This is a great piece by Josh Marshall. He makes the point that Trumpism - as we know it in the US - is a global phenomenon. It's linked to global economic oligarchy, of which Putin is clearly also part. Here's a key paragraph:
I’m talking about the global contest between autocracy and authoritarianism on the one hand and democracy and civic, rule-of-law based societies on the other. China, Russia, Turkey, Brazil, India, the Philippines are part of a post-Cold War alternative autocratic model. A similar contest is playing out within the EU. Some of these countries are structurally autocratic and others like Brazil or India or Turkey may simply be passing through authoritarian phases. Regardless they all have common characteristics: authoritarian rule, personality cults, state and party management of domestic economies aimed at supporting the governing party’s hold on power, often the standard authoritarian focus on domestic enemies. Trump is part and parcel of this because the global slide to autocracy is joined at the hip to the rise of oligarchism, secret financial partnerships and extortion.
This is the point that he pivots on to discuss how America has lost its standing in the world; we are no longer able to offer a clear alternative to the Russian and Chinese model. That's Trump, but it's also the GOP. Russia reached out to the GOP through the NRA, because it was easy to do so. The GOP has leaned towards authoritarianism for a good long while now, but the shift is complete.
It looks like we might be headed for a recession. That's par for the course: elect a Republican, get a recession. If so, it essentially dooms Trump's re-election hopes.
The question then is what damage he has done to the American world order put in place after World War II. I fear it's damaged beyond repair.
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