Back in 2015, well before Trump won the Presidency, well before he even was the leading Republican candidate, this blog warned about his dictatorial bent.
It warned that he was a Hitler-in-the-making. (See: “Why a bigot can win the Presidency.“)
Trump proved that post prescient with his war on the media, something dictators always do, and his hate-mongering and scare tactics, something else dictators always do.
Now, here we are, with Trump once again doing his bigoted “birther” nonsense, this time against Kamala Harris, while trying to damage our democracy with his desire to delay the election, and to damage the U.S. Postal Service.
With less than three months until the most consequential election in many decades, this might be a good time to examine dictatorships.
We soon might live in one.
All dictatorships are remarkably similar. They are like movies having the same characters, and the same plot, being filmed again and again, but just with a different cast.
The four characters in a dictatorship always are: The dictator, the sycophants surrounding the dictator, the enforcers (police, army), and the public.
I. THE DICTATOR
All dictators are psychopaths.
When you read “The Hare,” the test for psychopathy, which lists twenty characteristics common to psychopaths, you’ll be able to understand why dictators exhibit psychopathic tendencies.
The clinician scores each item with 0 (no presence), 1 (uncertain) or 2 (definitely present). Psychopaths score 30 to 40 points. The general population typically scores less than 5.
1. GLIB AND SUPERFICIAL CHARM — the tendency to be smooth, engaging, charming, slick, and verbally facile.
Psychopathic charm is not in the least shy, self-conscious, or afraid to say anything. A psychopath never is tongue-tied.
“I am a stable genius.”
2. GRANDIOSE SELF-WORTH — a grossly inflated view of one’s abilities and self-worth, self-assured, opinionated, cocky, a braggart.
Psychopaths are arrogant people who believe they are superior human beings.
3. NEED FOR STIMULATION or PRONENESS TO BOREDOM — an excessive need for novel, thrilling, and exciting stimulation; taking chances and doing things that are risky.
Psychopaths often have a low self-discipline in carrying tasks through to completion because they become bored easily.
They fail to work at the same job for any length of time, for example, or to finish tasks that they consider dull or routine.
4. PATHOLOGICAL LYING — can be moderate or high; in moderate form, they will be shrewd, crafty, cunning, sly, and clever; in extreme form, they will be deceptive, deceitful, underhanded, unscrupulous, manipulative and dishonest.
They will defend their lies even when confronted with negating facts.
5. CONNING AND MANIPULATIVENESS — the use of deceit and deception to cheat, con, or defraud others for personal gain; distinguished from Item #4 in the degree to which exploitation and callous ruthlessness is present, as reflected in a lack of concern for the feelings and suffering of one’s victims.
6. LACK OF REMORSE OR GUILT — a lack of feelings or concern for the losses, pain, and suffering of victims; a tendency to be unconcerned, dispassionate, coldhearted and unempathetic.
This item is usually demonstrated by a disdain for one’s victims.
7. SHALLOW AFFECT — emotional poverty or a limited range or depth of feelings; interpersonal coldness in spite of signs of open gregariousness and superficial warmth.
8. CALLOUSNESS and LACK OF EMPATHY — a lack of feelings toward people in general; cold, contemptuous, inconsiderate, and tactless.
9. PARASITIC LIFESTYLE — an intentional, manipulative, selfis, and exploitative financial dependence on others as reflected in a lack of motivation, low self-discipline and the inability to carry through one’s responsibilities.
10. POOR BEHAVIORAL CONTROLS — expressions of irritability, annoyance, impatience, threats, aggression and verbal abuse; inadequate control of anger and temper; acting hastily.
11. PROMISCUOUS SEXUAL BEHAVIOR — a variety of brief, superficial relations, numerous affairs, and an indiscriminate selection of sexual partners; the maintenance of numerous, multiple relationships at the same time; a history of attempts to sexually coerce others into sexual activity (rape) or taking great pride at discussing sexual exploits and conquests.
12. EARLY BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS — a variety of behaviors prior to age 13, including lying, theft, cheating, vandalism,bullying, sexual activity, fire-setting, glue-sniffing, alcohol use and running away from home.
13. LACK OF REALISTIC, LONG-TERM GOALS — an inability or persistent failure to develop and execute long-term plans and goals; a nomadic existence, aimless, lacking direction in life.
14. IMPULSIVITY — the occurrence of behaviors that are unpremeditated and lack reflection or planning; inability to resist temptation, frustrations and momentary urges; a lack of deliberation without considering the consequences; foolhardy, rash, unpredictable, erratic and reckless.
15. IRRESPONSIBILITY — repeated failure to fulfill or honor obligations and commitments; such as not paying bills, defaulting on loans, performing sloppy work, being absent or late to work, failing to honor contractual agreements.
16. FAILURE TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR OWN ACTIONS — a failure to accept responsibility for one’s actions reflected in low conscientiousness, an absence of dutifulness, antagonistic manipulation, denial of responsibility, and an effort to manipulate others through this denial.17. MANY SHORT-TERM RELATIONSHIPS — a lack of commitment to a long-term relationship reflected in inconsistent, undependable, and unreliable commitments in life, including in marital, business, and familial bonds.
18. JUVENILE DELINQUENCY — behavior problems between the ages of 13-18; mostly behaviors that are crimes or clearly involve aspects of antagonism, exploitation, aggression, manipulation, or a callous, ruthless tough-mindedness.
19. REVOCATION OF CONDITION RELEASE — a revocation of probation or other conditional releases due to technical violations, such as carelessness, low deliberation or failing to appear.
20. CRIMINAL VERSATILITY — a diversity of types of criminal offenses, regardless if the person has been arrested or convicted for them; taking great pride at getting away with crimes or wrongdoings.
[See additional explanations for each here.]
By our count, Trump scores a 39, ( a “2” on every criterion except #19), at the very top of the psychopathy scale, and somewhat higher even than Adolf Hitler.
II. THE SYCOPHANTS
Shakespeare wrote, “Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.” Dictators need constant emotional reinforcement, which requires a coterie of sycophants.
Similarly, dictators also are leery of those who are too talented or are given too much praise, viewing them as dangerous and untrustworthy competition.
Trump, who often boasts he knows as much as the doctors, doesn’t like seeing these headlines: Donald Trump Grumbles That Dr. Fauci Has Higher Approval Rating and Trump criticizes Birx after she issues coronavirus warnings).
Trump surrounds himself with incompetents, liars, toadies, and criminals. (Tom Price, Scott Pruitt, Ben Carson, Paul Manafort, Rick Gates, Michael Flynn, Michael Cohen, Wilbur Ross, Chris Collins, Duncan Hunter, Salvatore Testa, Tony Salerno, Roger Stone, Felix Sater, Jeffrey Epstein, Alexander Acosta, George Papadopoulos, Alex Van der Zwaan, Konstantin Kilimnik, et al).
Their sole qualification for his support was loyalty to Trump, who quickly dismisses any who do not display sufficient fealty to him.
And the above list doesn’t even include Mitch McConnell and the entire GOP, who lack spines or morals, so don’t dare to criticize even the most outrageous of Trumpian comments or actions.
The book, Everything That Touches Trump, Dies, “is written to argue the myriad ways in which bowing to the president will poison even those with good intentions — like those who join the administration to serve the country, or those Republicans who go along with Trumpism because they like Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch.”
Many, otherwise well-intentioned people, joined Trump’s sycophant’s club only to leave in disappointment. Jeff Sessions, Rex Tillerson, John Bolton, James Comey, Anthony Scaramucci, Reince Priebus, Sean Spicer, Preet Bharara, Michael Short, Mike Dubke, Sally Yates, Angella Reid — the list goes on and on.
An example of a perfect sycophant in Trump’s menagerie is Kellyanne Conway, defends Trump’s every action, no matter how obscene. Her reputation will forever be “Trump’s Goebbels.”
(Joseph Goebbels, Hitler’s Minister of Propaganda, initiated the “Heil Hitler” salute and insisted on the use of “Der Führer” as the title. His letters are full of groveling praise — such as repeated testimonials that the experience of Hitler transformed his consciousness — and imagined scenes of glorious triumphs against various adversaries in which the Führer stands firm and unshakeable.)
Sycophants are an extreme embodiment of Gap Psychology, the urge to distance oneself from those below in any social hierarchy and to near those above.
Sycophants are emotionally vulnerable people who willingly relinquish their own personalities and beliefs to those of the dictator. They say what he says. They believe what he believes. They excuse and defend everything the dictator does, no matter how vile.
The ultimate sycophants are the members of a cult, who will go so far as commit suicide upon the orders of the cult leader. (See: Jim Jones.)
As you may know, if you have attempted to persuade a Trump follower of Trump’s criminality and incompetence, mere logic and facts do not easily penetrate. (See: The Cult of Trump”)
The dictator creates what are claimed to be “dangerous” enemies to hate (Trump created such “enemies” as: Mexicans, blacks, all foreigners, non-citizens, Muslims, gays, the poor, strong women, liberals, China, Democrats, ‘the elite’, the ‘lamestream’ media.”), and then he offered his protection from these “enemies.”
(For Hitler, enemies were foreigners, Jews, Gypsies, the disabled, Catholics, foreigners.)
Cultism is why the German people so willingly attacked their Jewish neighbors and sent them off to death camps. They believed what their dictator told them.
Dictator followers are told to deny science, and instead to obtain their believable information from the dictator. (See: 150 Attacks On Science And Counting.)
Suppressed studies. Muzzled scientists. Disbanded scientific advisory committees. These are some examples of the gross violations of scientific integrity that the Trump administration has carried out during its 3½ years in power.
At the Union of Concerned Scientists, we have been tracking these attacks on science since day one and our tracker has now hit a new, grim milestone – the Trump administration has so far engaged in more than 150 attacks on science, far exceeding the attacks recorded during the George W. Bush and Barack Obama administrations.
And during the COVID-19 pandemic, where death counts have reached 150,000, there has never been a clearer example showing that the Trump administration’s willful disregard of science comes at a fatal cost.
Only a few of the 150 examples:
Global warming is a Chinese hoax
Vaccination is a danger
The threat of COVID-19 is a lie
Air and water pollution are not a problem
Mask-wearing is a liberal plot to destroy the economy
COVID-19 testing is a liberal plot to make Trump look bad
Hydroxychloroquine prevents and cures COVID-19
Injecting disinfectant into the body can cure COVID-19
III. THE ENFORCERS
This group includes the military, private security, the police, palace guards, special forces, etc.
In addition to the military, Hitler had his personal bodyguard units, including the SS (“Protection Squadron”)
In addition to the U.S. Army, Trump has at his disposal and has used federal law enforcement officers from the FPS, ICE, Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the U.S. Marshals Service in Portland Oregon alone.
When you see officers in riot gear attacking peaceful protestors, or read about police brutality, particularly against minorities, have you ever wondered what is going through the minds of the enforcers?
They are Americans, most often family people, who have parents and children, yet they willingly attack the parents and children of their fellow Americans with a gusto that can go well beyond “keeping the peace.”
Why? Why are all dictatorships supported by a military composed of brutal, amoral, fellow citizens? What changes, mentally and emotionally, in these people when they join an enforcer group?
That nice, polite, young man, your neighbor boy whom you watched grow up and whom you thanked for protecting the nation by joining the army — that same young man will kick down your door, shoot you and your family, and burn down your house if ordered to by his superiors.
If, one day, you had told that young man to kill a neighbor, he would have refused. But put him in a uniform, and make him part of an enforcer organization, and he will obey any order, no matter how appalling.
The German death camp guards went home each evening to hug their loving wives and play with their children; then each morning went back to work, torturing and killing other wives and children.
Why?
What happens to our “protectors” when they receive orders from the dictator? All over America, we see the answer.
The boys we cheer as heroes for defending us are the same boys who kill us; they essentially “lose their minds” and their morals when part of a strong dictatorial group. The group’s morals become their morals; the group’s beliefs become their beliefs.
The military, the police, and all similar organizations are cults, where any divergence from the cult’s path is strongly discouraged and often punished.
They do not think of themselves as part of the community. They often think of you as the enemy, to be controlled by whatever means possible.
The greatest danger to any nation is not a foreign army, but the nation’s own army. It is relatively rare, these atomic-weapon days, for a foreign army to “take over” another nation.
But it is a daily occurrence for a dictator to use an nation’s own army to take over that nation.
Read the following short article Here are excerpts:
From day one, military recruits are not only taught the value of instant obedience to orders, but they’re also conditioned through the rigorous, rapid, and heavily directive nature of boot camp.
The idea is to acclimatize new recruits to the idea of following the leader to hell and back.
When people are dying around you and your lieutenant tells you to “Take that hill!” then obedience and training are required for swift and efficient action.
But as a society, we’ve had to embrace the hard lessons of unthinking obedience gone wrong. The Nuremberg defense is the classic example of why “just following orders” is an unacceptable excuse for morally damning actions.
But this wasn’t the last, and it wasn’t always an enemy of the U.S. damning themselves.
IV. THE PUBLIC
By necessity, the public knows only what it is told and what it experiences.
If your fellow citizens experience problems (illness, hunger, poverty), and the controlled media tell you there are no problems, or the problems are minimal, you receive mixed messages.
That is why every dictator makes a point of demeaning the “lamestream” media. He wants to control what you see and what you hear so that you will dismiss claims of problems as “fake news.”
So far, America’s media have been free to report the facts, though dictator-driven and Russia-driven social media have had a powerful effect on what you believe.
The American Constitution created by men who had no knowledge of the Internet. It was created without the knowledge of semi-automatic and automatic guns in everyone’s hands.
It was created without the knowledge of a Congress for whom the independence of the judiciary is anathema and “law and order” is used as a synonym for fascism, racism, and tyranny.
It was created, with good intentions, to be a document that establishes a government far different from the European autocracies, with their dominant royalties.
But it only is a document, a piece of paper. Its power lies solely in the good intentions of the powerful people entrusted to interpret it honestly.
The Constitution did not prevent the forced removal of American citizens of Japanese descent. The Constitution has not prevented bigotry in hiring and compensation. The Constitution has not prevented poverty. It did not prevent the illegal Vietnam war.
The Constitution did not prevent slavery. In fact, the original Constitution prohibited the passing of laws that banned slavery. And despite what the Constitution now says, Americans remain divided about that unholy abuse (“separate but equal,” statues of slave-holders, “black lives matter”).
The Constitution cannot prevent the perversions of a dishonest President, a compliant Congress, a corrupted judiciary, nor a bigoted Supreme Court.
The Constitution does not defend America. That fragile piece of paper called “The Constitution,” relies on the American people to defend it.
Today, America is at the precipice. A dishonest leader, defended by a bootlicking Congress, a biased Supreme Court, and Americans who have forgotten the Hitlerian lessons of World War II, has taken steps to subvert the coming elections.
They have:
—Hamstrung the Postal Service to prevent millions of Americans from voting
—Reduced the number of polling places, also to prevent millions from voting
–Suggested delaying the election
–Used massive gerrymandering to nullify opposing votes
–Invited and accepted foreign interference in our elections
–Attempted to invalidate our free press
—Threatened to deny the election results if Trump loses
It once may have seemed inconceivable that America could become a 3rd world, banana-republic-style dictatorship, but no longer.
The thought that the most powerful nation on earth, militarily and economically, could be ruled by an amoral, dictatorial government, with the naive blessing of a minority of the American people, should make you shudder, for your self. For your children. For the world.
Rodger Malcolm Mitchell
Monetary Sovereignty Twitter: @rodgermitchell Search #monetarysovereignty Facebook: Rodger Malcolm Mitchell …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
THE SOLE PURPOSE OF GOVERNMENT IS TO IMPROVE AND PROTECT THE LIVES OF THE PEOPLE.
The most important problems in economics involve:
- Monetary Sovereignty describes money creation and destruction.
- Gap Psychology describes the common desire to distance oneself from those “below” in any socio-economic ranking, and to come nearer those “above.” The socio-economic distance is referred to as “The Gap.”
Wide Gaps negatively affect poverty, health and longevity, education, housing, law and crime, war, leadership, ownership, bigotry, supply and demand, taxation, GDP, international relations, scientific advancement, the environment, human motivation and well-being, and virtually every other issue in economics. Implementation of Monetary Sovereignty and The Ten Steps To Prosperity can grow the economy and narrow the Gaps:
Ten Steps To Prosperity:
2. Federally funded Medicare — parts A, B & D, plus long-term care — for everyone
3. Social Security for all or a reverse income tax
4. Free education (including post-grad) for everyone
5. Salary for attending school
6. Eliminate federal taxes on business
7. Increase the standard income tax deduction, annually.
8. Tax the very rich (the “.1%”) more, with higher progressive tax rates on all forms of income.
9. Federal ownership of all banks
10.Increase federal spending on the myriad initiatives that benefit America’s 99.9%
The Ten Steps will grow the economy and narrow the income/wealth/power Gap between the rich and the rest.
MONETARY SOVEREIGNTY
