Politico ran the story below from a Turkish reporter suggesting that based on what she has seen in Turkey, Poland, and Hungary there are enough safeguards in the US to prevent Trump from any serious dictatorial powers. Without our safety rails it took Edgeron far longer.
Don’t get me wrong — I’m not saying there’s nothing to worry about. No country should take democracy for granted and there is plenty to fear in a second Trump term. Even if Trump doesn’t turn himself into a full-on dictator, he can do a lot of damage to American society and democracy if he wants to.
Still, four years pass quickly and even in another four years as president, Trump will not gain the organizational capacity, popular mandate, or institutional consensus to build a dictatorship or prolong his tenure past a second term. What I have seen in Turkey, Poland and Hungary suggests there is a turbulent time between the election of an illiberal leader and the establishment of a dictatorship when resistance will flourish. Any attempt at state capture by Trump will face a pushback from media, bureaucracy, major cities and the judiciary.
The article is worth reading.
Even with a head start in a first term, it would take Trump a long time to bend our democracy to his will.
www.politico.com
