When Trump Rules (why he shouldn't, even if you think so)

We are living under "strongman" rule in my school district right now. Our governor dissolved our elected board because of one troubled school out of 273, and fired our superintendent. He replaced the superintendent with a militaristic "strongman" who does not tolerate any dissent. The superintendent chose a "board of managers" that will rubber-stamp whatever he wants to do. We the voters have no recourse on any of this unless we can convince a majority of Texans to vote out our authoritarian governor in four years, at which point our district will already have been destroyed.

Here's what happens under "strongman" rule:

The "strongman" comes in and identifies a group of people that he thinks are enemies. He begins by firing (in the case of a president, could also be killing, imprisoning, "disappearing") those enemies to send a message. He also stages a propaganda rally to convince everyone how awesome he is and how anyone who dissents is a "naysayer" and should be ignored. (This literally happened - new supe staged a whole musical starring him to the tune of half a million dollars.)

The "strongman" chooses an in-group that is loyal only to him, to enforce the law as he wants it. Anyone who dissents or even questions is removed (killed, imprisoned, etc.).

The "strongman" realizes that bright, educated, and capable people are a threat to his rule, so he makes the environment so toxic that they will choose to leave of their own volition. If they don't, he will make up a reason to remove them.

The "strongman" jettisons a broad knowledge base, like a library, in favor of an approved set of facts (propaganda) that are delivered in lockstep.

The "strongman" cherry-picks data to try to "prove" that his way is successful. Again, anyone who dissents is removed. (This is where those who initially supported the "strongman" get screwed - it becomes obvious to anyone with a brain that he is not actually improving things and is, in fact, making things worse. But no one is allowed to say that. All of a sudden previous supporters are also losing their jobs, going to prison, etc.)

And this goes on until all that are left are mindless drones who are loyal only to the "strongman." Those who are able, leave and go somewhere else. Those who cannot (mostly the poor) are stuck living in a totalitarian environment where they have no choices and little hope.

I would hope that's not what anyone wants for America. We certainly don't want it for our school district. Americans value our right to vote and our freedom to speak out and question authority. To remove those things is antithetical to our way of life. It shouldn't happen.

Sounds like Russia 

Exactly but very one thinks they are immune until it’s too late. And those that would have helped can’t anymore.

I wasn’t surprised at the SCOTUS decision but I am devastated nevertheless. Never in my life did I think this country could end up like this.

True. In red states where women no longer have bodily autonomy, life is pretty mundane and normal until you or a loved one has a dangerous pregnancy complication or incomplete miscarriage and can't get the medical care you need.

Where the ten commandments are required to be posted in classrooms (Lousiana) or every teacher is required to teach from the bible (Oklahoma), eh, no big deal until some kid gets beat up on the playground for not being a Christian. Or a teacher loses her job because she isn't comfortable proselytizing for a religion she doesn't believe in.

Where DEI offices are required to close and diversity can no longer be a part of admissions or hiring processes (Texas), everything seems normal until the good ol' boy/nepo baby network kicks back in, and there are no women in the engineering department nor people of color in the history department. Not necessarily out of any malicious intent. But it's a fact that most people, given the latitude to do so, will hire or admit those who look and think like them because that's what's most comfortable. It's the reason DEI offices exist.

And of course people are in favor of "show your papers" laws and mass deportations until an American citizen who happens to be brown-skinned and/or Spanish speaking gets caught up in the net and jailed or deported.

Please trust and believe that the leopards eating people's faces party is alive and well, and you're next.

I would rather die fighting a fascist government than go silently along with it. 

This is absolutely chilling.