On Monday October 8, at the Confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh, the president had this to say: “I think a lot of Democrats are going to vote Republican, because I have many friends that are Democrats.The main base of the Democrats have shifted so far left that we’ll end up being Venezuela. This country would end up being Venezuela. I think a lot of Democrats are going to be voting Republican on November 6th.”
I find this statement not only thoughtless and ludicrous (as most of Trump’s statements are) but completely ironic. It is not an economic philosophy (ie socialism) which lies at the root of Venezuela’s travails, it is inept, corrupt, unchecked, authoritarian leadership. The ultimate irony is that Trump is an advocate of the same “dictators handbook” used by Nicolas Maduro and his predecessor Hugo Chavez.
Hugo Chavez in Venezuela, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Turkey, Viktor Orbán in Hungry, Rodrigo Duterte in The Philippines and Donald Trump in the USA all have somthing in common. All were democratically elected, but proceeded to attack and discredit the independent media as “fake news” and “enemies of the people”, attack the independent Judicial system, appointing judges based on political loyalty, and created a divisive nationalism by attacking a minority sector of society, and using them a scape-goats to rally their base in an “us against them” mentality. All of these 21st century leaders have used these tactics to one common end: to consolidate and increase their power and move toward greater authoritarianism.
I would contend that Nicolas Maduro is simply following his predecessor’s play book in Venezuela...a play book that Trump himself has followed religiously. How ironic that he would claim the “ Democrats would turn the USA into Venezuela when it is he, himself who is following the Chavez authoritarian play book...
It is also interesting to note that two 20th century leaders used the same process to achieve and consolidate power. In the case of Benito Mussolini, it was the Bolsheviks, in Adolf Hitler’s case it was the Jews, in Trumps case it is the Hispanics, blacks and immigrants. Different groups, but with a common goal of strewing the pot of fear, hatred and divisiveness.....I believe we have enough government “checks and balances” in our country so as not succumb to the fates of Italy in 1923 or Germany a decade later....however left unchecked and to his own devices, our current President would continue to follow the authoritarian handbook, discrediting the Independent Judicial and law enforcement, discrediting and attempting to control the media and viciously attacking the disenfranchised, and less fortunate minorities among us.
Yes, Venezuela is a tragic humanitarian crisis under Maduro’s authoritarian regime, however we are far more likely to resemble their plight under Donald Trump’s authoritarian tendency’s than almost any other potential US leader.
The final insult to this injury is that Trump is most likely to clueless the even recognize the irony in his own statements.
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