Paul Campos writes about how elites are in denial about what a Trump Restoration would have on American politics and the economy. It obviously goes beyond "elites", because if it was just corporate overlords, Trump would be getting crushed.
He notes the following:
Ultimately the kind of denial Krugman is talking about — that of the complacent elites, who don’t exactly support Trump, but don’t exactly oppose him either (“Despite his buffoon-like persona, and the admitted excesses of some of his followers, we can surely work with him if necessary, especially given the institutional guardrails” blah blah blah) — is playing a key role in ensuring that the authoritarian cult that is Trumpism and the Republican party (these are now exact synonyms) is not recognized for what it is.
I think this bolded part is key. If you listen to Trump or to Project 2025, you should be chilled to the bones as an American. However, Trump didn't succeed in overthrowing democracy the first time, so why should I worry about it the second time?
The answer, of course, is that a wide legion of authoritarian goons are lining up to help Trump actually accomplish an Orban-style conquest of American democracy. In the Trump Administration of the past, there were figures there who deflected some of his worst impulses. Trump will not allow those types of people into his second administration.
Yes, from 2017 to 2021, the guardrails held. However, January 6th and everything Trump has said since then should impress on people that Trump understands this and will do all he can to pull those guardrails down, and the behavior of the institutional GOP should prove that there will be no bipartisan effort to preserve democratic institutions.
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