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At a time when there are more autocratic governments worldwide than democratic ones it is worth noting President Donald Trump’s illegal mobilizing of the National Guard and other federal agencies to essentially turn them into his personal militia, it is indeed clear to me that we are in a full-blown, slow-moving coup.
This follows the classic third-world military takeover play book. He has attacked colleges, unions, science, education, history, museums, the arts, journalism, medicine, our voting system and even the Federal Reserve — all to remake them to fit his personal narrative. At the same time, he has embraced insurrectionists and traitors like Confederate generals and the Jan. 6 rioters. They apparently are the new patriots.
Under a Trump administration, professionalism and experience are devalued as he hires loyalists who are conspiracy theorists, Christian nationalists, cosplaying comic book villain wannabes, TV personalities and professional wrestling promoters.
He has re-instituted a long-discredited 19th century gunboat diplomacy.
He has embraced autocrats, war criminals and dictators like Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong Un, Viktor Orban and Benjamin Netanyahu while threatening and intimidating our long-term friends and allies.
He has illegally created emergencies to punitively utilize tariffs, sometimes to settle personal scores, while attempting to dupe the public into thinking that fees extorted are not essentially taxes paid by consumers.
He has weaponized the legal system for retribution against his perceived enemies.
He has exploited his position to amass enormous personal financial gain while working folk are left behind. And more.
It’s past time for citizens to ask: “Is this what we voted for?”
Greg Rossel
Troy
