... rather than by the deranged idealism of Hitler or Stalin or Mao. Such rulers rely less on terror and more on rule-twisting, the manipulation of information, and the co-optation of elites. Worldwide, the number of democratic states has diminished. Within many of the remaining democracies, the quality of governance has deteriorated.
Ever since Donald Trump launched his presidential campaign in 2015, critics worried about his authoritarian tendencies. He’s done much to justify those fears. At his rallies, he whipped crowds into such a frenzy that protesters were beaten. As president, he’s flouted elementary rules about nepotism and conflict of interest; undermined the independence of the judiciary by impugning judges overseeing cases involving him or his administration; obstructed justice by firing James Comey after he refused to pledge loyalty to him; and arbitrarily limited media access by, for instance, replacing daily White House press briefings with off-camera gaggles where recording is banned.
The Twin Authoritarians Who Are Endangering American Democracy
Trump's kleptocratic, autocratic tendencies are matched by McConnell's destruction of democratic norms. Both are an existential threat.
https://newrepublic.com/article/143503/twin-authoritarians-endangering-american-democracy
Ever since Donald Trump launched his presidential campaign in 2015, critics worried about his authoritarian tendencies. He’s done much to justify those fears. At his rallies, he whipped crowds into such a frenzy that protesters were beaten. As president, he’s flouted elementary rules about nepotism and conflict of interest; undermined the independence of the judiciary by impugning judges overseeing cases involving him or his administration; obstructed justice by firing James Comey after he refused to pledge loyalty to him; and arbitrarily limited media access by, for instance, replacing daily White House press briefings with off-camera gaggles where recording is banned.
The Twin Authoritarians Who Are Endangering American Democracy
Trump's kleptocratic, autocratic tendencies are matched by McConnell's destruction of democratic norms. Both are an existential threat.
https://newrepublic.com/article/143503/twin-authoritarians-endangering-american-democracy