The Despot’s Apprentice: Donald Trump’s Attack on Democracy
An ex-US campaign advisor who has sat with the world’s dictators explains Donald Trump’s increasingly authoritarian tactics and the threat they pose to American democracy.
Donald Trump isn’t a despot. But he is increasingly acting like The Despot’s Apprentice, an understudy in authoritarian tactics that threaten to erode American democracy. Whether it’s attacking the press, threatening rule of law by firing those who investigate his alleged wrongdoings, or using nepotism to staff the White House, Donald Trump is borrowing tactics from the world’s dictators and despots. Trump’s fascination for the military, his obsession with his own cult of personality, and his deliberate campaign to blur the line between fact and falsehood are nothing new to the world of despots. But they are new to the United States. With each authoritarian tactic or tweet, Trump poses a unique threat to democratic government in the world’s most powerful democracy.
At the same time, Trump’s apprenticeship has serious consequences beyond the United States too. His bizarre adoration and idolization of despotic strongmen?from Russia’s Putin, to Turkey’s Erdogan, or to the Philippines’ Duterte?has transformed American foreign policy into a powerful cheerleader for some of the world’s worst regimes.
The Despot’s Apprentice: Donald Trump’s Attack on Democracy will explore how Trump uniquely threatens democracy?and how to save it from him.
Here is a discussion with the author.
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>Donald Trump is borrowing tactics from the world’s dictators and despots
The real sign of despotism and banana republics is having the wife of a previous president running against the son and brother of previous presidents.
“An ex-US campaign advisor who has sat with the world’s dictators’
Why would a domestic servant venture overseas and sit with
dictators?? Especially a campaign election advisor ! Does
campaigning bring expertise with foreign leaders ?? Please.
“Whether it’s attacking the press, threatening rule of law by firing those who investigate his alleged wrongdoings, or using nepotism to staff the White House, Donald Trump is borrowing tactics from the world’s dictators and despots.”
The Donald is the first to attack the one side depress? Comey, the clown
director of the fbi, whom was nothing but a political operative? It is within
the powers of the president (fire) to do so but the left does not like the removal
of their agent provocateur. Comey was no lawman, he was blatantly bias
rather than serving justice.
Again, no other president in history suffered from nepotism. Good God.
He is now employing tactics of tyrants? Easy solution for that issue,
Maxine Waters him.
“Trump’s fascination for the military, his obsession with his own cult of personality, and his deliberate campaign to blur the line between fact and falsehood are nothing new to the world of despots. But they are new to the United States. With each authoritarian tactic or tweet, Trump poses a unique threat to democratic government in the world’s most powerful democracy.”
A strong war machine is a fascination?? I doubt he needs to build a cult,
as people flock to him as sheeps to a good shepherd. He is the most
transparent president in the White House, since T Roosevelt or Lincoln.
Tweets are now a threat of our liberties?? Was this introduction written
for a skit on SNL or In Living Colors? This person needs to stop reading
Harry Potter books and deal with his self induced phobias.
To sum up this booklet, to shrink governmental units is solely the act
of a despot.
Please, Mr Klass, stay in EuroLand and become a world citizen.
The only smart thing you’ve said is to recognize that you’re one of the sheep. And sheep aren’t smart enough to know whether the one leading them is good or bad _ they just follow.
These are the types of immoral folks that are really
destroying America.
Yes, indeed, more honorable Demcos. This will never
make it into the MSM (MOP).
CAUTION: DEAN SAID THESE PEOPLE ARE THE SCUM
OF THE EARTH. I am GLADD that I believe in UFOs
and Bigfootee.
http://freebeacon.com/politics/firm-fires-dem-lobbyist-indicted-embezzlement-misusing-autism-charity-funds/
Yes, folks at freebeacon (and breitbart, etc.) are the scum of the earth. As are people who associate with them.
It’s worth noting that nobody is claiming people in the Democratic party never do bad things. You are lying each time you make that assertion.
Your complete lack of integrity – and apparent pride in that lack – is the primary reason that I say it is sad you have even remote interaction with people who are in need of help. I can’t imagine why an agency would hire someone as tainted as you.
Presidents come and go, leaving they little impact
on societal welfare and health.
But when there is a lengthy and ongoing decline
in morals, the nation is indeed in peril.
Has anyone noticed that all of the recent upheaval
in ethos has come from Progressos ?
What the chance this will be reported by the depress?
https://hotair.com/archives/2017/11/17/oh-fl-dems-demand-ouster-obama-biden-ally-demeaning-women/
“But when there is a lengthy and ongoing decline
in morals,”
It is indeed a good thing that that is simply a fiction pushed by people of limited intelligence.
Bullcrap. We’re still “enjoying” the resurgence of acceptance of racism and lack of concern for the economy Reagan wielded. We’re still monitored under the asinine guidelines of the “Patriot” Act instituted at the whim of President Bush and (in one of his most stupid moves ever) strengthened by President Obama (but then he was mostly a clone of President Bush when it came to “national security”). We’ll be saddled with the $3+ trillion (and growing) cost of the wars President Bush started without paying for for some time, and we’ll be screwed more by the “tax cuts” being passed now by people who are still stupid enough to believe that
– tax cuts stimulate the economy
– tax cuts correlate with job growth
but if you are limited enough to believe in fairy tales like laffer curves there is nothing else to be expected from you.
“We’re still monitored under the asinine guidelines of the “Patriot” Act instituted at the whim of President Bush and (in one of his most stupid moves ever) strengthened by President Obama (but then he was mostly a clone of President Bush when it came to “national security”).”
Your Highest Deanship, I am in complete agreement with your
very well articulated paragraph. Only a single member of
CONgress voted against the Pat(rot) Act and dat I believe was
Sister McKinney!
Regrettably, she is now seated in the Hamas Revolutionary Chambers.
Dean “Yes, folks at freebeacon (and breitbart, etc.) are the scum of the earth. As are people who associate with them.
It’s worth noting that nobody is claiming people in the Democratic party never do bad things. You are lying each time you make that assertion.”
You are either myopic or specious if you can see the extent
of morial failureship within the Progressos ranks.
And yes, there are many Repubcos whom also fit the bill
but clearly, empirically never however to such levels.
” I can’t imagine why an agency would hire someone as tainted as you.”
Because I promised and delivered significant increases in patient
traffic and revenues and subsequently the bottom line; according to
our CFO.
We also instituted an expansion of the pro bono work; being faith based
it is very important to me to give back to the needy. It is a tenth of
my faith and the teaching of my God.
So, you – not a clinician but an administrator – got vulnerable patients out the doors faster and made room for more intake in order to boost profits for the, um, enterprise. Interesting. Thanks for sharing that.
Dean said “but if you are limited enough to believe in fairy tales like laffer curves there is nothing else to be expected from you.”
Arthur, is a free market advocate and that is all that
matters to me. I place little stock in economic models,
as even the best computers have no ability to quantify
the economic actions of over 300 million American
consumers.
If one examines the annual GNP growth rates since 1950,
there is a serious erosion, which have been unabated.
Furthermore, the past two decades, US productivity has
also seen sharp reductions, further aggravating economic
growth.
In my opinion, this is all corresponding with increasing
governmental units; taxation; and the vast expansion of
local and federal mandates. It has had a serious impact
in our industry, along with the career path of medical
professionals.
Sooner or later, it shall have a demonstrable effect upon
society and perhaps those we serve.
BBD said “So, you – not a clinician but an administrator – got vulnerable patients out the doors faster and made room for more intake in order to boost profits for the, um, enterprise. Interesting. Thanks for sharing that.”
If you are a tort lawyer, you should troll for clients. We do not
interfere nor impose time limit upon any of our medical staff.
To do so would unethical. BBD, are you a writer for The National
Enquirer? You seen to make incoherent and bizarre claims without
any validity? If not, you should seek help for your malady(ies)
before they have consequences. Or may be they have already?
So how *did* you do this?
He is saying, as you’ve made clear, that moving people through to increase revenue is more important than actually helping them. “Faith based” is simply another name for “scam”, especially when the self-professed “man of faith” espouses so many racist views and statements that are counter to fact.
BBD, you haven’t thought through all the possible situations prior to his improvement.
BBD, I can but will not go into all the details involved in improving the
three clinic medical group; however, most competent administators
would have implemented many of these changes.
Additional, I simply took risks and applied my own managerial skills,
in addition to marketing, as well as promoting our clinics to
other professional groups.
Howard Dean, how many times do I have to instruct you, that we are
a for profit medical group and not faith based. Yours truly is faith
based.
BTW, have you ever in your life done any pro bono work ??
I think you are completely full of shit.
BBD, said “I think you are completely full of shit.”
We all are, until our collective BM.
JP said “The only smart thing you’ve said is to recognize that you’re one of the sheep. And sheep aren’t smart enough to know whether the one leading them is good or bad _ they just follow.”
You either underestimated the intelligence of creatures
or it is the affirmation of global warming.
We know you’re as thick as a bucket of wet sand. Not only from the subliterate rehash of fake news that you post, but from the fact that (despite tips) you still cannot understand how to thread comments.