Yale philosopher and author of 'How Fascism Works' explains why the pandemic offers Trump

[turbinetree]

a dangerous opportunity to ‘rule by decree’

Written by Chauncey DeVega / Salon May 11, 2020

A moment of reckoning is here. America must have committed great wrongs to be afflicted with the coronavirus pandemic and Donald Trump at the same time.

Authoritarians like Trump love disasters. Because they can only destroy and not create, authoritarians use such moments of misery and fear to expand their power.

Donald Trump is announcing that fact when he proclaims himself to be a “war president.” Such language is not just the superficial trappings of Trump wrapping himself in the flag and using empty words about “sacrifice” and “bravery” and “heroism.” It is something far worse and more sinister. As a “war president,” Trump is putting himself above the law and proclaiming the country is in a state of emergency.

I recently spoke with Yale University philosophy professor Jason Stanley, author of the books “How Fascism Works: The Politics of Us and Them” and “How Propaganda Works.” He warns in this conversation that the coronavirus pandemic is an opportunity for the Trump regime to further advance its campaign against the Constitution, democracy, human rights, human dignity and freedom across all areas of American society.

https://www.alternet.org/2020/05/yale-philosopher-and-author-of-how-fascism-works-explains-why-the-pandemic-offers-trump-a-dangerous-opportunity-to-rule-by-decree/

[empedocles]

1. trump's 'authoritarian crisis bump was small, and is fading.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-covid-19-coronavirus-dictator-but-not-how-you-think_n_5e8ca74ac5b62459a92fc66b

[Maybe that is why it seems he is trying to make the 19 virus crisis worse - so he has a bigger problem to fix - and a bigger, needier bump from the populace].

[Javaman]

2. this is trumps plan...

?resize=1200%2C705

[plimsoll]

11. I think that's Seattle.

So when people ask why there's a homeless problem here, remember since the 1930's we've been the end of the line for people trying to get away from disaster.

Interesting side bar, that's where the Seattle fault runs, and when the Cascade fault does let go, this stuff will be completely inundated. But the homeless camps aren't here anymore.

[Mike 03]

3. Pretty scary

Fascism involves the typed of paramilitary forces we have seen in Michigan and elsewhere during Trump’s time in office, and before as well. Trump has constantly called for his supporters to use force against their and his “enemies.” Trump is trying to organize armed paramilitary groups on his behalf if there is a contested 2020 presidential election or some other outcome he does not like.

Definitely worth the read. But it's not uplifting.

[hedda_foil]

16. I fear those armed groups will be set loose nationwide the moment Biden's win is announced.

Hitler's roving gangs of thugs wore brown shirts. Trump's wear red hats.

[niyad]

4. KNR for an important read.

[Midnight Writer]

5. Usually a trend towards authoritarianism follows a disaster, like economic collapse or a losing war.

It has puzzled me that our push towards authoritarianism has happened at a time of relative stability.

If we were in danger before, it will be worse when suffering becomes more widespread.

When people are getting beat up, they instinctively look for a strong man to rescue them.

[klook]

8. White supremacists see the Obama presidency as an existential disaster.

"When people are getting beat up, they instinctively look for a strong man to rescue them." American right-wingers felt they were getting beat up for eight years while Obama occupied the White House. Trump is the authoritarian they want, no matter the cost.

We do have them outnumbered. We just have to realize the intensity of the emotion on the other side. And the Biden campaign had better be prepared for the dirtiest campaign in American history for the next six months.

[SergeStorms]

14. But Trump is not a strong man.

He plays one on TV, but he's actually a coward and a big baby. There is no "there" there with Trump.

[Newest Reality]

6. Kick!

It has taken a while for this to become more evident, but this is one of the most important articles you can read right now, especially in light of the coming General Election.

It was evident from the start upon careful analysis and looking behind the Orange mask, but I encourage people to open their eyes and brave seeing this for what it is now, because we still have time to grapple with it and if Trump succeeds, we may want to be prepared for the trials and difficulties that await us.

We are at pivotal point in our history and a lot depends on how the next six-months play out. The GOP is fully behind it as well and they are working hard and generating as much propaganda as they can to play the end game.

[certainot]

7. i just wanted to point out the sex on the wrong brain theory, blaming a lot of fascism

and authoritarian tendencies on wrong handed masturbation - to put things in perspective....

associating sex with the left side of the brain increases the need for certainty. the psych studies show a major motivator for authoritarianism/conservatism is the need to avoid uncertainty. so they have to impose order and control and reduce and simplify to absolutes - good evil, black-white etc - to create certainty and reduce their irrational fears.

that's why authoritarian leaders are very certain and never wrong.

it also increases greed, by associating impatient satisfaction-demanding reproductive impulses with parts of the brain used for math, quantification etc - creating a demand for more, bigger, faster

sexonthewrongbrain.com describes how humans evolved with it and it provided survival benefits in times of conflict and hardship but now sowb is destroying the planet with greed and global warming. sowb explains why most humans are right handed now, differences between males and females, and that particular susceptibilities to it may have been inherited.

it's not human nature. and it's time we ramped up the anti-fascism with a simple number 1 sex ed lesson

[mahatmakanejeeves]

9. Chauncey DeVega: America must have committed great wrongs to be afflicted with...

Chauncey DeVega / Salon May 11, 2020

A moment of reckoning is here. America must have committed great wrongs to be afflicted with the coronavirus pandemic and Donald Trump at the same time.

Srsly? And here I thought it was 77,000 voters in three swing states, along with voters in Florida, et al., who delivered the final push. Instead, it's "America must have committed great wrongs."

It's not 1970 anymore.

[denem]

10. COVID offered trump a huge opportunity

but he blew it.

He could have made it a centerpiece of SOTU.

[DENVERPOPS]

12. Exactly

Precisely why Cheney/Rumsfeld allowed 9/11 to happen and ignored all warnings from the Obama Administration and even the glaring warnings from the FBI agents and others in the intelligence community................

[Hortensis]

13. Authoritarians around the planet sow disruption in order to

grab more power.

I believe there's a connection between that tried-and-true tactic for power grabbing and refusal of the congressional Republican leadership to contain or mitigate this disease in our nation. Instead, they lied to the people that it was just a Democratic political ploy until rising death rates required (mostly) shifting to the next phase of continued denial and raiding the national cookie jar for the wealthy. And what else?

[dalton99a]

15. Kick