It only took a week, the crazies are out and about spewing their rigged election rhetoric stimulated by their leader. Claims of Socialist, Communist and Muslim takeovers are rampant on social media.
There is no effort at unity from our President, no uplifting message to unite America only outrageous claims, anti-immigrant rhetoric, promoting division and subtle messages of hate.
Here is what I see as the strategy of the MAGA movement and its leader.
- Targeted Messaging: They offered simple solutions to complex problems,promising work, national pride, and social order. They targeted specific demographics susceptible to propaganda.
- Campaign Tactics: He traveled across the country to present himself as a strong, dynamic savior capable of restoring American prestige.
- He created scapegoats to blame allowing people to shift blame for their grievances.
- He undermined confidence in government and manipulated for more power.
- He started a war to achieve his gains and demonstrate his power.
The more astute and knowledgeable among our readers will recognize those strategies are not new, they were employed nearly a hundred years ago with devastating results.
What I described is the strategy and tactics used by Hitler and his Nazi party in 1933.
I hope you recognize the unfortunate similarities with the extreme MAGA right and Mr Trump of the 2020s.
We are being manipulated by a narcissistic, demagogue with no understanding of the world outside his imagination and incapable of leadership in the best interests of his Country and all its people.
The very sad part of all this is that the worst of what is being done will not be realized for several years. The cuts in research funding, including health care, deteriorating global relationships, unwise, unaffordable tax cuts, risking our nations security, adding to national debt, anti-immigrant policies blocking our access to educated, skilled talent and the younger tax-paying workforce we need. Even our military has been politicized.
What is also sad and consistent with Germany in the 1930s are the number of people who follow a person who lies, brags about unachieved accomplishments, tolerates if not creates corruption, fails to deliver on promises, is possessed with form and appearance over substance, lacks integrity, honesty, empathy, and dignity…. insults and attacks individuals and mocks his followers to their face.
I saw Trump in an interview two days ago when asked about the Iran war he said “at least there have been no deaths.”
Let’s hope we don’t get to where all this is leading before the nightmare is over.
