Dictatorial ambition resides in their hearts, not just their deeds. The difference is what stops them—and no one from outside is coming to stop Donald Trump.
To elaborate on Tom Walsh's point: Despite the poor performance of the US economy, worsening budget deficits & national indebtedness, and dramatic undermining of government services since Trump's returned to the White House--Trump and the MAGA GOP benefit from leading the world's largest and wealthiest economy and controlling trillions of dollars in government spending/contracts. So as incompetent and destructive as Trump and his 2.0 policies have been to date, it's still possible for tens of millions of American citizens to go about their lives and experience very few (if any) negative consequences from Trump's policies and actions to date. By contrast, most Hungarians have been experienced the maddening consequences of Orban's corruption and his economic and civil rights policies for many, many years. They were positively desperate to get rid of Orban and his party's colossal mismanagement of the nation. The optimist in me says the American people have only just begun to grasp some of the unpleasant consequences of Trump's and the GOP's idiotic policies and corruption.
It took 16 years, things getting awful and record turnout for him to be ousted. Plus an ‘opposition’ leader who was very clear about what the people in power were doing. If the win wasn’t as big as it was would anyone be surprised if Orban denied he lost?
The US isn’t even close to hitting bottom, voter turnout here sucks and the opposition party is not particularly good at being honest about what’s going on, even with themselves.
Even then Hungarians still voted for a right wing government. Just one that's against corruption, improving the lives of Hungarians and not subsidizing American conservatives resentful lifestyles on Hungarian soil.
A thoughtful analysis. Thank you. One possible positive result is that Orban modeled leaving power. Maybe the model will affect Trump’s thinking - maybe not.
The court needs a serious restructuring, some suggestions that have been offered: Ethics Standards, No lifetime appointments, Term Limits (12,18), No President can nominate more than two during their entire tenure, Staggered terms so no ideology dominates, If justices lie during their confirmation hearings they can be removed, Time limits on rulings, Process to remove justices, Inspector General office to investigate corruption complaints against justices, etc.
Is there a reason that you did not mention as one of the constraints on Trumps power an independent Supreme Court with Justices who cannot be removed or outvoted by new appointees on a Supreme Court of increased size? If we don’t permanently take away the power of the ruling party to alter the size of the Court, will the next authoritarian use that power to make the Court a rubber stamp for tyranny? Let’s hope we never find out.
While there are some constraints holding back some of this regimes agenda, they, and their enablers, will continue to push hard against them and I’m not sure how much longer they can hold.
I’m also not so sure how accurate ‘non political military’ is anymore considering the violence loving religious fanatics in charge. That seems to be spreading and that’s scary.
9 months is a long time for the trump regime and the GOP to find new ways to push horrible policies, executive orders, remake the government and trash institutions. A ton of damage can and will continue to be done both here and abroad.
One thing I’d really like American citizens to take from the Orban ousting is that voting matters.
To elaborate on Tom Walsh's point: Despite the poor performance of the US economy, worsening budget deficits & national indebtedness, and dramatic undermining of government services since Trump's returned to the White House--Trump and the MAGA GOP benefit from leading the world's largest and wealthiest economy and controlling trillions of dollars in government spending/contracts. So as incompetent and destructive as Trump and his 2.0 policies have been to date, it's still possible for tens of millions of American citizens to go about their lives and experience very few (if any) negative consequences from Trump's policies and actions to date. By contrast, most Hungarians have been experienced the maddening consequences of Orban's corruption and his economic and civil rights policies for many, many years. They were positively desperate to get rid of Orban and his party's colossal mismanagement of the nation. The optimist in me says the American people have only just begun to grasp some of the unpleasant consequences of Trump's and the GOP's idiotic policies and corruption.
It took 16 years, things getting awful and record turnout for him to be ousted. Plus an ‘opposition’ leader who was very clear about what the people in power were doing. If the win wasn’t as big as it was would anyone be surprised if Orban denied he lost?
The US isn’t even close to hitting bottom, voter turnout here sucks and the opposition party is not particularly good at being honest about what’s going on, even with themselves.
Even then Hungarians still voted for a right wing government. Just one that's against corruption, improving the lives of Hungarians and not subsidizing American conservatives resentful lifestyles on Hungarian soil.
Shouldn't you have mentioned that Hungary, under Orban, is more or less a failed state relative to everything that is important to its citizens?
I
A thoughtful analysis. Thank you. One possible positive result is that Orban modeled leaving power. Maybe the model will affect Trump’s thinking - maybe not.
The court needs a serious restructuring, some suggestions that have been offered: Ethics Standards, No lifetime appointments, Term Limits (12,18), No President can nominate more than two during their entire tenure, Staggered terms so no ideology dominates, If justices lie during their confirmation hearings they can be removed, Time limits on rulings, Process to remove justices, Inspector General office to investigate corruption complaints against justices, etc.
Maybe all of them should be put in place.
could be.....elect people who will act on these.....
Is there a reason that you did not mention as one of the constraints on Trumps power an independent Supreme Court with Justices who cannot be removed or outvoted by new appointees on a Supreme Court of increased size? If we don’t permanently take away the power of the ruling party to alter the size of the Court, will the next authoritarian use that power to make the Court a rubber stamp for tyranny? Let’s hope we never find out.
While there are some constraints holding back some of this regimes agenda, they, and their enablers, will continue to push hard against them and I’m not sure how much longer they can hold.
I’m also not so sure how accurate ‘non political military’ is anymore considering the violence loving religious fanatics in charge. That seems to be spreading and that’s scary.
9 months is a long time for the trump regime and the GOP to find new ways to push horrible policies, executive orders, remake the government and trash institutions. A ton of damage can and will continue to be done both here and abroad.
One thing I’d really like American citizens to take from the Orban ousting is that voting matters.