Remember, Rome burned. Down to the ground.

[Ninga]

I believe that the forces allowing Trump to dismantle our government, piece by piece, are paving the way for a dictator.

Don't laugh.

[dchill]

1. Definitely NOT laughing.

[BSdetect]

2. But to paraphrase: "Rome wasn't burned in a day".

[democratisphere]

3. Who's laughing?!

drumpf thinks he should be dictator for life, then his daughter would take over from there. redumbliCONs are actually insane!

[DetlefK]

4. Actually, it didn't.

Rome was spread out over seven hills. The rich lived on the hills, the poor lived on the swampy areas down-below. When Rome burned, only the poor quarters were hit.

The Roman Empire collapsed because their economy was built on pillaging foreign countries, not on taxation. Once there was nobody left to pillage (or strong enough to fend off the roman army), Rome could no longer afford to maintain it's army. It had to cede more and more territory and rely more and more on allies and mercenaries. Most notable were their german allies. Once the Roman Empire had shrunk so small that it was no longer noteworthy, the Germans staged a coup and simply took over.

From a major capital, Rome's status dropped to being a poverty-stricken ghetto. Many antique roman buildings were destroyed during that time due to neglect. It took many centuries before the city of Rome would become noteworthy again.

[Ninga]

6. I see. Thank you. In 2018 we have our own unique set of facts that point to the complete

dismantling of our government as we have known it....burning democracy to ashes.
I'm not kidding.

[malchickiwick]

9. The Bishop of Rome might quibble with your last graf. Also...

...the Byzantines were looking for a shout-out.

[FarCenter]

15. It was more like urban renewal

[KPN]

16. Sound a lot like USA actually.

[Ninga]

5. The problem is. We've never been here before. People have no idea how much

dismantling has taken place, at breakneck speed.

[kentuck]

8. It's a hard reality to grasp.

How much damage has already been done?

[Ninga]

11. Found this article.

http://prospect.org/article/how-democracy-america-can-survive-donald-trump

[Cosmocat]

12. 1/3 of us do

1/3 see it and don't give a fuck because, "LIBERAL!"

1/3 have their heads stuck in the ground.

Unless that last 1/3 get in the game, we are going along for the ride.

[Ninga]

13. Yep. Spot on, well said.

I may not live long enough to see the sinking ship of state righted.

[malchickiwick]

7. If you are talking about the Great Fire under Nero, Rome was ALREADY a dictatorship when it burned.

The Senate and the people's assemblies had by that time become largely ceremonial.
In our case, we still have a chance to ensure OUR legislative bodies have the power to check an addled would-be despot.
November sixth, to be precise.

[GeorgeGist]

10. Trump is a pro ...

at bankrupting things he runs.

[Cosmocat]

14. It is has been developing at an exponential rate

my entire life, and hit warp speed when 45 came down the escalator.

I don't see how we turn it around.

our 1/3 cares.

Their 1/3 could give a fuck because "liberal!"

The middle 1/3 have their heads somewhere between up their asses and the ground.

Unless that final 1/3 gets into the game, we are fucked.