Eelco van der Maat: Republicans that hitch their ride to authoritarianism should realize that it is an existential risk to the American way of life—beyond any electoral defeat. US politicians, corporations, and churches cannot thrive in an authoritarian environment.

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Republicans that hitch their ride to authoritarianism should realize that it is an existential risk to the American way of life—beyond any electoral defeat. US politicians, corporations, and churches cannot thrive in an authoritarian environment.

After sidelining the people, authoritarian elites build new coalitions and violently dispose of rivals. Aging leaders like Trump risk violent removal—and so do their supporters. Some will float to the top. And they'll destroy the remainders of their coalition. To live in fear.

When the inevitible economic pain comes, the scapegoating will follow. Then the violence.

I think they can - that is, the politicians, corporations, and churches that have been supporting and working toward this moment for decades. Those ones will do just fine, and they know it.

I'm sure that is what Rohm, the sa and a host of others throughout history thought

I think this misunderstands some fundamental differences between our current moment and Germany in the 1930s.

I think revolutions eat their own is a long time truth, and Donald Trump eats his followers is also a thing. Doesn't always end in death, you can be Lepidus in relative ignomity, but continued power is no guarantee.

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