I can't be contrarian about Donald Drumpf anymore: He's terrifying

[KamaAina]

http://www.vox.com/2016/3/13/11214140/trump-is-terrifying

I was a liberal Donald Trump apologist. Not a liberal enjoying the chaos Trump was sowing in the Republican Party, but someone who welcomed his ideological heterodoxy as a step away from the cliff of endless polarization that offered a more moderate substantive agenda than Marco Rubio's. I held on to that conviction through Friday's protest violence and Saturday's torrent of "enough is enough" takes.

I was wrong. Sunday morning, in the context of what he knew to be a growing controversy about violent behavior on the part of his supporters, Trump tweeted what can really only be interpreted as a threat to send goons to beat up Bernie Sanders supporters....

The framers of the Constitution rather sharply circumscribed the president's authority to make and repeal legislation, making it in many respects a weaker office than the prime ministerships of more majoritarian countries. But the president and his appointees have enormous discretion over the enforcement of existing laws. Putting a leader who would condone violence against the supporters of his political opponents in charge of the federal law enforcement apparatus is frightening. Giving him the power to unilaterally issue pardons is terrifying.

There have been clear signs all year that this was the direction the Trump phenomenon was heading, but I assumed that as he got closer to the Republican nomination Trump would tone down his extreme behavior in order to demonstrate his acceptability to mainstream voters. In fact, he has done the opposite. It's a surprising decision that has truly scary implications for how he might behave were he to actually win the presidency.

Got fascism?

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

1. and when have we ever had

a candidate for nomination, on either side, conduct themselves in this manner? It's up to the moderate republican base (they are out there, hiding from the Tea Party) to stand up and say no to T Rump.
He's an expert at manipulating the easily manipulatable.....is that a word?

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. More and more people are understanding this

the question is, whether this was on time. To be crass, time will tell.

[blm]

3. No kidding - so glad Carl Bernstein spoke up this AM and CALLED it neo-fascism and

advised more in the media to use this as a teachable moment so people are made to FULLY understand what is happening here with Trump.

Those of us here who have been sounding the alarm on the creeping fascism of the Republican party and its base are finally being heard because Trump's candidacy is fully embracing and telegraphing the fascism instead of just implementing it quietly like the GOP establishment has been doing for decades.

[brewens]

4. I loved him throwing 9/11 and Iraq in their faces during the debate and what he had to say about

infrastructure. I kind of discounted some of the ugly things up to that point as his playing the half-wits. I didn't think they could count on him to come through on immigration.

I still didn't plan on voting for anyone but the democratic party candidate, but I was thinking he tRump might be crazy enough to really turn things upside down and not be so bad if elected. Boy has he shut that down the last few days! I think you'll see him really take a dive now.

[eShirl]

5. Back when he said he could shoot someone in the street, and not lose his supporters

you could tell, he really like that idea.

[Person 2713]

6. People's lives who matter are in danger more and more everyday because of the fascist

furor he is igniting with his speeches and the media' s unquestioning acceptance of it as American as apple pie
Most of his targets have been terrified since day one not only of him but the silence of the majority and his favorabilty growing
Did you forget his part in the birther movement?
I still don't get people who thought he would get less radical, or this was a fake run where he was only helping democrats , but hopefully yes, folks will come around to understand what's going down

[WhiteTara]

7. Vote Democratic. nt