1/ Thread: Why trump without guardrails is so dangerous
Lets look at another example of a country that had an undisputed leader with a cult like following where his every word was gospel.
Mao's China is a good example of what happens when there are no guardrails.
@davidfrum Putin & trump's fates are tied together.
If trump loses, the Putin looks weak. He's been using trump to project image of omnipotent leader of the world to Russians - so no point protesting against him.
But problems in Russia mounting
So a trump loss damages him a lot.
@john_sipher Russia - people are tired of Putin, decades of corruption, econ stagnation, reducing pensions, sense of no future and now Covid deaths are increasing.
His hold is much weaker than it looks - if trump goes then he is in big trouble.
@john_sipher The flip side is also true:
Putin, facing increasing problems in Russia, is using his hold over trump to project himself as an omnipotent strongman - so no point in protesting.
BUT - if trump goes then Putin looks weak & tells Russians that it is possible to o/throw dictators
This is horrific! As covid cases rise in Russia there is again a 10 hour wait to get an ambulance, hospitals are turning away patients, dead bodies are being piled in hallways. No medicine. And this isn't Isolated to one town. Its happening across Russia
https://t.co/xs4YN9n6ek
@ReliableSources@brianstelter trump's a death cult leader telling his followers to ignore reality and believe in his miraculous powers to keep them safe.
People have died and will continue to die because of his actions.
@washingtonpost trump's trapped in 2016 groundhog day forever.
He thinks he won because he's a genius.
In reality a lot of things just came together for him.
But he can't accept that because it undermines his idea about being a genius.
But 2020 is not 2016 - same tactics don't work.
@thecostoflivin2@joncoopertweets More likely he'll be added to the myth of the Lost Cause. Another White Supremacist done down by evil conspiracy. Maga hats will become holy relics like gen-U-ine nazi uniforms. Awestruck young KKK kids will listen to racist grandpappy tell them about seeing trump at a rally.
@AynRandPaulRyan Personality cults do not work when the great leader goes.
Supporters are loyal to the individual.
These idiots are living in a fantasy where they get to be Kim Jong Un who inherits their father's power. Might work in North Korea, but not in a country with a history of democracy.
@DavidLauter@ChrisMegerian trump's stuck in 2016 Election Groundhog Day.
He thinks he won because he's a genius.
In reality a lot of stuff just came together and he fluked it.
But he can't admit that - because it would undermine his idea of being a genius.
So he can't change or adapt for 2020.
@Teri_Kanefield Yup. trump is stuck in 2016 Election Groundhog Day forever. His happy place. Where he sees himself as a genius.
But in reality a lot of stuff just came together in 2016 and he scraped in.
2016 tactics no longer work in 2020. Different world.
But he cannot change.
@BandyXLee1 Agreed. trump is just going to shout and yell as usual. He cannot stop himself. He has to "dominate" at all costs.
The debate is an exercise in complete futility.