I'd make a small distinction between the center right and the far right in a parliamentary system. In this country, the psychos and the Low Tax Brigade were forced to share the same tent. When right-wing media and the internet really took off, the psychos took over. Now there are no moderate conservatives in the U.S.
Respectfully... naaaah.
The Right-Winger dipshits that won in Germany are literally called The Christian Democratic Union. They're theocrat fascists. They're just like.. theocrat fascists in the George W. sense instead of the MAGA sense; the theocrat fascists that are still smart enough and scared enough to dogwhistle, lie, and misdirect rather than just say what they want.
But let's not fuck around with their policies: tax cuts for businesses, limited immigration, deportation of 'illegals,' 'third country' holding areas for asylum seekers, massively enhanced presence of and funding for law enforcement (including surveillance of the population and closing religious institutions that it deems problematic - particularly those that it sees as anti-Israel), mandatory military service for citizens, hates China, loves Israel. ~takes a deep breath~ They're also WHOLLY and ENTIRELY against all emissions controls and legislation against automotive pollution, is pro-emissions trading, and wants to bring back diesel subsidies. They want language barrier tests for children to be in public school (i.e. anti-immigrant measures).
Then when you look deeper at the like.. 3 things that maybe they are good on, you find that it's either couched in other awful things, or is just probably shit they don't really mean and won't actually do (like Trump promising lower grocery prices).
In other words, to literally the surprise of fucking nobody, the CHRISTIAN Democratic Union right-wing Germans are just MAGA without an orangutan to shout into a mic for them. They are absolutely, 100%, far right theocrat fascist idealogues.
I think we can both agree that North Korea is significantly further down the road than we are. They have consolidated state media; open brainwashing. Trump is in the process of building that as we speak.
The point I was making is that North Korea didn't start out where they are now. We are on exactly the same trajectory they were on to get where they are. We have to stop pretending 'it just can't happen here.' It absolutely can. We've watched it happen elsewhere and have, apparently, learned nothing. Mostly because of this bullshit American Exceptionalism that taught us that we are somehow intrinsically, inherently different from everyone else on earth.
This is where I really disagree. In 2015, Trump was funny. I didn't laugh because his shit was all punching down, but he had stage presence. He was willing to laugh at Marco Rubio's dick size to his face. On a stage with 16 or whatever other candidates, he stood out. Between that and The Apprentice, a show designed to make Donald Trump look like America's Smart Business Boy, he built his cult.
It's also worth remembering the context around Trump 2016. We were coming off our first Black president, an insult that sent conservatives into an all-consuming rage. His special formula of Racism Pixie Dust was the icing on the cake. That particular brand of charisma doesn't jive with anyone in this thread, but it was catnip to a certain segment of the American populace.
He was rich (aspirational), racist (just like them), and able to say or do whatever he wanted without consequence (aspirational). Here we are.
The second two points bely the first. Trump didn't have to be charismatic to win. He just had to say the right horrible things and hate all the correct people. Which is exactly what he did. He was a dumb, ignorant, loud piece of shit. ALWAYS. Everyone just ignored it because he was rich and powerful. But I don't believe for a second he was ever -charismatic-. Or funny in any meaningful sense beyond 'horrible people will laugh if you say the N word.'
I'm not so sure. Like 2025 Trump, everything Vance, Don Jr., whoever says is a whiny grievance. That's cool when you're coming out of 2024, the hottest American economy in recent memory, but not so cool in 2028 after Don Sr. has shanked the American economy and kneecapped American science.
Jong Un is a whiny pathetic little bitch. Just like Vance and Don Jr. It just doesn't matter once the deification of the original leader is allowed. Then everyone who follows becomes untouchable. We're seeing that kind of attitude already manifesting in large scale with the Charlie Kirk situation. You think those same people won't rally behind everyone closely aligned with Trump if Trump were to die? I envy your optimism. Don Jr. will be the new Christ if Trump kicks it right now. There will be Republican pundits seriously publicly commenting that he should be just MADE the president, without elections, to honor the 'sacrifices' his father made to 'Make America Great Again.' I guarantee it. We are becoming North Korea and not doing nearly enough to stop it, it seems like.
