There aren’t two fundamental political realities.
Looking at your bullet points, it certainly sounds like you’re inhabiting a different reality than many other Americans. And really, as soon as the Big Lie bifurcated the electorate into two realities: one in which Biden won both popular and electoral vote, and another reality in which Trump won, but the election was stolen, those two different realities have been present ever since. Trump’s MO is to simply talk his reality into existence, counting on repeating a lie will create an alternate reality of true believers in the lie. It worked. Two political realities, one based on facts, one based on lies. Two versions of recent American history: one based on facts, one based on lies.
There is no authoritarian on the ballot
Well, there is, Donald Trump. I could bury you in the words of scholars of authoritarianism on this fact: Trump as authoritarian. A few:
Donald Trump has openly admired authoritarians around the world. Now he’s pledging to rule like one. An examination of the promises, powers and plans of a second Trump presidency.
www.wbur.org
You’ve read about the scary horrors of a Trump second term. But a legal war of attrition that harasses MAGA’s enemies and transforms government info into propaganda could prove more insidious and harder to mobilize against.
newrepublic.com
It helps to realize there is, and always will be, a healthy % of Americans who are more amenable to authoritarianism to begin with:
It’s not how we think of our fellow-citizens, but no matter who wins in November, the impulse will be very much alive in the country. What do they want?
www.politico.com
American Fascism isn’t coming
Well, I need to start with the fact that, again, scholars of authoritarianism, and others would disagree, in so far as it’s not that difficult to identify Trump as a fascist. I follow Ruth Ben-Ghiat, but other prominent thinkers have come to a similar conclusion. I understand there will be serious disagreement based on how one defines fascism.
Historian, author and fascism expert Ruth Ben-Ghiat breaks down Trump's speech and how it relates to authoritarianism.
wdet.org
After writing a book about Benito Mussolini last year, an N.Y.U. professor began noticing the similarities between her book’s subject and Trump.
www.newyorker.com
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XTJNy_OrjE
To get people to lose their aversion to violence, savvy authoritarians also dehumanize their enemies. That’s what Trump is doing.
protectdemocracy.org
Christian Nationalism is not a force in 2024
I’m looking at at 2025, should Trump win. Christian nationalism is baked right into Project 2025, and I won’t underestimate the temporary strength of reactionary political movements. Of course, Christian nationalism isn’t Christian, but anytime you combine “Christianity” with the one modern ideology most responsible as the cause of wars in the modern era, that’s unnerving, just keep them away from power if possible. Overall, I do not believe the United States will become a Christian nationalist theocracy. But we don’t need such ideologies exercising any influence on government at all.
Trump did not try to overthrow the government or prevent a peaceful transfer of power
Well, yes, he did. I’m thinking you’re basing that claim on some interpretation of the Supreme Court immunity ruling. Donald Trump did try to prevent the peaceful transfer of power. The 1/6 attack on the People’s House would never have accomplished that. But his efforts prior to 1/6 did represent efforts to change the outcome of an election.
The election isn’t that important
Well, History will likely be the better judge of that. I can’t predict how important future events will be, dependent, in part, on who the Chief Executive is in 2025.
