Been there, done that, the results were shit... [View all]
He was dour. Irascible. Tempestuous. He rarely smiled.
He rose to power by joining an existent right-wing political party.
His speeches and writings were incoherent ramblings.
Most everyone, even some in his inner circle questioned his mental state.
But due to his popularity and fear of retribution, they pretended not to notice.
They made him their leader.
Before long, he remade that political party in his own image.
It was nationalistic. Disrespectful of societal norms, regularly skirting the law. Racist. Sexist. Xenophobic. Belligerent. Constantly threatening their neighbours.
The party merged interests with religious leaders, captains of industry, like-minded media moguls. They all fawned over him and asked their followers to join with them for the good of the nation. Most did.
The party gave him unprecedented control. It became HIS party. Because no one dared stand up to him.
His followers adored him because he told them what they yearned to hear. And the economy was good, so why rock the boat?
The few party members who did criticize his policies were called unpatriotic, disloyal, even traitors. Some left the party rather than suffer the indignity of the cult-like wave that had swept over them.
He called upon his followers to do harm to those who dared oppose him.
And even THEN, the party remained silent. Fear had a firm grip on them all.
But that was nearly a century ago, in a far off land. That could never happen here.
Bruce Lindner
No silly, not Trump Hitler. Heh.