RE: "But with Ron DeSantis, we may finally be facing an all-American politician who has Mussolini’s guile, ruthlessness, and willingness to see people die to advance his political career, all while being smart and educated enough to avoid the easily satirized buffoonishness of Trump."
Desantis is a real threat, especially domestically. …
RE: "But with Ron DeSantis, we may finally be facing an all-American politician who has Mussolini’s guile, ruthlessness, and willingness to see people die to advance his political career, all while being smart and educated enough to avoid the easily satirized buffoonishness of Trump."
Desantis is a real threat, especially domestically. But an even greater right-wing authoritarian threat, a "dark horse" building his team and funding, is Mike Pompeo:
John Dean has warned us of a much smarter, more dangerous, version of DJT in his book Authoritarian Nightmare.
For Pompeo, “ … the only safe course is preemptive warfare everywhere until all [internal and external] hypothetical enemies of the United States are vanquished." He believes in an all powerful "unitary executive."
"... Pompeo tacitly endorses limitless, unconstitutional presidential wars neither declared by Congress nor fought in self-defense. Neither as a member of Congress, nor as director of the C.I.A. nor as secretary of state did Pompeo ever protest unconstitutional presidential wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Yemen, Syria, and against non-state actors Al Qaeda and ISIS. He believes the president is crowned with limitless authority, among other things, to decide whether and when to attack China or Iran with nuclear or conventional weapons."
"Pompeo, an honorable man like the men who assassinated Caesar, is courting Trump’s violent mobsters for 2024.”
Desantis could ignite a new Civil War, but Pompeo will start WWIII, if we are not already there before 2024.
And such a lovely curriculum vitae! West Point and Law Review at Harvard! And he's got that Dick Cheney "gravitas" act down, too. Evil clothed in the most glamorous halo. (Wikipedia) All he needs to do is lose about 50 pounds, and I agree with your fears. Funny, how the "flyover country" people will shake fists all day long at "elitist Left-Coasters" but boy will they be proud of their genius boy Pompeo.
I love the USofA that embraces our potential as an authentic democratic republic that could equally protect and empower all human citizens - maximized equality.
I hate the USofA where authoritarians want to use the nation state as a tool to enforce a social hierarchy where only they are protected and empowered while all others are punished for being born into the wrong class/nationality/religion/sex/sexual orientation/skin tone/etc. - maximized inequality. (Pompeo's view for USofA.)
RE: "But with Ron DeSantis, we may finally be facing an all-American politician who has Mussolini’s guile, ruthlessness, and willingness to see people die to advance his political career, all while being smart and educated enough to avoid the easily satirized buffoonishness of Trump."
Desantis is a real threat, especially domestically. But an even greater right-wing authoritarian threat, a "dark horse" building his team and funding, is Mike Pompeo:
John Dean has warned us of a much smarter, more dangerous, version of DJT in his book Authoritarian Nightmare.
For Pompeo, “ … the only safe course is preemptive warfare everywhere until all [internal and external] hypothetical enemies of the United States are vanquished." He believes in an all powerful "unitary executive."
"... Pompeo tacitly endorses limitless, unconstitutional presidential wars neither declared by Congress nor fought in self-defense. Neither as a member of Congress, nor as director of the C.I.A. nor as secretary of state did Pompeo ever protest unconstitutional presidential wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Yemen, Syria, and against non-state actors Al Qaeda and ISIS. He believes the president is crowned with limitless authority, among other things, to decide whether and when to attack China or Iran with nuclear or conventional weapons."
"Pompeo, an honorable man like the men who assassinated Caesar, is courting Trump’s violent mobsters for 2024.”
Desantis could ignite a new Civil War, but Pompeo will start WWIII, if we are not already there before 2024.
https://consortiumnews.com/2023/01/30/pompeo-a-monster-slaying-monsters-abroad/
And such a lovely curriculum vitae! West Point and Law Review at Harvard! And he's got that Dick Cheney "gravitas" act down, too. Evil clothed in the most glamorous halo. (Wikipedia) All he needs to do is lose about 50 pounds, and I agree with your fears. Funny, how the "flyover country" people will shake fists all day long at "elitist Left-Coasters" but boy will they be proud of their genius boy Pompeo.
We are a divide nation:
My Love/Hate for USofA:
I love the USofA that embraces our potential as an authentic democratic republic that could equally protect and empower all human citizens - maximized equality.
I hate the USofA where authoritarians want to use the nation state as a tool to enforce a social hierarchy where only they are protected and empowered while all others are punished for being born into the wrong class/nationality/religion/sex/sexual orientation/skin tone/etc. - maximized inequality. (Pompeo's view for USofA.)