We find ourselves much closer to a runaway fascist regime than we ever thought was possible. It is Dick Nixon without any respect for the law or the Constitution. "Tricky" Dick was certainly a liar, but all the while he seemed to know the difference between what was false and what was true. Trump, with a gusto shared by war criminals throughout the world, doesn't accept the need to hide the facts. For the facts are only what the dictator says they are.
The barricades to fascism that we all thought would save us seemed to disappear overnight. Trump threatened the nation's colleges, and they capitulated. Run by billionaires, these institutions were throughly corrupted already. They were little corporations, always ready to trade academic freedom for millions in Federal aid. And they were willing to fire or expel any teachers or students who disagreed.
Another surprising failure was the national media. Again, most of it was purchased by the billionaire class and already corrupted. Reporters, commentators, actors and comedians were all shown the door unless they learned to love the dictator.
Since there was no limit to how much money the ruling class could give politicians, there were no "checks and balances" to be found. Congress had long ago given up serving the common good. Now, like other protections against tyranny, there was nothing left to save us.
In fact, a billionaire class almost always leads to the end of democracy. In its place we fund war crimes and genocide.
