1. Here's the closing argument e-mail I just received from the President. Several things stand out--apart from the bolded, underlined statement in red that "I AM ON THE BALLOT TODAY." 
2. Another notable claim in this message is that electing Democrats is tantamount to "handing matches to arsonists." This is unmistakably the language of authoritarians.
3. The genealogy of this authoritarian language can be traced to the early 90s when @newtgingrich and @FrankLuntz encouraged Republicans to start referring to their opponents as "sick traitors" who needed to be "devoured." npr.org/2018/11/01/662…
4. "Socialism." I'm intrigued by the Republicans' invocation of this Cold War red baiting language. It had real power up through the 1990s, but I feel like for most folks under 40 it's not a word that wields much rhetorical fire power. I guess we'll find out.
5. Lastly, he signs off as "your president." Note that this e-mail is addressed to people who have supported him in the past. He is speaking to them not as "the" President of the entire United States, but rather as "your" President...the President for those who support him.
6. This president uses language to encourage his supporters to think of the opposition party as traitors to the nation & enemies of the people. This is what cult leaders do and what authoritarian rulers do. It embodies a demagoguery that the Founders feared and tried to prevent.
7. Trump's not going to change his rhetoric regardless of what happens in today's elections. But voters have a chance to send a clear signal as to what they think of such authoritarian tactics.
