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Michele Kearney's avatar
Pam Smith (ME)'s avatar

I am in the field of psychology, and I want to nudge the focus of the perception of the type of power an authoritarian leader has over their followers. It is a form of identity grooming, extended to groups that are hungry for a positive self-identity. The self-identity offered by the authoritarian leader to their followers quickly gives them the status of being favored by a powerful person or party, of being special, and of being right. It is an intensely experienced sudden elevation of their perceived status, and contributes to their intense loyalty. They have not experienced such importance, and high regard, in their lives previously. That the extension of this positive identity is manipulative, dangerous and untrue is not visible to those who have embraced it until something happens to reveal the dishonesty of their leader. And even then, for the loyal followers, the betrayal of their loyalty is hard for them to believe. It is important to recognize, that the strong emotional bonds the follower has are not only to the leader, but also to the positive self-identity which the manipulative leader bestowed on them.

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FERN MCBRIDE (NYC)'s avatar

'President Trump’s legacy of corruption, four years and 3,700 conflicts of interest later'

'Here’s what you need to know:'

'As president, Donald Trump has flouted all kinds of norms, starting with his decision not to divest from his business interests while in office. That set the stage for an administration marked by self-interest, profiteering at the highest levels and more than 3,700 conflicts of interest.' (CREW)

'corruption, .. It exists where there is community indifference or a lack of enforcement policies.' (Britannica).

“We're now working within the framework of a Big Lie .. so long as we're in that framework of a Big Lie, we can expect one of the parties to try to rig the system."

'Like other fascist and fake populist movements, Trumpism draws its power and a type of life force from the slavish loyalty of Trump's followers. Normal politics is fundamentally ill-equipped to grapple with fascism and its commands to ignore reality in deference to the Great Leader, the elevation of that leader into a type of God and extension of the self, and its collective celebration of narcissism and other anti-social behavior including violence and hatred. Ultimately, Trumpism is a cult movement: If Trump and other leaders are the brain and the arms, Trump's followers serve as a hammer meant to smash multiracial democracy.' (Historian, Timothy Snyder) Link is 2nd from last.

"Nothing remotely compares to this," said Akhil Amar of Yale Law School, who is among the most-cited constitutional scholars in the country. "His actions since the election have threatened the very existence of our constitutional democracy. This looms large in the history of not just this administration, but the history of America. This is what history will remember most harshly."(CNN) Link below is the last.

https://www.citizensforethics.org/reports-investigations/crew-reports/president-trump-legacy-corruption-3700-conflicts-interest/

https://www.salon.com/2021/07/19/dr-john-gartner-on-america-after-trump-dystopian-science-fiction--is-actually-happening/

https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/24/politics/trump-worst-abuses-of-power/index.html

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