Trumpism: The Real Danger of Donald Trump

Trumpism: The Real Danger of Donald Trump

“Trump is not the fascist threat, Trumpism is.

Donald Trump, as both a president and human being, is concerned primarily with Donald Trump. To the extent that he has an ideology, it is one of individual success and narcissistic delusions. Loathsome though this human nematode may be, he as an individual does not represent a threat beyond the wide-ranging ramifications of his policies (climate denialism, racist application of immigration laws, etc.). And were that the only concern, then we could all go back to our regularly scheduled politics of corporate neoliberal imperialism.

However, what Trump has done is cobble together an array of far right, reactionary political forces that are angry and beginning to get organized. And what happens to those forces once Donald Trump leaves the political scene? Will they simply dissipate into the ether, consigning their fascist politics to some distant memory as they pack away their Gadsden flags, Blue Lives Matter pins, and Punisher’s Skull stickers in some old trunk in the attic?

No, instead they’ll be looking for their next leader, the next demagogue who, unlike Trump, will be a slick, photogenic, well-tailored and well-spoken ideologue. Not just a fascist, but a true believer. He’s out there right now somewhere, watching the political evolution of this nascent movement, thinking just how much he could accomplish with the right talking points and a clean, wholesome family image.

And he’s there. Biding his time. Waiting for his turn which he feels, with much justification, is inevitable.”