Hi, Craig,
Well, okay.
Maybe it isn’t obvious that a desire to sweep away regulations and gun rights and “entitlements” is authoritarian.
So I’ll explain.
Let’s start with regulations.
Authoritarians want to sweep away existing rules so their word becomes law.
When leaders tell the people that they want to get rid of regulations, they don’t say “so we can create autocracy,” they say, “so we can create individual liberty.”
Let's think about that.
terikanefield-blog.com/whats-up-with-…
I’ve never met someone who wants to get rid of regulations in general because they want the freedom to be nicer to people.
Some—like rape laws and laws against sexual harassment—restrict a different kind of personal freedom: The freedom to grab.
For more on our (relatively new) rape laws, see:
A dive into their website makes clear the connection between Confederates, Trump, and extreme libertarianism.
Now, we come to guns.
As I explained in the GOP history thread, as part the backlash to the 60s cultural changes, the NRA turned into a right wing extremist group, demanding no gun regulations.
When Putin took a close look at the U.S. for weaknesses to exploit, he noticed the uncontrolled gun violence in America.
chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/boo…
It occurred to him: Stoke discord in the US by pumping more guns into the hands of ordinary people.
Butina entered the US with a persona perfectly calibrated to appeal to the far right wing.
buzzfeednews.com/article/verabe…
She now stands accused of being a spy for the Kremlin, working directly for oligarch Torshin (who also has connections to the Trumps).
lawfareblog.com/document-indic…
I assume it also goes without saying that Russia is authoritarian. Many Americans, though, prefer Putin to the Democrats. "What?" you say.
See 👇
There. I think I covered it all:
The connection between regulations, guns, entitlements, and authoritarians.
Thanks, Debra