies.” Now, though – we’re used to it.
But being used to it doesn’t make it less dangerous and while Trump continues to call out “enemies” in the U.S. – usually defined as anyone who doesn’t happen to support him – he has now gone full-autocrat in musing about bringing on the military to deal with his opponents. According to NBC News:
[Trump] suggested that the military could be called in to handle any unrest on Election Day from “radical left lunatics.” Trump doubled down on those comments during his town hall, also calling Democrahavts “evil” and “dangerous.”
It is even worse when one examines the entire quote:
“They’re Marxists and communists and fascists, and they’re sick,” Trump added. “We have China, we have Russia, we have all these countries. If you have a smart president, they can all be handled. The more difficult are, you know, the Pelosis, these people, they’re so sick and they’re so evil,” Trump said.
If you take the above to the logical conclusion there is no way to support Kamala Harris unless you are a “sick” Marxist, communist, or fascist. Not to simply “both sides” the issue but anyone who sees the rest of the country as “sick” solely because the person voted for the other party is dangerous and must be avoided to keep the peace within our own borders. It may be difficult to engage in a friendly conversation with a Trump-supporter, but few of us would suggest that all Trump supporters are somehow sick and dangerous. No, that is a label to be reserved for people that are uniquely sick no matter who they voted for.
The threat to use the military is just another jaw-dropper and eerily foretelling if Donald Trump were to be elected again. We cannot police this country utilizing the national military. There is the obvious fact that it violates the Constitution but additionally, the military is not built to do domestic policing, nor should they ever be. The military is made up of war-fighters. Our domestic law-enforcement apparatus is far better suited to keep civil order on the streets and must never be used against political rivals from either side.
If an American president wants to sic the most mighty military in the history of the world on its own citizens, that president might as well do it from the Truman Balcony while screaming over a cigar, wearing a five star U.S. army blazer. It is all just too much to take with a super-charged election coming up in the next three weeks.
God Bless: I can be reached at [email protected] and @JasonMiciak
“but few of us would suggest that all Trump supporters are somehow sick and dangerous.”
An argument becoming harder to make.
Specially when given the difference between ‘Trump supporters’ and people who just voted R. out of habit, unthinkingly.
I just like to stay away from generalizations from the American electorate. People vote for different reasons even as hard as that may be.
So, I just stay away from them.
I think we can all agree that turning the military on them is wrong, wrong, wrong. Local law enforcement can handle any civil unrest, private people need to be left alone, period.
jason
This is what nazi dictators do. VOTE!!!
It’s what DICTATORS do, regardless of ideology, Scott. I know you love throwing around the word “Nazi” (even if it may be appropriate) but stop making it seem like the Nazis were all that different from any other authoritarian regime.
Or am I misremembering who was in charge of China during the Tiananmen Square massacre?
Calling him a nazi is EXACTLY what I should say. I’m not addressing every dictator in the world just the one running in our country parroting HITLER! Got a problem with that?