Trump's Playbook

In every case of a dark mark in history, you will find a common thread: the mix of fear and deeply held beliefs, which lead to a herd mentality. This has been a very successful tool from the Salem Witch Trials to Nazi Germany to the McCarthy hearings. Every dark event in history bears this trait.

You will find in every rise of a dictator a common thread: making people think they are under attack and unsafe while convincing them the current leaders are weak and they, and only they, can keep the people safe.

Common traits among fascist regimes, including [those led by] Hitler, Mussolini and Franco: the use of patriotic symbols and mottos, identification of the enemy, supremacy of the military, controlling of the media, sexism, intertwining of religion and government, corporate power is protected, an obsession with national security.

From Hermann Goering, a leader of the Nazi Party: “It is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy or fascist dictatorship, or a parliament or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the peace makers for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.”

This is Trump’s playbook.

– Scarlett5124
Excerpted from "It's Time We Stopped Being Polite About It"
The Daily Kos
July 21, 2016

Related Off-site Links:
Nixon, Hitler, and Nationalism: Donald Trump's Speech Triggers Alarm Bells – Nadia Prupis (Common Dreams, July 22, 2016).
Classic Authoritarianism: In a Speech Filled with Fear and Xenophobia, Donald Trump Accepts Nomination – Democracy Now! (July 22, 2016).
Donald Trump’s Nomination is the First Time American Politics Has Left Me Truly Afraid – Ezra Klein (Vox, July 22, 2016).
Fact Checking Donald Trump's Republican Convention Speech – National Public Radio (July 21, 2016).
Nine Lies in Donald Trump’s Big Speech to the Republican Convention – Aaron Rupar, Aviva Shen, Judd Legum and Ryan Koronowski (Think Progress, July 21, 2016).
Donald Trump Drags GOP Into Very Ugly Territory – Jonathan Alter (The Daily Beast, July 22, 2016).
Donald Trump and the Dark Soul of the GOP: The Republican National Convention Was a Parade of Fear and Loathing – David Corn (Mother Jones, July 21, 2016).
Donald Trump is a Threat to Free Democracy – Robert Christian (Millennial, July 21, 2016).
Donald Trump Tries to Trick Americans Into Believing Crime is Spiking – Ryan J. Reilly (The Huffington Post, July 21, 2016).
Make America Hate Again – Timothy Egan (The New York Times, July 22, 2016).
Trump's Neo-Fascism Appeals to Victims of Obama/Clinton Economics – The Real News, (July 22, 2016).
Here’s What Bernie Sanders Had to Say About Donald Trump’s RNC Speech – Paige Lavender (The Huffington Post, July 21, 2016).
"I See Your Bullshit": Jon Stewart Returns to Take Down Trump and the GOP – Matt Wilstein (The Daily Beast, July 22, 2016).

UPDATE: “Out of a Dictator's Handbook”: Trump Threatens to Adjourn Congress to Unilaterally Install Judges, Political Nominees – Jake Johnson (Common Dreams, April 16, 2020).

See also the previous Wild Reed posts:
• Progressive Perspectives on the Rise of Donald Trump
• Something to Think About – July 18, 2016
• Hope, History, and Bernie Sanders
• Progressive Perspectives on Presumptive Democratic Presidential Nominee Hillary Clinton

Image: Damon Winter/The New York Times.