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cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ca/post/18473652
A former national security adviser in the Donald Trump White House has said that the ex-president āhasnāt got the brainsā to helm a dictatorship, despite his admiration for such rulers.
In an interview with the conservative French outlet Le Figaro, John Bolton, 75, was asked whether Trump had tendencies that mirror dictators like the ones he has previously praised. Bolton not only disparaged Trumpās intellectual capacity, he also disparaged the former presidentās professional background, exclaiming: āHeās a property developer, for Godās sake!ā
Now a vocal critic of Trump, Bolton served as the former presidentās national security adviser from April 2018 to September 2019. Bolton had previously served as US ambassador to the UN during George W Bushās presidency, developing a reputation as a foreign policy hawk.
Boltonās remarks to Le Figaro suggesting Trump is not smart enough to be a dictator will almost certainly do little to allay fears on the political left at home or abroad about a second Trump presidency.
After all, Trump has suggested he plans to be a dictator, if only for the first day of his presidency if he were re-elected.
What Iām realizing is that fascism is not strictly top down. Itās also bottom up. Some people at all levels want this and will act without direct orders.
Back in WW2 the Occupied French put it this way; it isnāt the big Hitler in Berlin that makes our lives miserable, itās the million little Hitlers in Paris who make us suffer.
Thatās so true. Itās always the little Hitlers that empowers the big one.
It does work from the bottom down if you think about it. The small elections people donāt bother with, like school board positions and such, are where the fascist Karens thrive and itās where they can do damage like fuck up your kids lives and education with their bullshit.
I guess in a way it can be thought of as virulent ideological malevolence.