“They speak about the dumbing of America as a foregone thing, already completed, but, duh, it’s a process, and we haven’t seen
anything yet.”–Michael Herr, Kubrick (2000)
Full-Blown Fascism Lifts Off in America
The deployment of President Trumps “federal troops” in Portland–a traditional progressive bastion–and his promises to take similar measures in Chicago, New York, Albuquerque, Detroit and other Democratic strongholds, forms the edge of the wedge of a truculent new strategy with three obvious objectives:
- To consolidate his campaign for re-election and rally his followers with theatrical shows of force.
- To intimidate his opposition all over the country.
- And this is the most worrying: To rehearse on the street his studied, incremental fascist takeover of America.
What are they hiding beyond the bread vans, the riot gear and the anonymity?
Disclaimer: When I say “his” troops and “his” strategy, I’m not referring to Trump personally. Nor would I dare to suggest that he “studied” anything. I think it’s clear by now that Donald J. Trump is incapable of the structured thinking required to elaborate a coherent plan, whether it be for a political or a military campaign or both. In normal circumstances the activation of this blatant boots-on-the-street operation would seem premature. The elections are still 13 weeks away. But a series of grave recent events has obliged what’s left of the Trump team to anticipate the program. The exploding coronavirus epidemic and Trump & Company’s extreme incompetence in dealing with it, his alarming descent in the polls–his revered “ratings”–and the corresponding rise of Joe Biden, demanded a high-profile response. Continue reading “Trump Activates Fascist Takeover”
Trump and All the Rest 