Historian: "inevitable that Trump will try to stage a coup and overthrow democracy"

[CousinIT]

Yale historian and author of the new book "On Tyranny" says we may have one year left to save American democracy

American democracy is in crisis. The election of Donald Trump feels like a state of emergency made normal.

Trump has threatened violence against his political enemies. He has made clear he does not believe in the norms and traditions of American democracy — unless they serve his interests. Trump and his advisers consider a free press to be enemies of his regime. Trump repeatedly lies and has a profoundly estranged relationship with empirical reality. He uses obvious and naked racism, nativism and bigotry to mobilize his voters and to disparage entire groups of people such as Latinos and Muslims.

Trump is threatening to eliminate an independent judiciary and wants to punish judges who dare to stand against his illegal and unconstitutional mandates. In what appears to be a violation of the emoluments clause of the Constitution, Trump is using the office of the presidency to enrich himself, his family and his inner circle by peddling influence and access to corporations, foreign countries and wealthy individuals. Trump and his representatives also believe that he is above the law and cannot be prosecuted for any crimes while in office.

What can the American people do to resist Donald Trump? What lessons can history teach about the rise of authoritarianism and fascism and how democracies collapse? Are there ways that individuals can fight back on a daily basis and in their own personal lives against the political and cultural forces that gave rise to Trump’s movement? How long does American democracy have before the poison that Donald Trump and the Republican Party injected into the country’s body politic becomes lethal?

>In your book you discuss the idea that Donald Trump will have his own version of Hitler’s Reichstag fire to expand his power and take full control of the government by declaring a state of emergency. How do you think that would play out?<

Let me make just two points. The first is that I think it’s pretty much inevitable that they will try. The reason I think that is that the conventional ways of being popular are not working out for them. The conventional way to be popular or to be legitimate in this country is to have some policies, to grow your popularity ratings and to win some elections. I don’t think 2018 is looking very good for the Republicans along those conventional lines — not just because the president is historically unpopular. It’s also because neither the White House nor Congress have any policies which the majority of the public like.

http://www.salon.com/2017/05/01/historian-timothy-snyder-its-pretty-much-inevitable-that-trump-will-try-to-stage-a-coup-and-overthrow-democracy/

[lunasun]

1. and his followers will applaud him all the way there

Trump repeatedly lies and has a profoundly estranged relationship with empirical reality. He uses obvious and naked racism, nativism and bigotry to mobilize his voters and to disparage entire groups of people such as Latinos and Muslims.

Trump is threatening to eliminate an independent judiciary and wants to punish judges who dare to stand against his illegal and unconstitutional mandates. In what appears to be a violation of the emoluments clause of the Constitution, Trump is using the office of the presidency to enrich himself, his family and his inner circle by peddling influence and access to corporations, foreign countries and wealthy individuals. Trump and his representatives also believe that he is above the law and cannot be prosecuted for any crimes while in office.

[RKP5637]

4. Well said! He is extremely dangerous! Far too Americans still can't seem to comprehend what

is going on. The US is a "mark" for Trump and his gang, naive and gullible, susceptible to lies and distortions.

[adigal]

37. Look at the ways he is already not being held accountable

Probably a dozen things he has done that would have gotten anyone else impeached.
We ARE the boiling frogs.

[lunasun]

40. Promises made -Promises kept. That is one the recent rw voter accolades for trump's actions

I do really believe his base will be applauding all the way

[Achilleaze]

2. k & r

[lastlib]

16. 'On Tyranny' is A. MUST- READ!!!

Get it on Amazon, get it wherever you can, but READ it - TODAY!

[lunasun]

41. thanks for the rec/ never heard of it until this OP

[mythology]

3. I wonder what he thinks inevitable means

Because it clearly doesn't mean what he thinks it does. People said the same things about the second Bush and about Obama. It didn't happen then either.

[Kablooie]

7. But never has a president done these things.

This is completely different and is based on a knowledge of how tyranny historically established itself. All the warnings are blatantly evident.

[pnwmom]

10. He said it was inevitable that DT would TRY -- not that he would inevitably succeed.

But he says we must be prepared to recognize the signs, and be prepared to fight.

[Zorro]

5. The American people did not make a suicide pact with Trump and the Repubs to destroy our democracy

[atreides1]

6. Not with his failing support!

http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/first-read/trump-s-support-drops-military-communities-n768036

[pnwmom]

11. His failing support wouldn't prevent him from TRYING. In fact, it might

increase the odds that he tries. If he can't control the government legally, he could very well attempt an illegal takeover.

[Warpy]

35. He can do it without popular support

but he can't do it without the blind allegiance of the military.

[njhoneybadger]

42. That's the key, will the military resist

[yardwork]

8. w was extremely unpopular months into his first term.

Then the terrorist attack of 9/11/2001 happened and most of the country rallied around the flag and the president. We invaded Afghanistan. Congress fell all over themselves passing laws eliminating civil rights.

Most of the country never stopped believing that the U.S. was in terrible danger. Kerry was defeated in 2004 mostly because the Republicans kept scaring people. Every time people calmed down, there'd be another "incident" and the terror warning would go back to red.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

9. Republican President Trump/Pence. Culmination of 40 years of stupefying GOP machinations. . . nt

[DFW]

12. The genius types don't always get it right

Wes Clark, a Rhodes Scholar who knew as much about military matters as anyone I've ever met, was sure that Cheneybush would invade Iran because they were so desperate for some more serious combat that Iraq wasn't providing. I said I didn't think so because Republicans are basically cowards, and they don't initiate fights against people they think will shoot back (Iraq was a major miscalculation). I turned out to be right (luckily for us), probably the only argument I ever won against a Rhodes Scholar, but an important one nonetheless. They don't ALWAYS get it right.

[WinkyDink]

14. When did you meet Gen. Clark?! I just think he's the cat's pajamas! ;-)

[DFW]

15. I've known Wes Clark for almost 20 years

Haven't met up lately, but we used to meet up on a regular basis around New Year's.

[URL=.html][IMG][/IMG][/URL]

[WinkyDink]

47. NOW I remember this photo! I'd vote for this ticket! ;-)

[DFW]

49. LOL!! If Wes asked, I'd even do it

But I think we're both part of the over-the-hill gang at this point.

[lastlib]

18. I think Timothy Snyder's book is on the money.

I would not be a bit surprised at tinyhands attempting an overthrow if we try to impeach him. He has too much of the savior complex in him. Remember "I ALONE can fix....."

[FakeNoose]

27. The Generals won't back him

Every successful coup has the willing support of the military, and I don't believe Trump has that.
If he did in the beginning, he's lost it already.

I believe if Trump ever tried to start World War 3 (or launch a nuke) they'd shoot him first before they'd go along with it.

We need the Generals on our side, and remind them that Trump is a crazy man. At least as crazy as Hitler.

Remember that most of our military leaders come from middle class families just like us. Some of them might even be Democrats.

[adigal]

38. I think Clark's pushback on Cheney woke us up and kept it

from happening.

[DFW]

55. Maybe, but I don't think it was ever a real part of Cheney's plans beyond the wishful thinking stage

They just do NOT attack anyone they think will shoot back. That requires guts and a willingness to sacrifice. Not in their nature.

[WinkyDink]

13. And the flag-wavin', gun-totin', "Don't Tread On Me" violent rubes and rich guys alike will be all

for the new tyranny, chanting aggressively, "USA! USA! USA!'

[Sneederbunk]

17. Trump is too inept to stage a successful coup.

If he aimed at someone on 5th Avenue, he would miss.

[trueblue2007]

19. If he aimed at someone on 5th Avenue, he would miss.

I think the person he was aiming back would RETALIATE.
If he tried to shoot me, I would defend my own life. Any rational person would do that.

[mucifer]

51. But, with russian guidance he might not be.

[roamer65]

20. ...and it mercilessly will be squashed like a bug.

[Cryptoad]

21. "will Try"???????

Hell , the Coup is Complete!!!!!!

[L. Coyote]

22. K & R

Link to tweet

[BarbD]

23. The crystal ball is cloudy.

Predicting the future is complicated mainly because Trump is crazy.

[Takket]

24. the other thing feeding this...

is that the message 45 gets from his base and those around him is that they WANT him to stage a coup and destroy our system of government. you know, the same fuckwads who spent 8 years telling us Obama violates the Consitution without once ever quoting which amendment or article he is in violation of.

Case in point. This piece of excrement.

Link to tweet

[roamer65]

39. Treasonist scumbag.

I am, of course, referring to the twitter troll you quoted.

[BigmanPigman]

25. I am going to share this! I have been resisting even though some are giving up.

As I was making my sign for the March For Truth protest in San Diego yesterday I showed it to my neighbor who walked away saying, "It won't do any good". I was crestfallen. She had gone to the Women's March with me and forgot to go to the Climate March at the last minute and cancelled. I finished my sign saying to myself, "Fuck her. I am doing what I can and am proud of that and will continue as long as I can!" I am ill and at least I can call and write letters, etc to resist. I won't even be alive to see what happens a few years from now but at least I know that I am doing my best while here.

[stage left]

44. Good for you.

I'm doing the same.

[CousinIT]

48. THANK YOU for all you do. You're an inspiration to others. We can NOT give up.

Giving up means abandoning our country and humanity. FAR TOO MUCH at stake.

[bora13]

26. t-rump needs an Althea

I told Althea I was feeling lost
Lacking in some direction
Althea told me upon scrutiny
That my back might need protection
I told Althea that treachery
Was tearing me limb from limb
Althea told me, now cool down boy
Settle back easy, Jim

You may be Saturday's child all grown
Moving with a pinch of grace
You may be a clown in the burying ground
Or just another pretty face
You may be the fate of Ophelia
Sleeping and perchance to dream
Honest to the point of recklessness
Self-centred to the extreme

Ain't nobody messin' with you but you
Your friends are getting most concerned
Loose with the truth, maybe its your fire
Baby I hope you don't get burned
When the smoke has cleared, she said
That's what she said to me
You're gonna want a bed to lay your head
And a little sympathy

There are things you can replace
And others you cannot

The time has come to weigh those things
This space is gettin' hot

You know this space is gettin' hot

I told Althea, I'm a roving sign
That I was born to be a bachelor
Althea told me, OK that's fine
So now I'm trying to catch her
Can't talk to you without talking to me
We're guilty of the same old things
Thinking a lot about less and less
And forgetting the love we bring

thanks to Robert Hunter and Jerry Garcia for years of Althea's ahead and behind.

[Kablooie]

28. One thing on our side is Trump's IQ.

He's not a sharp manipulator like Hitler was.
He's setting all the precedents for a takeover but since he's so dense he makes everything apparent.

Others in his menagerie are more dangerous but they have to put him out in front and where he bumbles everything.

Thank god Trump isn't an accomplished Machiavellian manipulator.

[Charlotte Little]

29. Do not think for one minute...

...that Trump can't pull a coup. It isn't him, anyway. It's the Mercers, Bannon, Pence, etc. They are the ones who would would more likely find a way to manufacture some kind of terror event - even if all they do is tear down our fire walls, which they've already done by gutting the State Department and alienating our allies. We have a major terrorist attack on American soil, you can absolutely bank on Martial Law. Then, it will be a matter of them simply making changes and justifying them for the "good" of the country.

Snyder is correct and every last one of us need to be paying attention as if our very freedom depends on it.

[defacto7]

30. Great book, great author.

I've purchased about 20 of these and given them away. I've mentioned it on DU a couple of times in the last month or so and few were interested. The authors background is stunning.

[keithbvadu2]

31. GOP has now cozied up to Russia - "Russia is our friend" say DT supporters.

GOP has now cozied up to Russia - "Russia is our friend" say DT supporters.

[heaven05]

32. Lets us hope

he doesn't understand a majority of American people to the point he makes this move you are warning about, and not without cause. I say. Yes the future to me looks very dark and uncertain, but I am going to pin the hope I still have on sane, progressive Rwers, if there are any left and the majority millions of patriotic Americans that voted in general society and the military for HRC just saying, HELL NO!!!!! simple as that and then get it on. Happened once before, can happen again.

[Mountain Mule]

33. K & R!

[njhoneybadger]

34. Expect a coup after he starts a war

If tRump thinks his life will be ruined by mueller investigation he will fight like a madman on acid.

[adigal]

36. I read this several weeks ago...we need a plan

I firmly believe we have more $$ power, if we stopped buying anything that is unnecessary, we would cripple big corporations and the CEOs would have Trump out in 24 hours. But that means no buying anything unnecessary. I doubt we could do it.

[Squinch]

46. I had this thought a few days ago, but I was thinking it more from the point of view of not

buying into the "American dream." Buying little and reducing my dependence on corporate America as much as I can.

The consumer economy and America's admiration for the winners of that game have had a lot to do with getting us to where we are.

[3catwoman3]

43. Trump would vastly prefer...

...being dictator for life over being president. There is work and accountability involved in being president/

[Oneironaut]

45. "In your book..." Mmmm-hmmm...

I'm not saying it could never happen, but seriously...

Also, why would Trump need to stage a coup? He has a willing army of sycophants at his side.

[OnDoutside]

54. Coup is probably hyperbole but I could see him try to curb

The press access even more. The solution to this is massive pressure on the Republicans, or enough Republicans, to do the honourable thing.

[Quemado]

50. Bill Maher

has mentioned the phrase "coup in slow motion" several times on his show recently.