6 Reasons Why Donald Trump Will Be The Last President
“Trump is the first candidate in memory who ran not for president but for autocrat — and won” Masha Gessen. Donald Trump will be the last president of the United States, as we know it. During the height of the campaign trail, I watched a documentary on Netflix about Hitler’s rise to power. In the documentary and in every instance that they said Hitler’s name, it was replaceable with Donald Trump. Now almost a month after his election win, every day his agenda becomes less hidden which is a major reason to worry. It may sound like a huge claim right now as we try to normalize a Trump presidency but the reality is that our democracy is at risk and in danger.
I had a deep anxiety about the worst that can happen with Donald Trump. Both before and immediately after his election win that I have tried so hard to rationalize away. But now it’s hard to do so. If you have seen the hit Netflix series, Black Mirror, there is an episode that predicted the rise of Trump. In the episode, a fictional character and late-night comedy show personality enters the race for UK parliament. His campaign is ran on the basis of bashful humor, violence, anti-government, and everything between. In the end, Waldo’s rise is global as he has persuaded the masses to trust him and the agency behind his control which ends in a global police-state. Black Mirror and Waldo both warned us of Donald Trump.
“Autocrats are lifted or propelled to power by the anger and self-hatred of a majority community.”
DO NOT NORMALIZE TRUMP. Here are 6 reasons why you should panic because of the potential consequences ahead of us.
1. He feeds off of fear, anger, and hate.
“The autocrats seek to restore a national pride somehow lost in the age of globalization” as Trump’s famous campaign slogan Make America Great Again rings a bell. Donald Trump’s playbook is taken from the page of every Autocratic leader who has risen to power in the 20th and 21st Century. By using minorities and liberal ideology as a scapegoat for the sense of lost national identity for the majority of his audience he was able to restore their pride without providing any solutions. An autocratic leader doesn’t have to capitalize on their economic promises, as there will always be one other area where they can succeed and still gain popularity. That is to disenfranchise those that go against populist nationalistic identities.
“Autocrats are lifted or propelled to power by the anger and self-hatred of a majority community.” Donald’s campaign was fueled by both the fear and hate of the majority in a time of uncertainty and global change. Even his own Chief Strategist is a leader of the Nazi alt-right movement and ex-Ceo of its main source of propaganda, Breitbart. America’s President’s right-hand man is now a racist, anarchist, and nationalist. Also, let’s not forget his bigoted attorney general, Jeff Sessions, who was once labeled too racist to be a federal judge. This has to draw some type of national concern.
2. He admires the leadership of known dictators.
It is no secret that Donald Trump admires the leadership of dictators who are “strong”, from Putin, Kim Jong-un, and Saddam Hussein. It is his dream and goal to be just like them. Influenced by Putin’s hyper-nationalism and plutocratic kleptocracy, Donald Trump is “Keeping the rich loyal by allowing them to enrich themselves with impunity and keeping everyone else in line by playing on their fears.”
By his cabinet choices alone, Trump is showing that he not only hates America but also plans to destroy it. He is structuring his future dictatorship from the ground up, including his wealthy billionaire and executor general filled cabinet. His cabinet is already being dubbed the wealthiest and no other president has had as many generals surrounding him. The generals and billionaires in his cabinet may signal the end of civilian control of the government. The future will be unlike America and a very dismal place. You also know who else surrounded himself with generals, someone by the name of Hitler.
3. It is Trump’s way or the highway.
Retribution, revenge, and intimidation are all characteristics of Donald Trump’s form of leadership. He is a huge fan of scare tactics and yes-men but fears and wants to rid anyone who may pose danger to his plan and leadership. He exemplifies anti-democratic behavior. It is already telling how he will operate his presidency. Silence dissent and punish anyone who dares to disagree with him.
Autocrats usually target civil services as a means of control. Most recently, he has requested for the names of the scientist who have worked on Global Warming initiatives. This is an obvious abuse of power and use of intimidation. These are renowned scientists who have dedicated their lives to the future of humanity. Instead of celebrating them, instead, he is saying ignore the science or we will come after you.
4. He has a distrust of institutional intelligence.
You have to wonder why Donald Trump is undermining the very institutions that do great service to the public good. From his cabinet team to his business interests, which he has continuously postponed on how he will separate from his interests all draw red flags. Almost every position that he has filled is by someone whose primary goal is to dismantle the organization that they now have power over. From EPA, Department of Education, Energy, and Housing — all are now endangered in their existence.
He even shows distrust for intelligence agencies such as the CIA, as he has skipped his intelligence meetings and that he will continue to disregard facts that he doesn’t find convenient. Continuing to badmouth the CIA and everyone who he thinks is conspiring against him. Delegitimizing the very institutions that have been created to influence policy is a dangerous path to tread. The only person who influences Donald Trump is Donald Trump himself.
5. He is a master of propaganda and media.
Trump also understands the power of communication and uses it to his advantage. From the way that he controls the media and how he was most recently averted from press conferences. On the campaign trailed he utilized the media for coverage and was everywhere to be not ignored. The media spread Trump’s message and he didn’t have to pay a dime. Propaganda is a popular tool for every autocratic dictator and it doesn’t look like Trump is straying away from using it.
Unlike past president’s, Trump’s will be one of minimum press and only one-way propaganda via Youtube or Twitter. How is the press supposed to play its part in our society if they cannot publicly question the president? Instead, we will get catered messages that only fit his agenda. Let’s also not forget that he tapped ex-Breitbart CEO, Steve Bannon, to act as his fake news propaganda machine as a smoke screen to what will be his failed tax and economic policies.
6. Then there’s Russia.
Then let us not forget the obvious concern, which is Russia. Russia has been our enemy since the end of World War 2, so you also have to wonder why our president-elect wants to grow a friendship with an arch nemesis. Understanding his love and admiration for Putin you have to think that their agenda is something along the lines of “Neo-fascist billionaires vs. the world”.
To put icing on the cake his Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, has built a strong relationship with Putin while CEO of ExxonMobil. Rex Tillerson himself has a multi-billion oil deal held up in Russia thanks to previous U.S. sanctions. A man who has close personal ties to the Kremlin has to reek of an odor of corruption. If Trump’s Secretary of State has un-hidden ties with Russia, we have to wonder why Donald never released his tax returns.
“A world led by popular autocrats would not be a happy place, in the end. It could be a very dangerous place.” In the end, Donald Trump is not a normal politician and can legitimately end Democracy in the United States. We can’t give him a chance and see what he is going to do. We must not fall in the rhetoric of ‘he didn’t really mean what he says’. Yes, yes he does! It may be hard to rationalize his behavior but in no way is he exaggerating. I wish I had the answer to how we stop someone from Trump gaining such autocratic power in the world’s best country…but we can start by spreading awareness of the potential harm that he can do.
Originally from Los Angeles, achieved a Masters in Integrated Marketed from NYU and now reside in Washington D.C. as a Brand Marketer. My passions are creating digital content, strategy, and social justice.
You can read more at JeremyDivinity.com or just click below:
