I ask because I think that after less than six months of this administration, there are already many signs pointing in that direction. In addition, the incumbent president already attempted a failed coup at the end of his previous term in office.

  • flamingo_pinyata@sopuli.xyz
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    5 hours ago

    “Soon?” It already is. And it’s been fairly autocratic for the last 10+ years.
    I’m not an expert in American history so I can’t tell you exactly when it started, but as long as my English was good enough to read news from the US it seems like every president has expanded presidential powers more and more.

    At some point US presidents got the power to conduct wars without approval of the congress. I’d say this was the cutoff point.

    • cattywampas@lemm.ee
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      5 hours ago

      The growing power of the executive branch has been a concern since around the Great Depression and WWII. What we’re seeing now is the result of that and other factors.

    • DandomRude@lemmy.worldOP
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      5 hours ago

      I’m aware.

      What I am concerned about is whether undesirable citizens will soon simply “disappear,” as is the case in Russia, for example.

  • supersquirrel@sopuli.xyz
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    5 hours ago

    I think it already is, leftwing and rightwing people have generally accepted we are in an oligarchy not a democracy.

    It is only neoliberal centrists who are in mindbending amounts of Ezra Klein “Abundance Theory” style denial about where we are, how we got here and the degree to which we are cooked.

  • jordanlund@lemmy.world
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    5 hours ago

    A true dictatorship or autocracy requires a competency level that this administration lacks. They will likely try but be laughably incompetent at it.

    If Stephen Miller had more power, we should be worried, but he’s the only brain within 1/4 mile of this administration.

      • Mist101@lemmy.world
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        5 hours ago

        Hitler was Einstein compared to anyone in the U.S. admin right now. I mean, fuck Hitler, but he wasn’t a dumbass.

          • psycho_driver@lemmy.world
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            4 hours ago

            I think the difference is Hitler was smart enough to listen to his guys. Trump thinks he’s the smartest guy ever and probably ignores his guys quite often because he thinks he knows better.

          • Mist101@lemmy.world
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            4 hours ago

            So… draw out your response and either say “Actually, Hitler was also a moron.” or “You’re right, Hitler was way smarter.” Otherwise you’re responding to something I didn’t say.

  • Ek-Hou-Van-Braai@piefed.social
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    5 hours ago

    It’s a “Democracy” where you can only choose one of two parties.

    Both of which suck. One clearly more than the other, but your only two options are terrible.

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    4 hours ago

    We need to invent a new term for whatever it is we are now. Something that defines “horrible excuse for a government chosen by the idiotic masses”

  • DeuxChevaux@lemmy.world
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    I think that i started to feel this in the years of Reagan’s presidency (I lived and worked in Europe in those days). Still a little hidden then, it seems to be blatantly obvious now, they no longer try to hide it.

    • DandomRude@lemmy.worldOP
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      4 hours ago

      And that is what concerns me. I’m from Germany btw - it feels almost like a flashback from history class.

  • FlashMobOfOne@lemmy.world
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    We’re definitely already an autocracy.

    I think the only thing separating us from a true dictatorship at this point is another 9/11-style event. If one of those happens in the next three and a half years, 99% of voters will be begging Donald to assume true dictatorial power. The 1% who criticize this in the moment will be labeled terrorist sympathizers, just as we were when the illegal invasion of Iraq took place after the 9/11.

  • Zwuzelmaus@feddit.org
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    5 hours ago

    It remains a democrazy. Just without the need to vote.

    (Because that’s what everybody inside that country wants. They simply get what they want, then they will remain quiet and allow all that).

    And freedom. Total freedom for those with power: freedom of speech, freedom from society, freedom to do business, freedom from sanity, freedom to give and take life, etc.

  • Lembot_0002@lemm.ee
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    5 hours ago

    It has always been: common people have never had a say in the law-making in the US. They can’t even elect a fresh new king: only 2 types of pre-provided kings are possible.