I see an America that has been courting fascism by name since the 1920's - at times, more obvious than others - due to the opportunistic introduction of supporting ideas during key events in the country's history, as well as the slow introduction of certain authoritarian principles that allowed people to adapt to, incorporate into, and shape how they see America and what America means.
It could be argued that it goes back further, just without the label, where opposition to Marxist philosophy became right-wing ideology.
Nationalism (and all that entails) was the key weapon used against Communism. Nationalism demands an adherence to authority; a duty to state that requires citizens to see themselves and their country as exceptional to all others. Better, stronger, and divinely blessed - with an obligation to be the guiding light of the world. The example by which all should follow. Because, you know, we're right!
Which meant branding dissent as un-American by whatever label was playing well at the time. (Bolshevik!, Commie! Hippie! Outside agitator! Terrorists supporter! Muslim!) - to include being called un-American and traitor.
Can be argued that it goes back to the ever present authority and its desires v. the people and their desires. The dawn of government, by whatever form it went by at the time.
Where authoritarian power needs the people to yield. More so, it needs the people to yield willingly. Otherwise, the state isn't the final authority. Appeals to authority, fear, prejudices, nationalism - even patriotism, where nationalism is all too often dressed up as simple love of country with reinforcing rituals and symbols that aren't all that harmless. All part of the arsenal of power; of authority.
Appealing to the fears of people is not quite as old as time but close. It works. Appealing to their fears is most successful when directed at an enemy. You can fear the dark but if there's nothing lurking in the shadows, it won't go far as a motivator. Place a Commie or a Muslim or an Outside Agitator in the shadows and you now have somewhere to direct all that fear, resulting in a powerful tool of manipulation.
With that tool you can win hearts and minds. You can shape a nation. You can convince a people that a living wage is un-American, that a safe work environment is a Communist plot, that dissent falls from the traitor's tongue, that equality is the bane of "Our way of Life", and that Americans cease being american when they resemble the enemy of the day. That people cease being human when the government labels them the enemy, or inferior, or less.
Trump is as American as America's history.
He's the ugly underbelly we like to pretend doesn't represent the "real" America. After all, so far, for every step we've taken toward giving in to the very worst, we've managed to push against it.
The thing is, people will comfort themselves with each pulling away from the authoritarian state without also marking the gains made by those who want a nation that bends the will of the people toward obedience and acceptance of a supreme authority.
Just going from recent time, The Bush administration, for all its talk of not being at war with Islam, still rounded up Muslim men in America. They still tortured Muslim men. They still kidnapped and detained - without charges - Muslim men. They still paid bounties for the capture of Muslim men for dubious reasons. Saying you're not at war with Islam, but still torturing Muslims, and invading a predominately Muslim country for lies is like claiming you never said Saddam was responsible for 911 but forever linking his name and the country of Iraq with 911 every time you open your mouth.
You're deliberately appealing to fear and to prejudice, trying to pretend you're saying something else, while dog whistling the entire time.
And then America treated torture as a matter of opinion. Up for debate. Many Americans told themselves we've moved on, that we ushered in a new age, that we made a change.
Well, look at the response to Trump. What's changed exactly? Many Americans would still cheer torture. Look how many are cheering the mere thought of internment camps for Muslims. Torture could easily end up being a pay-per-view televised event - and mind you, some Americans would pay to see it.
It wouldn't be free because that isn't good business. Besides, many Americans salivate at the prospect of paying for their own oppression. They've been conditioned well.
We lost on torture. Regardless of what President Obama says - we lost. The U.S. government tortured people and got away with it. That's a loss, people. What we lost isn't just an abstract concept of right and wrong. That loss opened the door - and not just by a crack either. Our government openly and boastfully tortured people - then got away with it. What else might government do now?
This wasn't an aberration or some sort of crazy time in America. In case you haven't noticed, that particular crazy hasn't gone away.
It has become more acceptable. Because, you know - it's just all a matter of opinion and open for debate! And aren't we a wonderful and great country that people can disagree about torture and still sit together to break bread!
Yay, us!
But then there's Trump. Saying nothing more than what a lot of Americans have been saying for 14 years. Yes, his forum is bigger. His audience larger. Still, Trump is saying out loud what torture said with each pounding of the fists, with each bang of the head against a wall, with each bite of an attack dog - with each drop of water.
If you ever find yourself thinking Bush and Cheney were at least reasonable in some way (compared to Trump) - think again. Try to remember. Sometimes, the goal is to get people to think that the Bushes and Cheneys of the world are more reasonable.
Bush and Cheney were just the more acceptable face of Trump - and not because they aren't the same either. Because they are all three exactly the same. They just have different presentations...it's all in the framing. Some rage monsters are easier to swallow because they hide behind ambiguity and deniability. Some rage monsters lay it all out there.
Bush/Cheney torture was just Trump's hate-filled rants put into action. How could Trump not feel safe in his vitriol? America has a long history of demonizing those considered "others", and this particular other (Muslims) has been "legally" tortured by the U.S. government.
So, yeah, Waterman - America is ripe for Trump (or Cruz or some other rage monster)... and has been for years.
Doesn't matter if Trump loses - and don't gloat when he does (and I think he will) because even if he does lose the nomination and/or election - America still loses because hate, ignorance and fear were advanced.
That he was even allowed on the stage tells us just how much we've lost and how much those who favor an authoritarian state have gained.
Sure. His loss would mean we dodged a bullet - but this is America. We've got lots of bullets.
Or not. 
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