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Quixote1818

(31,075 posts)
Sat Sep 20, 2025, 04:35 PM Saturday

Heather Cox Richardson: Mr. Trump Will MELT DOWN When He Realizes This"

Historian Heather Cox Richardson argues that Donald Trump and the MAGA movement exploit a “friends vs. enemies” framework to consolidate power, a tactic common to authoritarian regimes. Trump weaponizes language, loyalty tests, and state power to brand opponents—even Republicans—as traitors. But Richardson stresses this is not a true partisan divide: it’s one man demanding personal loyalty versus the broader American people.

At the same time, resistance is widespread and decentralized—through lawsuits, protests, boycotts, grassroots organizing, and creative civic action. Far from being a weakness, Richardson says this diversity is America’s strength: millions pushing back in different ways are difficult to suppress.

🔑 Key Topics

-Trump’s divide-and-rule strategy: labeling critics as enemies to justify power grabs.

-Not “us vs. them,” but Trump vs. the people: an individual seeking authoritarian control.

-Forms of resistance: protests, boycotts, lawsuits, local resolutions, and creative community action.

-Weaknesses of Trump’s camp: declining popularity, reliance on unelected aides, scandals, and economic troubles.

-Unlikely alliances: some conservatives breaking with Trump.

-Media strategy: strengthen independent journalism, diversify communication channels, and counter propaganda.

🎯 Main Message

For Richardson, the struggle is not partisan but the American people defending democracy against authoritarianism. The nation’s strength lies in diversity, decentralization, and civic resilience. By acting creatively, nonviolently, and collectively, Americans can safeguard democratic values and outlast authoritarian attempts to dominate.

#heathercoxrichardson #usa #civilwar #trump #freespeech

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Heather Cox Richardson: Mr. Trump Will MELT DOWN When He Realizes This" (Original Post) Quixote1818 Saturday OP
+1 for an encouraging post. - nt CrispyQ Saturday #1
On her Youtube channel is that this one? mahina Saturday #2
I've been thinking along these lines for a while. intheflow Saturday #3

intheflow

(29,728 posts)
3. I've been thinking along these lines for a while.
Sat Sep 20, 2025, 05:53 PM
Saturday

As bad as this is, we are not WWII Germany. To wit,

2025 estimated US population: 333,044,954
1933 estimated German population: 65,362,115

2025 estimated US listeners who can watch any news or opinions from around the globe, 24/7/365: 333,044,954
1933 estimated German listeners who could listen to news only at certain times of the day when they aired Nazi propaganda over the single, state-owned radio network, the Reichs-Rundfunk-Gesellschaft: 4,000,000

We have way more people than they did, and social media can be used for good (i.e., the myriad clips we have of Charlie Kirk spewing his anti-American baloney now being shared to vindicate Jimmy Kimmel’s benign comment). We are many, and honestly, many more than MAGA Christofascists. It isn’t as easy for them to fool the majority, thank God.

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