'Coronavirus coup'? As outbreak grows, authoritarians around the world seize the moment.

[VOX]

Note that the countries cited have “done business” with Steve Bannon in the recent past.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2020-03-31/as-coronavirus-tide-rises-authoritarians-around-the-world-seize-the-moment%3f_amp=true
Los Angeles Times
3/31/2020
By Laura King
To battle a spreading pandemic, democracies across the globe are turning to tools like emergency proclamations, abrupt lockdowns and enhanced public surveillance. But so are the world’s autocrats — and analysts say the burgeoning outbreak is providing cover for some audacious power grabs.

Alarmed critics have given the phenomenon a scathing nickname: “coronavirus coup.”

The latest example is in Hungary, where parliament on Monday granted Prime Minister Viktor Orban sweeping new authority to rule by decree for an unlimited period of time. Orban, already engaged in a systematic campaign to consolidate his powers and stifle political opposition, cited the need for heightened powers as a way to aggressively fight the outbreak.

“Especially in weak democracies, this is accelerating trends we were already seeing,” said Sarah Repucci, who heads the analytics department at Freedom House, a Washington-based watchdog group that for years has documented the worldwide erosion of democracy.

Repucci cited Orban as among the autocrats using the virus as an excuse to accelerate their repressive agendas.

From Israel to Brazil, from the Philippines to Chile, there are telltale signs of autocratic intent behind executive actions ostensibly spurred by coronavirus, analysts say. One is when measures giving a leader more authority are open-ended, rather than being linked to an easing of the outbreak.

Another warning sign, according to analysts, is when newly imposed government measures are specifically engineered to resist oversight by courts or lawmakers, or appear to have little direct connection to actual efforts to halt the spread of infection.
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[VOX]

1. No one? Embarrassing self-kick.

[EllieBC]

2. Unsurprising.

What is alarming and surprising is the amount of people I see cheering on things like beating people in the street for violating social distancing (India). Or up here they are threatening jail time and fines for social distancing violators. Spoiler: we can barely keep child molesters and murderers in jail so exactly how will that work? Cheering on cell phone tracking or loosening HIPAA or HIPAA type regulations.

People are scared and when scared and desperate they make very poor choices. Backing more and more draconian policies because they feel “safer”.

Patriot Act and increased NSA powers were only temporary too to protect us. They are still around.

The lesson is there’s always someone looking to grab power so don’t be quick to give it up out of fear and panic. Also, wash your hands.

[DFW]

3. Here in Western Europe

There are already rumblings about sanctions or even a political quarantine of Hungary. Hungary's authoritarian leader, of course, says, "so what?" Of course, if the EU cuts off all aid money (and Hungary is NOT in the euro-zone), they can say, "THAT'S what," and it will not go unheard.