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Other countries get rid of dictators, why can't we? (Original Post) milestogo 9 hrs ago OP
Racism. LuvLoogie 9 hrs ago #1
The founders never imagined two branches would concede their power to the third. CrispyQ 9 hrs ago #2
I think it did have to do with trusting good intentions. Ocelot II 9 hrs ago #3
Money. Kid Berwyn 9 hrs ago #4
RICHism (sic) Blue Dotty 6 hrs ago #8
Do they really? After how long and how bad did it get? JT45242 9 hrs ago #5
Its not painful enough yet gay texan 9 hrs ago #6
It's getting there quickly orangecrush 6 hrs ago #9
Racism, White Christian Nationalism, Economic self-interests and Education levels walkingman 9 hrs ago #7
It takes the people rising up. The system that allowed it can't fix it. Blue Full Moon 6 hrs ago #10
Because half the country has had 45 years of brainwashing propaganda to prepare for this. Initech 5 hrs ago #11
It might be due to sarisataka 5 hrs ago #12

CrispyQ

(41,153 posts)
2. The founders never imagined two branches would concede their power to the third.
Thu Jun 11, 2026, 11:30 AM
9 hrs ago

Kurt Gödel supposedly found a contradiction in our Constitution that would allow the country to become a dictatorship. I don't think he ever wrote it down. ??? The story I heard, was that Einstein told Gödel not to bring the topic up at his citizenship hearing. Could it have been as simple as you should never just trust in good intentions? Trust, but verify, one could say.

Ocelot II

(131,577 posts)
3. I think it did have to do with trusting good intentions.
Thu Jun 11, 2026, 11:35 AM
9 hrs ago

The whole system was based on the assumption that there would be enough good-faith actors in all branches to check anyone who stepped out of line. Most of the time that arrangement has worked pretty well. What they apparently didn't anticipate was the possibility that all three branches could be infiltrated or coopted to the point where a bad actor in the executive branch could take control.

Kid Berwyn

(25,320 posts)
4. Money.
Thu Jun 11, 2026, 11:36 AM
9 hrs ago
Where government of the rich, by the rich, and for the rich shall never perish from the earth or any nearby planet.



The significance of their attendance

Big picture view:


The presence of these billionaires at Trump’s inauguration reflects their alignment with his pro-business policies, which include tax reforms and deregulation initiatives likely to benefit their industries.

It also highlights Trump’s ongoing influence among tech moguls and global elites, despite political controversies surrounding his leadership.

Source: https://www.fox7austin.com/news/billionaires-trump-inauguration-2025

“This is an impressive crowd—the haves and the have mores. Some people call you the elite—I call you my base.” — Baby Doc Bush, addressing the Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner in New York on October 19, 2000

JT45242

(4,203 posts)
5. Do they really? After how long and how bad did it get?
Thu Jun 11, 2026, 11:56 AM
9 hrs ago

Tito (Yugoslavia) 25 years -- died
Pinochet (Argentina) 17 years
Franco (Spain) 37 years - died
Stroessner (Paraguay ) - coup
Portugal -- 48 years coup
Argentina - 7 years, Falkland Islands fiasco ended it
Marcos (Phillippines ) 20 years
Czechoslovakia post WW2 - 40 years

In small countries, it seems like dictators often have a succession of coup, but not really large countries in the Americas or Europe.

walkingman

(11,242 posts)
7. Racism, White Christian Nationalism, Economic self-interests and Education levels
Thu Jun 11, 2026, 12:09 PM
9 hrs ago

at the voter level, and party loyalty at the Congressional level.

Also a significant portion of Americans have a "if it doesn't directly affect me" attitude which leads to an erosion in terms of uniting to defending our Democracy.

Initech

(109,487 posts)
11. Because half the country has had 45 years of brainwashing propaganda to prepare for this.
Thu Jun 11, 2026, 03:27 PM
5 hrs ago

It's going to take a massive deprogramming effort to rid us of the Trump / Murdoch / Heritage cabal.

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