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I’m reading: CAN IT HAPPEN HERE? Authoritarianism in America. Pretty much the question of the hour, right? The book consists of 9 essays by 9 separate scholars. Stand by for (very) brief summaries of the essays.
Lots of people naturally gravitate toward a police state. “Who voted for Trump? . . . It’s people who want too strong a leader . . . Similar to the Europeans following Mussolini and Hitler. There’s a streak in humanity that likes that kind of leader.” John Dean
Essay #1 “Dictator’s Handbook” (Eris Posner) A would-be dictator must attack & dismantle all institutions (Congress, agencies, courts, parties, free press, etc.) Given how large, diverse, and deeply entrenched our institutions are, Posner concludes Trump unlikely to succeed.
Essay #2, Constitutional Rot (Jack Balkin) A growing oligarchy (rule by a wealthy few— NRA? Koch Bros?) esp. in the Republican Party is the disease. Trump is the symptom. The shock of Trump should cause enough push back so we can end the oligarchy and save the republic
Essay #3 Could Fascism Come to America? by Tyler Cowen Concludes that our government is too unwieldy to easily turn into a police state. Few Americans with fascist leanings have governing experience so an attempted takeover (Flynn, Bannon) creates chaos, not authoritarianism.
