‘This will not end well’: Far-right extremism expert warns of Trump’s intensifying authoritarianism
An expert on the far-right in America warned of President Donald Trump’s “genuinely dangerous levels” of authoritarianism on Saturday.
Author David Neiwert posted a long Twitter thread on the commander-in-chief’s “Social Dominance Orientation” — and warned it will not end well.
Neiwert is the author of the 2017 book Alt-America: The Rise of the Radical Right in the Age of Trump.
Here is the thread he posted:
2) The current surge in authoritarian behavior from the occupant of the Oval Office seems to have started with the rush of eliminationist rhetoric aimed particularly at “The Squad” last month.https://t.co/D8RuLiYy72
— David Neiwert (@DavidNeiwert) August 25, 2019
4) Let’s be clear: When discussing Trump, we’re not looking at an authoritarian personality per se; rather, one with Social Dominance Orientation. They share the same desired outcome, but from a different place: SDOs are all about superiority and power.https://t.co/x5SNXQApbC
— David Neiwert (@DavidNeiwert) August 25, 2019
6) So shortly on the heels of his attacks on “The Squad,” Trump urged Israel to deny a visa to Rep. Rita Tlaib, one of his harshest critics (which it then did)—and justified it by claiming “they hate Israel and all Jewish people.” pic.twitter.com/yEGYIRiHa1
— David Neiwert (@DavidNeiwert) August 25, 2019
8) Of course, this is also a classic anti-Semitic trope, accusing U.S. Jews of “dual loyalties” to both Israel and America. It’s been used by fascist demagogues since the 1920s.https://t.co/PXpFbSRS1k
— David Neiwert (@DavidNeiwert) August 25, 2019
10) The reality was very different, of course.https://t.co/DPwlKlHFLB
— David Neiwert (@DavidNeiwert) August 25, 2019
12) In Trump’s mind, he was helping these people by gifting them with his presence so they could share the selfies with their friends later. Or something like that. pic.twitter.com/A29MIBaFwK
— David Neiwert (@DavidNeiwert) August 25, 2019
14) And then, when the Danish prime minister abruptly rebuffed him, he canceled a state visit to the European nation in a huff, clearly offended by the insult to his august self.https://t.co/bG7BKPK5kX
— David Neiwert (@DavidNeiwert) August 25, 2019
16) Then he retweeted noted conspiracy theorist (and rabid Trump fan) Wayne Allyn Root, waxing hardcore authoritarian:https://t.co/Xpv6vF1h56 pic.twitter.com/4pw9RqYt2O
— David Neiwert (@DavidNeiwert) August 25, 2019
18) He capped it all off this week with his tweets in which he “hereby ordered” all American businesses to reel back their dealings with China.https://t.co/LFVb3PJwe0 pic.twitter.com/mRoO5ldZug
— David Neiwert (@DavidNeiwert) August 25, 2019
20) It’s an utterly bogus assertion of power. And it would certainly have a catastrophic effect on the global economy. pic.twitter.com/EMC2jyqrrZ
— David Neiwert (@DavidNeiwert) August 25, 2019
22) However, there’s no question that it is intensifying now, particularly as it looks like the economy may be about to spin out of control. https://t.co/j9A6icTj7w
— David Neiwert (@DavidNeiwert) August 25, 2019
24) And yes, this past week has been particularly insane.https://t.co/H6ztDMWvem
— David Neiwert (@DavidNeiwert) August 25, 2019
25) The next step in the authoritarian script is for Trump to declare his opponents and critics “enemies of the state.” Given his recent remarks about Jews, I’m afraid we are not far removed from that terrifying juncture. pic.twitter.com/9Ew28eKZST
— David Neiwert (@DavidNeiwert) August 25, 2019
Breaking Banner
Lindsey Graham promises Fox viewers a new investigation into Andrew McCabe despite the Justice Dept clearing him
Appearing on the Fox Business channel with host Maria Bartiromo, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) promised viewers he fully intends to use his position as the head of the Senate Judiciary Committee to launch his own investigation into former Deputy Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Andrew McCabe despite the former law enforcement official already having been cleared by the Justice Department.
Complaining that the controversial Steele dossier was based on " a bunch of bar-talk and hearsay," Graham said he plans to call -- at the very least -- McCabe and former FBI Director James Comey in to be grilled by his committee.
2020 Election
‘Kiss Florida goodbye’: Voto Latino head warns Democrats of coming 2020 debacle
Appearing on MSNBC's "AM Joy," Voto Latino CEO María Teresa Kumar said Democrats should not count on taking Florida's 29 electoral votes in the upcoming 2020 presidential election if Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) is the at the top of the ticket.
During a fairly contentious panel discussion on the viability of Sanders as a candidate due to self-identifying as a democratic socialist, Kumar claimed that would not play well Florida's Latino community.
"All I can think about when David [Corn] was unpacking it for us, we can all agree is you can kiss Florida goodbye," she explained. "I say that, Floridians -- Latinos that have fled socialism, they have fled and they are in Florida and they have sensibilities that are different from the rest of the Latino community."
Breaking Banner
CNN’s Bakari Sellers schools Rick Santorum over claim Trump is not part of the ‘extreme hard right’
During a panel discussion on CNN's State of the Union, contributor Bakari Sellers set fellow panelist Rick Santorum straight after he tried to claim that Donald Trump doesn't take far-right positions.
Following a discussion on Sen. Bernie Sanders' Nevada caucus win, Santorum tried to note the major differences between Trump and Sen. Bernie Sanders.
Responding to conservative commentator Linda Chavez who called both Sanders and Trump "two angry people," Santorum remarked, "I wanted to take issue with what Linda said: two angry folks representing the extremes, and I would agree with that, with Bernie Sanders, and he is representing, no question, the extreme of the Democratic Party and he says that he is a socialist and he is angry, I agree."
Ex-Republican Clint Eastwood makes call to dump Trump in Wall Street Journal interview
‘I am disgusted and sickened’: MSNBC blasted for the network’s coverage of Nevada Caucuses
Fatal crash of flat-earther’s steam-powered rocket caught on video: report
Roger Stone’s dream of booting judge for sentencing comments brutally crushed by ex-US Attorney: ‘He’s met his match’
MSNBC panel disparages Nevada voters for picking Bernie Sanders: ‘Sounds a lot like political suicide’
Lindsey Graham promises Fox viewers a new investigation into Andrew McCabe despite the Justice Dept clearing him
MSNBC guest goes off on Chris Matthews for comparing Sanders to Nazis: ‘He had kin murdered in the Holocaust’
‘Kiss Florida goodbye’: Voto Latino head warns Democrats of coming 2020 debacle
CNN’s Bakari Sellers schools Rick Santorum over claim Trump is not part of the ‘extreme hard right’
‘Jesus was not a socialist!’ Fox News panel explodes over Jesus Christ’s political views
Lindsey Graham promises Fox viewers a new investigation into Andrew McCabe despite the Justice Dept clearing him
MSNBC guest goes off on Chris Matthews for comparing Sanders to Nazis: ‘He had kin murdered in the Holocaust’
‘Kiss Florida goodbye’: Voto Latino head warns Democrats of coming 2020 debacle
CNN’s Bakari Sellers schools Rick Santorum over claim Trump is not part of the ‘extreme hard right’
