Thousands of books have already been written about Trump, the vast majority justifiably expressing abhorrence. There will be thousands to come, trying to explain how in the greatest economy and democracy in history, this disaster could have happened. I think it’s explicable.
You see we’ve been there before in one of the most sophisticated societies in history, albeit economically under the pump at the time. I refer to Hitler’s Germany. The parallels, even if unwittingly, between Trump’s modus operandi and Hitler’s are plain to see.
Both made huge plays on fictitious enemies of society within and without the system. Apart from its dishonestly this approach caused division, hatred, and rage in society, but as Hitler and Trump have proved, can pay off electorally with the down-trodden elements, always susceptible to messiahs.
Hitler raved away at vast public rallies, largely attended by the economic underclasses suffering from mass unemployment and a rampant inflation, telling them it was all the fault of Jews.
Trump similarly ranted to vast public meetings, also largely attended by the economic underclasses, telling them inter alia that the root of their problems were the Chinese and the huge numbers of illegal immigrants from Central America’s mismanaged economies taking their jobs. This latter desperate folk were not in the American tradition, namely refugees in search of a better life, instead to Trump, they were all rapists and murderers for God’s sake.
Hitler and Trump won power democratically, albeit due to their respective systems, without electoral majorities. Ultimately Hitler moved to kill off democracy, so too Trump although thanks God, unlike Hitler he failed.
In both cases competitive traditional electioneering debating of policies were abandoned, rather both promoted hatred through infantile abuse of their opponents.
The sheer shock of Trump’s constant referral to his opponent as “Crooked Hilary”, she a former First Lady and Secretary of State, induced a numbed helplessness and to their lasting shame, a turning of the other cheek by Republicans.
Not content with that, the oaf’s relentless whipping up mass chanting by his visibly lower social level audiences of “Lock her up” was despicable.
There are many other Trump parallels with Hitler but you get the picture.
Trump’s term in office degraded the world’s most important public office. His ignorance is spellbinding, such as thinking Finland was part of Russia, his relentless lying in his public utterances beyond belief (nearly 30,000 recorded by the now right of centre Washington Post) and many similar revelations, such as his affinity with dictators.
We’ve recently been through an election in New Zealand. As always it was competitively fought but also conducted with dignity by its participants towards one another and with debate confined to policies.
Now we’re at what was always inevitable, namely the wreckage of Trumpianism, he again paralleling Hitler, being now in a bunker phase. His political denouement will be played out on Thursday morning New Zealand time as we watch on CNN and other channels, the uproar across America as the last of his fanatical followers mark what normally is a day of celebration inaugurating a new President, with rioting and, I’ll put money on it, loss of lives in shooting incidents.
I believe Trump is facing huge financial problems; more important he’s certainly facing criminal prosecutions on a number of fronts.
He’s totally without any redeeming features and his legacy will be properly acknowledged only when, as must happen, he finds his inevitable destiny behind bars.