Mark Jacob: Are we living in a dictatorship yet?

[Nevilledog]

https://www.stopthepresses.news/p/are-we-living-in-a-dictatorship-yet

On Inauguration Day, I listed 12 tripwires of tyranny – developments to keep an eye out for that would indicate our country had become a dictatorship. Seven months into Trump’s term, we’re already there with five of the tripwires, we’re getting there with five others, and we haven’t moved much on two others. Here’s my tally:

1. “Investigators being investigated.” (We’re already there.)

I warned that if Donald Trump’s Justice Department went after former special counsel Jack Smith and others who have investigated him, “it will be an unmistakable sign that Trump has turned federal law enforcement into a goon squad.”

That has come to pass. In February, Attorney General Pam Bondi created a “working group” to investigate Smith and others. Last month, the Office of Special Counsel confirmed that it had opened a separate investigation of Smith. Also this month, Bondi named MAGA hack Ed Martin as a “special attorney” to investigate two others who have investigated Trump: Sen. Adam Schiff and New York Attorney General Letitia James.

2. “Even worse smears of marginalized groups.” (Not there yet.)

Trump’s smears were already awful before he took office, with accusations that immigrants were "poisoning the blood of our country” and eating house pets. Trump demonized transgender people before the election too. It’s bad, but I don’t think it’s gotten worse. I shudder to imagine ways that Trump’s rhetoric could get even more appalling, but I’m sure it can.

*snip*