I didn't watch hardly any of the RNC TV show, but what I caught of Trump's speeches reminded me SO MUCH of archive footage of Hitler, Mussolini, Castro -- going on and on and on about lawlessness, about the chaos their opponents would sow, about how they themselves are the only thing standing between the populace and total disorder.
Fear of the unknown.
A palpable but undemonstrated fear that things could get worse, much worse, under a different leader.
Interviews with voters on the radio this morning, including a couple Republicans who echoed Trump's rhetoric. One said she was SO GLAD to hear Trump invoke the name of god several times, because we need god in our lives, in our leaders. Nevermind that Trump is about the farthest thing from a god-fearing man, she heard the words and that was good enough for her.
It strikes me that people are lazy. They don't want to be responsible for self-government. A substantial portion of the populace -- enough to throw an election -- are too busy putting food on the table and keeping a roof over their heads to care about, participate in, or pay anyattention to government. They'd be just as happy with an autocratic government that told them what to do, that went through the motions of providing basic governance (even if no benefits trickle down to THEM).
In short, anyone who's still a Republican at this point wants the end of democracy in America -- no more elections (or at least free & fair elections), no more debate, no more opposition, no more disruption every four years. They want a Putin government, an Xi government, a Kim government that is stable and disruption-free for the life of the leader.
And if enough of them vote for Trump -- or elect not to vote at all -- they'll get it.
Not with a bang, but with a shrug.
Home 